Act 1: The Engagement Celebration and Inspector's Arrival

The play opens with the Birling family and Gerald Croft celebrating Sheila's engagement. This joyous occasion is abruptly interrupted by the arrival of Inspector Goole, who begins questioning the family about a young woman named Eva Smith who has committed suicide.

Highlight: Mr. Birling's speeches at the beginning of the play are laden with dramatic irony, foreshadowing the events to come.

The Inspector's interrogation begins with Mr. Birling, who admits to firing Eva from his factory for leading a strike. Sheila is then questioned and recognizes Eva from a photograph, confessing that she had her fired from a subsequent job due to jealousy.

Quote: "But these girls aren't cheap labour - they're people." - Inspector Goole

Vocabulary: Dramatic irony - a literary device where the audience knows more about the situation than the characters.