‘An Inspector Calls’ Essay.

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‘An Inspector Calls’ Essay

‘An Inspector Calls’ is a play written by JB Priestley in 1945 and set in 1912. Priestley

demonstrates his concern with moral responsibility and his beliefs in Socialist values

through the character of the Inspector, whom he uses as a mouthpiece throughout the

play. He voices his opinions on these issues using this technique, and they are shown

by the way the Inspector deals with the Birling family and are exemplified by the

obstacles to social harmony in which the Inspector has to face before coming to a

suitable and justifiable conclusion.

   The play was written in 1945 – within a week of World War Two ending – but set in

1912, when Britain still had its Empire and was doing very well financially. The time

span between the two dates is Priestley’s way of expressing a feeling of urgency he

thought necessary to pass on to society after the events of 1945.

   Although the war had ended, society in Britain in 1945 was still experiencing the

hardships that it had brought. New books were printed under the wartime economy

regulations, continuing the shortage of paper and therefore resulting in the books being

expensive – too expensive for any working class person to purchase.

   However, in 1912 some things were different. Society did not have the burden of the

war hanging over their heads, but life for the poor did not differ much from 1945.

Edwardian society was strictly divided into social classes; below the very rich were the

middle classes, such as doctors, merchants, shop workers and clerks. After that came

the craftsman and skilled workers, and at the very bottom of the social ladder was the

largest class of all – the ordinary workers and the poor, many of whom lived below the

poverty level. The men of industry treated their workers harshly and their pay was

extremely low. As a result of this, strikes became frequent as the workers demanded

better working conditions and higher pay.

   Priestley hoped that in writing ‘An Inspector Calls’, people could look back on events

with hindsight and learn from the mistakes that society had made. He primarily wrote

the play for a middle class audience about the working class, and how the Birlings and

Gerald Croft were all involved in making a young working class woman’s life a misery,

and consequently driving her to suicide.

   The Birlings are a typical upper class family – they look down on those who are

socially ‘beneath’ them, such as the Inspector, yet look up to those ‘above’. Mr. Birling

puts this specific idea into practice frequently. Although arrogant, he knows that he is

lower down the social scale than his wife, as well as Gerald’s family. However, he is

aware of the difference in social class, and accepts them – “Don’t blame her. [Lady

Croft] comes from an old country family – landed people and so forth – so it’s only

natural.”

   At the beginning of the play, the Birlings are celebrating their daughter’s engagement

to Gerald Croft – the son of Arthur’s business competitor. Immediately the impression

is given that love isn’t just the only force bringing Sheila and Gerald together; in fact, it

seems that Mr. Birling is more interested in a new business proposal than his daughter’s

happiness: “You’re just the kind of son-in-law I always wanted. Your father and I have

been friendly rivals in business for some time now ... you’ve brought us together”.

   This interesting concept indicates that although Sheila and Gerald may appear to be in

love to those not close to them, Mr. Birling’s business plans may have been the initial

reason they decided to join together in holy matrimony. This is a key reason why the

Birling family needed the input of the Inspector to realise their actions were not morally

correct; the outcome is that Gerald admits to having an affair while apparently being

“awfully busy” at work over the summer. Thus, feelings and secrets are revealed that

probably never would have been if the Inspector had not interrupted their celebrations.

   Apart from being more interested in securing a business deal than his own daughter’s

joy, Arthur Birling is a very shallow and obstinate character. As a man he is callous –

when he hears about Eva Smith’s suicide he merely takes it in his stride: “it turned out

unfortunately, that’s all”. He is also just as heartless as an employer, depriving Eva of

her job and throwing her out of his factory. Mr. Birling appears to have a selfish attitude

towards life – only ever thinking of himself, and then his family: “A man has to make

his own way - has to look after himself - and his family too, of course”.

   His arrogant belief that he ‘knows’ comes across as laughable (to the audience and

reader) when he expresses his confidence in issues that the society of 1945 have

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experienced. For example, when he talks about the “unsinkable, absolutely unsinkable”

Titanic and dismisses the threat of war – “I say there isn’t a chance of war”, it is ironic

that these things actually come to pass, and the reader and audience are aware of it,

therefore projecting Mr. Birling as a hypocrite. It is therefore implied that it is tragic to

have someone as stupid and narrow minded as him in such a position of power.

   Although Mr. Birling thinks of himself quite highly, his views on moral responsibility

are strictly unjust; he ...

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