An Inspector Calls- GCSE revision guide

Gerald Croft- Summary and Key Points

Gerald Croft is one of the only people who is not part of the Birling family, and at the start of the play, he is celebrating his and Sheila's engagement. Gerald is said to be in his thirties, and his marriage to a younger girl is seen as normal at the time the play is set. We are also told that Gerald is a member of the Upper class, whereas Sheila is only Middle Class. Gerald's father is a wealthy industrialist and owns a rival company to Mr Birling, Crofts Limited. It is made common knowledge that in this time period, many marriages were arranged for businesses or money, as Mr Birling explains his future plans to hopefully connect his business and Crofts Limited. Gerald at the start of the play is seen as very agreeable, as he acts extremely polite towards the elder Birlings. Throughout the play, Gerald is seen as very mature, compared to Eric, and able to keep his emotions in check most of the time. Just like Mr Birling.
Gerald is the third person to meet Eva Smith, down by the Palace Theatre Bar. He sees her being harassed by Alderman Meggarty, and so helps her out by calling the Alderman away. This time, Eva Smith is using a fake name of Daisy Renton, and her current job has been prostitution. After learning that Eva has only a small and dingy back bedroom to live in, and has no respectable job, Gerald offers her the use of a friends house whilst said friend is away. Eva is reluctant at first but agrees once she realises that it will be easier to find a job. Gerald proceeds to keep Eva/Daisy in that house as his Secret Mistress for six months, before remembering about his fiancée, Sheila, who was beginning to get suspicious as to why he was away so much. After learning of his engagement, Eva/Daisy is annoyed, but then Gerald is the one to end their relationship before Sheila had a chance to find out. Once moving out of Gerald's friends house, Eva goes on holiday to the seaside to, as the Inspector said, remember what had happened and some time off.

Key points about Gerald Croft:

"Easy, well-bred young man-about-town"- Gerald is shown to be self-assured and mature, and gives the impression that he is worldly wise.

"You're just the kind of son-in-law I always wanted"- Mr Birling thinks that Gerald will make a good business partner if they join companies, and will also make a good husband for Sheila. This was the primary cause of marriage in the early 1900's.

"I'm rather more-upset- by this business than I probably appear to be"- Gerald is the kind of person who can keep a stiff upper lip, even whilst being troubled at Eva/Daisy's suicide. He is not good at showing emotion because that was not the kind of thing a man should do in those times, it was the woman's job to be emotional.

"Everything's all right now Sheila. (Holds up the ring) What about this ring?"- Gerald has what some people may call double standards. When he thinks that a scandal has been averted, he wants to resume his engagement, forgetting that he abandoned Eva Smith/ Daisy Renton.