An Inspector Calls. Explore the social and political views of the Birlings and the Crofts.

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English-Miss Gabriel

Explore the social and political views of the Birlings and the Crofts.

   

    In the play An Inspector calls, I am going to analyse the social and the political views of the Birlings and Crofts are presented to us. An Inspector Calls was written in 1945 during the period after World War 2. Priestley was hoping that the events around him were able to have an impact on the citizens for a social change, as he was a socialist writer. George Bernard Shaw, who was a famous play writer during world war, influenced JB Priestley. George Bernard was also a socialist whose plays attached lies and hypocrisy. He believed society could make progress through the evolution of human nature. Priestley wanted to create the effect of unity amongst the public by giving to society hindsight to look back on what occurred and to learn from it. Mr Birling is one of then characters in ‘An Inspector calls’ he is a wealthy industrialist and his parents were originally from middle class. Gerald Croft is the son of Sir Croft, an upper class aristocratic industrialist, which makes Gerald an upper class citizen. During 1912, there were strong distinctions between the upper and the lower class citizens. In this essay I will also study and observe the class structure in 1912,the archetypes of various classes in society and the socialism message JB Priestley is trying to convey to us.

    Our first impression of Mr Birling is that he is a rich businessman who has good manners. This is evident, when it states in the stage directions. “Arthur Birling is a heavy looking rather portentous man in his middle fifties with fairly easy manners but rather provincial in his speech.” This quotation explains that, Mr birling is a portentous man, this meaning he is rather intimidating and a solemn man. It also states, “Mr Birling is rather provincial in his speech.” This means that Mr birling is not very aristocratic or upper class in his speech, which also indicates that he is from a middle class background. In this quotation Arthur Birling shows us that he is a hardheaded businessman. It also suggests that the only reason Birling wants Sheila to marry Gerald is in order to consolidate his business interests, “Crofts Limited are both older and bigger than Birling and company.” This quotation shows that Sheila and Gerald got engaged, so the two businesses could come together. Birling is very pleased as this will mean he gains a lot of respect and he will be making a lot of money and progress in his business. Mr Birling wanted to have a superior social class amongst the other members of that certain his social class.

   

    Mr Birling is an Anti-socialist person; he believes that public facilities should not be available for every member of the public. This is evident when he states, “A man has to make his own way. Has to look after himself.” This indicates to us that he is a capitalist and has no sense of responsibility towards society. He only in interested in his welfare and the welfare of his family. Another example is, “we employers at last are coming together to see that our interests-and the interests of capital- are properly protected.” Here birling believes that a private owner owns the means of productions and is operated for profit making this shows the audience that Birling is a greedy character and a strong capitalist and a socialist.

     

   Dramatic irony is used in the text when Mr Birling is describing to us about the new Titanic ship. He says, The Titanic ship is“ Absolutely unsinkable.” But the audience already know the titanic will sink on its voyage from Southampton to New York across the Atlantic Ocean. Also when Birling thinks, "there isn't a chance of war" here Priestley makes the audience think that Birling is a very foolish person.

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   Tension is created when Lady croft did not attend her son’s engagement to Sheila birling, this because Gerald’s parents didn’t want to be mixed with working class people. During 1912 there were also strong distinctions between upper and lower class. Since Mr Birling is a middle class citizen and the crofts are upper class so they are supposed to be rich and have more power. Lady Croft would disagree with her son marrying to a woman with a lower social status level.

    Mr Birling is telling Gerald croft about his ambitions for the future. Mr ...

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