The difference between the two characters regarding attitudes, morals and values are very different. Birlings attitude to everything means everything has to be of high standards, however Birling does lack refinement “well, well – this is very nice. Very nice good dinner too, Sybil tell cook from me”. This is a perfect example when he compliments the cook. Also when the inspector arrives Birling is very uptight as he cares for his reputation especially with his knighthood coming up “ I might find my way onto the next honours list. Just a knighthood of course” Birling sees a knighthood as a fair reward for his involvement in local politics. The inspector on the other hand is very laid back and takes everything in his stride. When it comes to morals birling seems to be one with not many, he is very indignant and blameless especially to the inspector. The inspector sees himself as a judge or a prophet who believes a lot in social responsibility, where Birling does not. With regards to values Birling only seems to value himself and his business the most, he is a capitalist “we as employers at last are coming together to see that our interests and interests of capital are properly protected”
The two characters also have a lot of differences with their views on social responsibility and community, workers living conditions and eva smith. Birling view on social responsibility and community is that it is all rubbish, he does not agree with it. Birling thinks you should look after yourself “a man has to make his own way – has to look after himself”. Whereas the inspector feels we are “responsible for each other”. The inspector’s view on workers living conditions are also different. Birling thinks that the living conditions of his employees are nothing to do with him at all, “on the streets?” intending becomes a prostitute, which he would not care if they did. When the workers asked for a raise from birling he refused “you’ve got to come down sharp, or they’d soon be asking for the earth” but the Inspector disagrees and is quick to reply with “it’s better to ask for the earth than to take it”. This is a moralising the Inspector uses to teach birling right from wrong. With Eva smith when the inspector told the family about her death, Birling said he hardly knew her “well we’ve several hundred young women here, y’know they keep changing”. He was even surprised the Inspector came to him “yes, yes horrid business but I don’t understand why you should come here Inspector” Birling is only interested in shifting the blame from his direction as he feels no responsibility. However, the Inspector knows the whole history of Eva smith so he knows Birling and his family are all linked with the girl’s death in some way.
Priestley shapes the audience’s reponse in many ways; he uses birling to represent all the capitalists and businessmen. Mr. Birling is only interested in money and how to make more he does not care about community “community and all that nonsense”. Birling would rather care for the needs of his own, so Priestley uses this to make the audience laugh at him and to let them see how wrong he really is. The Inspector is also a vehicle for priestly to use the Inspector is there to correct birling and make him look silly. Regarding the Inspector Priestley uses a pun with his name, Inspector Goole “spectre” is another word for a ghost and “Goole” is a name of a ghost and also a fishing port. Priestly is trying to say that the inspector is not a real Inspector but can be the voice of a conscience. Priestly also uses dramatic devices to shape the audiences response by when Birling spoke about the titanic, when to the audience it had already sunk. Also when the doorbell rings at the start of act 1, these would have caused dramatic irony.
Priestly has many hidden messages behind his characters; he does this as another way of shaping the audiences response. Most of his important messages are shown through the Inspector and Mr. Birling. When the inspector shows the photograph of Eva smith to each family member separately, he does this to try and make each character feel responsible for their actions. With this Priestley is trying to say it does not matter if the photograph is of the same girl. He tries to show how a family like the Birlings treat lower class people, “we need to look after the millions of Eva smiths and John smiths”. In addition when birling sys about “were not a third world country why should we look after those” priestly wants to change this view. He thinks more and more people will have to realise they have to look after themselves and others, Priestley sees just looking after you selfish. The message is we have got to be more socially responsible, so this message would still be relevant today. Moreover the lighting at the start of the play is pink however when the inspector arrives it changes to a brighter, harder colour. Priestley is trying to get the audience involved in the play. He is trying to show
In conclusion Birling and the Inspector are two opposite characters priestley used birling and his views as the audience and the inspector as himself hoping he could change their views as it would help society. Priestly was getting across to the audience the message that, at the end of the day everyone’s got to help with society or else all of us will die. Therefore the message is still relevant today “we do not live alone”.