In this play a young girl named Eva Smith has committed suicide: we know this because the Inspector tells us early on “a young girl has died in an infirmary by drinking too much disinfectant.” This gives the audience the message that something extremely horrible has gone wrong in this girl’s life to make her want to end her life in this way. Throughout the play the Inspector gives us little bits of information that leads up to us finding out that the whole family are involved in the series of events leading to this girl’s death.
"An Inspector Calls" tried to make a point about the way people behaved in society at the time. He wrote his characters to reflect what people were actually like and what they believed in. Mr and Mrs Birling are a typical couple of the age, looking down on the working class as unimportant. Mrs Birling even dismisses her by saying "Girls of that class”. In the play Mr and Mrs Birling refuse to admit they have any responsibility for the death of Eva but they both know that they are involved in someway. Mr Birling is involved as Eva worked for him and she wanted a pay rise to 25 shillings a week, but Mr Birling would not do this, as it was bad for business. He also sacks her for making this request. This really shows us how selfish and self obsessed he is, as he won’t even let members of his own company plead for a pay rise even though the pay that they are given is too low to live off.
Mrs Birling’s involvement is quite different. Eva is on her last legs, as she is homeless with no money and is also pregnant. Eva asks for money from a charity. Unfortunately Eva had changed her name to “Mrs Birling” not knowing the real Mrs Birling was a member of the charity’s committee. Mrs Birling took offence to this and uses her power to turn Eva down: this shows how petty she is as she is just using her power and status against people despite their needs.
Thus the audience perceives Mr and Mrs Birling as a proud couple with a lot of money but not at all compassionate- both of them turn her out, not caring what happens to her next.
J.B Preistley contrasts this reaction with how the Birling’s children, Sheila and Eric, react to this death. Shelia feels guilty that she is responsible as she got Eva sack from the last good job in her life, just because she thought Eva was smirking at the dress she tried on because it did not suit her. Eric regrets getting Eva pregnant and not being able to support her.
The audience can now see that although their mother and father’s views had affected the children, these young people are able to change the way they look at things.
The most important theme which Priestley is trying to get across in An Inspector Calls, is that we all share responsibility for other people’s welfare, and that wealthy people have to look after those less fortunate than themselves. He also shows that in Victorian times, as there was no welfare fare state. Nowadays if your in a state were you cant work the government will give you benefit money but in those days there were only charities run buy those who where rich.
It is likely that the audience watching this play would have been people like Mr and Mrs Birling. They too may have found it difficult to change their ways but at least by watching “An Inspector Calls” they could see what may happen when you only care about yourself and your own family’s needs.