Priestley uses the different characters to portray the vast defects in human nature. Mr Birling is a successful businessman who has been active in local politics and has previously been Lord Mayor of the town.. Because of his great wealth he has a lot of self confidence but he cannot see that his self-centredness and his decision to sack Eva Smith could have led to her death when he remarks
"Still I can't accept any responsibility. If we were all responsible for everything that happened to everybody we'd had anything to do with, it would be very awkward, wouldn't it"
He is also worried about his social standing which leads him to be concerned about the effect of a scandal on his chances of a knighthood when he tells Eric "I was almost certain for a knighthood in the next Honours List". It is quite clear that Mr Birling places a great deal of importance on social class and outward appearances to the extent that it affects his relationship with Eric. Mr Birling is harsh and critical to Eric calling him 'a damned fool' because Eric hadn't told him about the stolen money. This leads Eric to state 'you're not the kind of father a chap could go to when he's in trouble' Mr Birling however is unrepentant and doesn't think that his attitude or actions are wrong or have anything to do with Eva Smith's death.
Sheila does appear to be more sensitive and concerned about the death of Eva Smith when she remarks in a distressed tone "Sorry it's just that I can't help thinking about this girl - destroying herself so horribly - and I've been so happy tonight" When the Inspector shows Sheila the photograph she recognizes it "with a little cry, gives a half-stifled sob, and then runs out" This has a powerful dramatic effect which illustrates the distress and guilt Sheila is feeling about Eva's death. Sheila also seems to have the honesty to admit that her own jealousy and bad temper have led to Eva Smith losing her job at Milwards and she is genuinely sorry. Priestley cleverly uses the character of Sheila to act as a foil when she openly admits her guilt to the Inspector . The fact that Sheila can confess her guilt whilst Mr and Mrs Birling cannot vividly portrays their hypocrisy and determination to present an air of respectability regardless of truth and honesty. It also illustrates the differences in attitude between Sheila and her parents which leads to a generation gap between them. Even the language used by Sheila is different when she tells Eric 'You're squiffy'. This seems to shock Mrs Birling who remarks 'What an expression, Sheila! Really the things you girls pick up these days!
Eric starts off as a rather immature character as is his attitude towards his relationship with Eva Smith describing her as a 'good sport'. However, throughout the play Eric reveals how much of a paradox he is. Whilst he is very rude to his mother shouting " - you killed her. She came to you to protect me - and you turned her away - yes, and you killed her - and the child she'd have had too - my children - your own grandchild." He also demonstrates his shame and guilt when he is described as 'nearly at breaking point'. This device forcefully shows how Eric clearly wants his parents to admit their mistakes as he has done. He obviously has a stronger guilt than the others because the consequences of what he did are so much worse. Again, Eric contrasts the differences in attitude between himself and his parents creating a generation gap. Like Shiela, Eric uses slang in his language describing the women Mr Birling's friends associate with as 'fat old tarts' which angers Mr Birling. Eric cannot understand Mr Birling's desire for 'a knighthood' and laughs hysterically saying 'Oh - for God's sake. What does it matter now whether they give you a knighthood or not?' Eric can clearly see the hypocrisy in Mr Birling's attitude and this enables the audience to identify with Eric and feel the potential for change in his character.
Gerald Croft is obviously a very self-confident and self-assured young man. However, he exploited Eva Smith allowing his relationship to develop with her even though it would not go anywhere. He does seem to feel regret for the way he used her but consoles himself by the fact that he 'made her happy for a time'. The fact that he left her resulted in making her life so much worse does not seem to occur to him and we are left feeling that he is a morally weak character.
Mrs Birling is a cold and unsympathetic character who refuses to see how her actions could have been responsible for the Eva Smith's death. The fact that Mrs Birling refused to help Eva Smith when she came to her committee could easily have been what finally led to her suicide. It is only when she realises that Eric was the child's father and so her actions have resulted in the death of her own grandchild that she begins to show any remorse. In the scene where Eric accuses her of killing Eva Smith, Mrs Birling replies (very distressed now) "No Eric, please - I didn't understand". This dramatic device powerfully demonstrates the lengths her son has to go to in order to cut through her icy exterior. She lacks an understanding of how other people live as is shown in her snobbish comments about 'a girl of that sort'. Mrs Birling obviously considers herself above women such as Eva Smith and has a very self-righteous attitude. Mrs Birling finally shows her lack of depth by the way she praises Gerald for settling things "And I must say, Gerald you've argued this very cleverly, and I'm grateful". She clearly wants to forget all that has happened to maintain the appearance of respectability. Priestley demonstrates through the character of Mrs Birling the prevailing hypocritical attitude of many middle class women of her day who are prepared to cover up the truth for the sake social standing.
As the Inspector enters the stage, the lighting is changed to reflect the mood. A 'pink and intimate use of light for the party which changes to 'brighter and harder' lighting when the Inspector's investigation begins. The Inspector suggests that he is someone who looks deeply into human affairs and that he is intent of revealing the truth about the characters. Throughout the play he shows that people are responsible for how they affect the lives of others and his views are summed up in his dramatic final speech "But just remember this. One Eva Smith has gone………. We are responsible for each other……" Without the Inspector none of the secrets would have come to light. The way he uses the information he has creates an impression of someone who is both an outsider and an all-knowing creature. He is more concerned with right and wrong than with what is or is not legal. He is more interested in truth and justice than in social conventions. Finally, through the character of the Inspector, Priestly creates an almost Christlike figure with the Biblical references he uses 'members of one body' and 'in fire and blood and anguish'. Clearly the Inspector arrives like Christ to convict the Birlings of their guilt but allows them to find forgiveness through repentance and future good behaviour.
Priestley's play follows a structure which has a plot where the action flows and all the parts fit together precisely. The characters and the audience move from a state of ignorance to a state of knowledge. The oneness of time and place is achieved by the events all taking place in the dining room and the action running continuously through all the three Acts. Even when there is a break between the Acts where an interval might be placed, the start of the next Act takes us to the same point in time at which we left the action to create a cliffhanger effect and classical unity.
The action is taken forward by the Inspector's questioning of each character in turn. Their reasons for entering or leaving are always believable and allow some new aspect of the plot to be introduced or something mentioned earlier to be developed. Each new revelation, prompted by the Inspector's use of the photograph or information from the diary, adds to the overall picture of the two years in the girl's life. Each part fits together and helps to complete the jigsaw of events and involvements. The play's success depends of the dramatic irony which Priestley creates. We see this in the false view that Mr Birling has about the future, his faith in technology and the belief in peace. We can guess from this that his view of man's responsibility will be equally wrong. Similarly, when Sheila has worked out that Eric might well be the father of Eva Smith's child, there is irony in that Mrs Birling has not realised it and is demanding that an example should be made of none other than her own son. Although the action and the time span of the play is realistic Priestley throws in two twists at the end. Firstly, we have the problem of who the Inspector really was, a trickster determined to make fools of them or some sort of avenging spirit come to make them see the evil of their ways. The second twist is the time-release mechanism when the telephone call interrupts and takes them back to relive the events. It is this which allows the possibility that the Inspector was a real policeman who has slipped out of real time and will return. If they fail to learn from their experiences and are 'ready to go on in the same old way' the Inspector's threat of "fire and blood and anguish" will become their reality.
J B Priestley clearly had a strong moral conscience which led him to hold socialist beliefs wanting to bring about change against the capitalists who were exploiting the poor working class. In 'An Inspector Calls' Priestley cleverly uses dramatic techniques, lighting and stage directions to produce an emotionally charged setting to bring home a very important message to the correct society of his day and remains a challenge to the society in which we live in now.
