“Between us we drove that girl to suicide”
The Birlings’ ability to take responsibility is split within the family but ultimately it was their fault, and the Inspector tries to push them into their acceptance. Within the play the discoveries of the characters roles is carefully controlled which creates maximum effect on the reader.
Another way Priestly brings attention to the theme of the play is through the role of Inspector Goole. From the moment the Inspector enters the play he establishes an authority over the Birlings. His entrance is of significance to the theme as he rings the bell and interrupts Arthur Birling’s speech on his capitalist views.
“That a man has to mind his own business and look after
himself and his own – and –
We hear the sharp ring of a front door bell. BIRLING stops
to listen.”
By interrupting Birling as his selfish opinion is being aired, we learn that the Inspector has power and doesn’t agree with Arthur Birling’s view. Throughout the play the Inspector tries to teach the Birling’s about their responsibility and the socialist principles.
“We don’t live alone. We are members of one body. We
are responsible for each other”
His methods show the Birling’s that they have to take notice of others and take their role in a community. Also, he makes them feel guilty about what they have managed to reduce Eva Smith to. The Inspector comes across as a moraliser and judge in his speeches. Being the author’s mouthpiece his views are constantly forced on the characters and readers, and the Inspector refuses to listen to the Birling’s capitalist opinions. The use of the Inspector’s character is very effective as the constant preaching of right and wrong makes you realise how important the theme of social responsibility is.
The characterisation also enforces the message the play is conveying. As the story and opinions unfold, there are clear divides within the Birling family. The younger members of the family, Sheila and Eric, are the ones who own up to their wrong doings and face the consequences of that. But, Arthur and Sybil Birling are stubborn and refuse to admit that they have been and are wrong. When the Inspector leaves his role is transferred onto Eric and Sheila.
“There’s every excuse for what both your mother and I did
it turned out unfortunately that’s all-
(Sheila)(scornfully) That’s all.
(Mrs B) Don’t be childish, Sheila.
(Sheila)(flaring up) I’m not being. If you want to know, its
you two who are being childish – trying not to face the facts”
This shows that Sheila and Eric have managed to break away from their parents capitalist views, and realise the Inspector was right. By learning a lesson from the night, they show their parents up as they prove them wrong.
Another way in which Priestly condemns the Capitalist stance is by effectively giving the reader a bad impression of Birling to begin with. He makes him out to be an ignorant, pompous and self-righteous man. Birling makes many speeches at the beginning of the play, but in them he begins predicting things where, in every case, the opposite happens.
“I say there isn’t a chance of war”
“The Titanic - she sails next week…and every luxury –
and unsinkable, absolutely unsinkable”
Birling is constantly portrayed as a man who is interested in looking after himself. He’s happy about his daughter’s engagement as it brings with it good business opportunities and social opportunities for him. He likes to be in power, and isn’t afraid to force his prejudiced views on others and he uses his social stance to convince people he is right. Having a direct contrast between the characters of the Inspector and Arthur Birling Priestly puts extra emphasis on the differences between capitalism and socialism and also on the theme of social responsibility.
The final impact of the theme comes with the twist at the end of the play. The Birlings have realised the Inspector wasn’t a real police inspector and Eva Smith’s suicide had all been fabrication, and as they argue over whether the Inspector being real or not affects the lessons they should have learned that night they receive a telephone call telling them of a young girl who died in the same way Eva Smith supposedly had. Creating this final twist arouses a lot of questions about the mysterious Inspector Goole but is the last information which proves Arthur Birling wrong. That telephone call causes a great sense of irony as Birling had been trying to forget the lesson being taught and pass the night off as a joke. It also ends the play the way the main character entered; by butting Birling off during a capitalist speech. The twist has a lasting impact on the reader, as there is no time to reflect on what has happened. This is very clever on Priestly’s part, as it gets the reader thinking about the main theme, which means he has achieved his goal in writing the play.
I think, due to Priestly’s effective techniques, the play clearly portrayed a very important and moral lesson. He used the plot and the characters to portray a very important message to the readers; Social responsibility. He shocks and stuns readers and etches the theme into the reader’s mind. The message was impossible to ignore, and made the play what it is. His methods made the play more enjoyable and I feel as though I’ve learned more about the responsibility there is within a community. Priestly has succeeded in bringing about awareness of social responsibility with ‘An Inspector Calls’.
By Elaine Weir 301
Elaine Weir An Inspector Calls Critical Essay Page