An Inspector Calls

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An Inspector Calls- J.B Priestley

‘An Inspector Calls’ written by J.B Priestley in 1945, was set in the Edwardian era in the year 1912. The author chose to set it in this time because it illustrated clearly a way of life in which he despised especially the huge differences between the lower and upper classes. The rich Edwardians were full of selfishness, greed, lack of awareness; they had the self-satisfied view that each person was responsible only for themselves and their family. Looking at the era from a different perspective the conditions for the lower class were dreadful. Their wages were minimum and their lifestyles were pitiful. In Priestley’s eyes the rich were getting richer and the poor were getting poorer. This was due to the industrial workers putting up prices and lowering wages.

There are two main reasons why Priestley wrote this play. The main one being to entertain his audience. The second one was to express a point of view. Priestley was very critical with those with wealth and status who refused to acknowledge how their power and privilege could adversely affect the lives of others less fortunate than themselves. He and many others saw the world as a place where responsibility for all is shared by all. The play was wrote in 1945 because he wanted to warn his audiences of the threat if they carried on the way of life in which they were. The play introduces two choices in which they themselves could choose to happen, they could return to the ways of the Edwardian era or they could move forward for the best into a better era.

‘An Inspector Calls’ is a polemic. It expresses a strong moral view point of the author that the rich are self-centred, greedy and should be more responsible for their actions. The play concerns the Birling family, which consists of Mr and Mrs Birling and their two children Eric and Sheila. Arthur Birling is a rich business man who thinks very highly of himself, even though he is very often wrong. Arthur’s family respect him and listen intently to his ideas and thoughts. Priestly wanted he audience to have a low opinion of Mr Birling because he was discouraging his Capitalist politics and trying to show people like Mr Birling to be at fault. Mrs Birling is extremely concerned about her appearance, she shops almost everyday in order to achieve her best looks. She has very high standards to achieve being part of a rich family in the Edwardian era. Sheila is Mr and Mrs Birling’s daughter and is currently engaged to Gerald Croft, a friend of the family (wealthy son of Sir George Croft). Eric is Mr and Mrs Birling’s son he is a drunken b boy, however, his parents are unaware of this. Also included in the play is Eva Smith who has been employed at Mr Birling’s factory. The Birling family are part of the upper class community.

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At the opening of the play the Birling’s are enjoying a family dinner party to celebrate the engagement of Sheila and Gerald. They are having fun, talking about good times and having a laugh and a joke. The doorbell rings, Mr Birling calls for Edna (the maid) to answer it. Inspector Goole has paid them a visit and announces that he is investigating the suicide of a young girl names Eva Smith. It emerges that each member of the family has played an equal role in contributing to Eva Smith’s emotionally affected life up to the point where she ...

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