What are the main themes introduced in Act One and how does Priestley put them across?

One of the main themes put across in the book is the social responsibility. Mr Birling states the fact that if he ‘was responsible for everything that happened to everybody he had anything to do with it would be very awkward indeed.’ This shows that he is a man who is very ignorant and selfish. He cares about no one except himself and his family and will trample on anyone to get to the top and make a profit from his work. He sacked Eva Smith because she wanted 3 shillings more a week. That shows how tight fisted he really is. He shows that he will not take responsibility when he goes wrong, or something goes wrong around him that could have been caused by him. Also Birling shows that the rich don’t care about the poor at all. He says they can ‘go on the streets’ which shows how big headed he really is as well because he is showing how wealthy he is and that he has power possibilities to send people onto the streets and that the poor will do what ever he wants them to do, to stop themselves being thrown onto the streets. He doesn’t care if they do or not because it is no loss on his account because he thinks that he will find people everywhere that always want to work for peanuts.

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Another theme in the first act is the sense of time passing by and how shortsighted they really are about the future. When they are eating their dinner they are talking about the wedding and the union of two rival companies. During this meal the time seems to pass very slowly because of the way they are eating and the long speeches. They all talk about the war and how it will never start because the German Kaiser makes a speech or two, or a few German Officers have too much to drink and begin to talk nonsense, and that they’ll hear war is inevitable. This shows how faithful Birling is in his own opinions and how much he thinks he knows everything. It also shows that the part of society Birling id in all believe theses sort of opinions. Also the Titanic is mentioned by Birling. He says how it is unsinkable and how that’s progress and not German officers talking nonsense and a few scaremongers here and there making a fuss about nothing. This shows that Birlings rich society is so narrow minded that all they think about is how to make progress and save money rather than thinking about the consequences of theses actions and what they are going to do to the lower classes who take the brunt of the bad things that happen from it.

The theme of women in the play shows how sexist the society was at the time. The book shows this when Mrs Birling says ‘ When you’re married you’ll realize that men with important work to do sometimes have to spend nearly all their time and energy on their business. You’ll have to get used to it, just as I did.’ This shows that women are pushed sideways when men are doing business. This sort of shows that men are more important, and then when Mrs Birling and Sheila have to leave to the drawing room, whilst the men talk business and have a cigar and a drink or two. This shows again that women have to move over for the men when they need to do things, and men are always the people who run the businesses and earn the money to put the dinner on the table, whereas the women stay at home or go to their clubs and help the poorer in society.

Adam Cooke 10W