An Inspector Calls by JB Priestley.

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An Inspector Calls by JB Priestley.

In Act I Birling says, "A man has to make his own buisness and look after himself and his own -". In Act III Inspector Goole tells the family, "We don't live alone-we are responsible for each other-".

Choose two characters and explain how their feelings towards Eva Smith/Daisy Renton develop and change during the Course of the play. How far do the reflect the feelings of the Inspector by the end of act III

When JB Priestly was writing this play he had one clear aim. He wanted to start the audience thinking, he wanted to convey the idea of the selfish society we live in, and how this should be and needs to be changed. This play starts of with a supposedly happy and united family, however as we are led deeper into the plot we find out that none of the family members knows as much about the others as they think they do. Inspector Goole helps them discover hidden facts about each family member as he begins to investigate the death of Eva Smith. All these characters have a past that connects them with Eva's suicide.

In Act I Arthur Birling tells Eric Birling, his son, and Gerald Croft that a man has to make his own luck and look after himself we find out early on that Birling portrays the selfish citizen that JB Priestley want's to make the audience aware of. He is a well-respected man of business, he owns a factory called "Birling and Company". His daughter Sheila Birling is engaged to the son of his business rivals Gerald Croft. Although Arthur Birling cares very much for his family, he can be quite patronising towards his son and daughter, a line that proves this is, "Just let me finish Eric, you've got a lot to learn yet". Mr Birling is also very self-opinionated and, especially in Act I, before the Inspector arrives he is making many speeches. These speeches are full of optimistic remarks, for example, "And I say there isn't a chance of war. The worlds developing so fast that it'll make war impossible - The Titanic - unsinkable, absolutely unsinkable!" This is dramatic irony, as we know that in two years time they will be in World War 1 and the Titanic will have sunk.
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Mr Birling sacked Eva Smith from his factory as she led a strike to get the employees wages raised by only two and four pence more. Although Mr Birling admits that Eva was a good worker, "In fact the foreman told me he was ready to promote her", he does not agree that he has done something wrong. He does not hesitate to tell the Inspector his connection to Eva Smith but does not accept any responsibility for her suicide, "Look there's nothing mysterious or scandalous about this business - at least not as far as I'm concerned ...

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