'An inspector calls' - what is the main message and is it still relevant today?
John Boyton Priestly (1894-1984) wrote 'An inspector calls' in 1945 and it was first performed in 1946. The play was set in 1912. Priestly wrote this play to send out a message of responsibility to the people. Priestly believed that even in 1945 they were still the same as they were in 1912, which is why Priestly choose to set the play in 1912, along with various other reasons, such as he wanted the audience to have the benefit of dramatic irony.
During the Second World War, the people had united to fight one common enemy. This unity was that he wanted us to understand and believe in. He wanted to give everyone a choice. Should we go back to the way it was before the First World War, when everything was based on class, where an individual had to look solely after themselves, and no one else, or should we move forward, walk into the society where everyone looks for one another, where we all are equal and we work together? He wanted people to choose. He demonstrates the difference with the older generation representing the society where you care for yourself, and some of the younger generation that represents a new society where you care for one another.
Priestly used dramatic irony to discredit Mr. Birling's pronouncements in the opening scene. When Mr. Birling, head of the family and a respectable business man, talks of things that the audience knows is wrong, such as his opinion of the 'unsinkable' titanic, we begin to doubt Mr. Birling's opinions, because we already know that the Titanic does in fact sink.
At the time of which the play was set in, there were bitter divisions between the rich and the poor, industrial towns such as 'Brumley' were relatively new, it was a time of great change and world war one was only two years away. The genre of the play is mystery. Priestly's detective play is very different from the other detective plays. Priestly did some things similar, such as the inspector comes and ask questions, however, Priestly leaves the audience think what will happen as the story is incomplete. Priestly follows all of the three unities. Unity of place- Priestly based his play in one scene.
Unity of time- Priestly kept the play the same length of time as the okay takes to act. Unity of Action- Priestly made his play based on one storyline, no sub-plots. However, Priestly does not tell the audience who caused Eva's death Also Priestly does not tell the audience do not know who the inspector is. This makes the audience wanting to know what happens next.
At the beginning of the play, Priestly likes to build up the tension and suspense. It is obvious when Gerald was 'awfully busy' the previous summer. This is already making people ...
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Unity of time- Priestly kept the play the same length of time as the okay takes to act. Unity of Action- Priestly made his play based on one storyline, no sub-plots. However, Priestly does not tell the audience who caused Eva's death Also Priestly does not tell the audience do not know who the inspector is. This makes the audience wanting to know what happens next.
At the beginning of the play, Priestly likes to build up the tension and suspense. It is obvious when Gerald was 'awfully busy' the previous summer. This is already making people speculate about what is going to happen. But considering the Birling's actions in the play we change our attitude towards then. For instincts, when Mr. Birling is giving his speech on his political views he gives an example of dramatic irony when he talks of things that the audience know is wrong, such as his opinion of the 'unsinkable' titanic. When Mr Birling talks like that we know he is very naïve. Mr. Birling is oblivious to the word 'responsibility', his mind seems to reject it as he believes that people should care only for themselves, even as the inspector was questioning him he denies everything and still keeps his childish behaviour. Piestly finds Mr. Birling's ideals to be insulting and he wrote this play to fight against these sorts of people.
Mrs. Birling (Sybil) being Mr. Birling's 'social superior' always tries to correct him 'Arthur'; you're not supposed to say such things'. Mrs. Birling seems to always put up an act around people who are not members of the family. She is a traditional woman, who believes that a woman's place is at home, to look afters her husband and children, despite the way her ideals work, she is not close to her children at all, as we later find out that she hardly knows her children, she is quite oblivious towards her surrounds. Her constant nagging and putting others down at the start of the play creates a disliking for character already. She is snobbish and polite in such a way, that it is rude. She is a very hypocritical woman, and we find the extreme extent to her hypocrite. She begins by building a 'wall' between herself and 'girls of that class' as she refers Eva. She feels that it was all Eva's fault that she was in the situations the Birling's put her through. Mrs. Birling lacks empathy and cannot understand Eva because of her class.
In Priestley's opening notes, he describes Sheila as a 'young girl' even though she is in her early twenties. This makes us feels that she is childish and not pay much attention to her, until she has 'grown up'. We also get the impression that she is naïve when Priestly adds, 'very pleased with life'. She is ignorant to the world of the working class, and is constantly surrounded by her riches without even considering the lives of other people. During the engagement party, Gerald gives Sheila an engagement ring. This is to represent their relationship and love. Her words on receiving the gift are 'Oh -Gerald-you've got it'. The pause in her sentence indicates the excitement in her voice. She then becomes very involved with the present- like a child receiving a birthday gift. Mr. Birling is about to make his speech about the war and the Titanic, however, he pauses when he realises that Sheila may not be listening, as she is only concentrating on her ring. This is what a child may do when receiving a toy. This as with both her 'mummy' and her father gives us the impression that these people are annoying and makes us dislike them.
Priestly gives us an image of Eric that he is 'not quite at easy'. We also get the impression that Eric is hiding something from his family as he reacts 'sharply' towards Mr. Birling's and Gerald's jokes. It gives us hints that he lives a bad lifestyle, such as sleeping with prostitutes and drinking. Even this early in the play Priestly reveals hoe disgusting the middle class can be, however, it cannot fail to make people feel sympathetic towards Eric as it is clear that Eric is feeling guilty about what he has done when he acts 'involuntary' when he finds out that a young girl has committed suicide.
Priestly gives us an image of Gerald that he is a well-bred young man-about-town. We also get the impression that he is hiding something from Sheila when he was 'too busy' the previous summer, however, using his charm he manages to divert their attention when he 'produces a ring case'. It is clear here that Gerald is the type of person anyone would love, however, we the audience know that he has done something appalling the previous summer, which makes us, watch out for him.
I dislike Mrs. Birling for the way she acts and thinks throughout the play. She shows no remorse for her actions until she hears that it was he grandchild that she had refused and killed. 'I didn't understand' she says, in an attempt to relieve herself from blame, but that is soon forgotten when she finds out that the inspector wasn't real. Like Priestly, I believe in a society where everyone should lookout for one another, and as Mrs. Birling believes strongly in the old society, where you look out for only yourself, then your family, my feelings towards Mrs. Birling are negative.
I feel that Sheila is my favourite character as I can relate to her most. She is the change in our society, and her responses to the quires are perhaps the same as mine would have been. I know that I would have changed my ways after hearing and acknowledging Eva Smith and for this, I appreciate the fact that Sheila Birling was in the play to show us that change.
For Mr.Birling I also dislike him as his attitudes towards others are revolting. He has no compassion for his actions and even before he found out that the inspector was a fake he still did not accept the responsibility for the death of Eva Smith. He constantly accuses others, especially his son, Eric who he is using as a scapegoat. Out from all of the characters, Mr. Birling is the one I hate the most as he never accepts his responsibility.
I feel that Eric is my second favourite character as he, like Sheila accepts his responsibility for the death of Eva Smith, although, Eric did not feel as much guilt as Sheila did, even though his crime was worse. I can somewhat relate to Eric and I think that people like Sheila and Eric are the hope for a new society, just like Priestly's ideals.
My attitude towards Gerald is that, like Mr. and Mrs. Birling, I dislike him. Priestly's message was to change, he knew the adults were stuck in their own reality and will never change so he puts his hope into the children. However, Priestly also knew that some of the children like the adults will not agree with his ideals, which is where Gerald comes in. Gerald is just like Mr. Birling as he does not think that he has done anything wrong. For these reason I dislike him.
J. B. Priestly's message (told via the inspector) tells us that we should have collective responsibility, and share our duties equally between us all. Do we really want to live in a world where those of higher class choose our fate, or do we want to choose our own fate? His message is still relevant today, as I think we still live in a society such as the one Priestly desires, we still need to learn his message, as we need to remember our responsibility for others and ourselves.
Joe Tran
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