Essay about An Inspector Calls by J.B. Priestley

An Inspector Calls is a three-act drama, which takes place on a single night in 1912, and focuses on the Birling family, who live in a wealthy but not particulary homely house in Brumley. The story begins when the mysterious Inspector Goole calls unexpectedly on the prosperous Birling family. The idea of the play, and particularly the role of the inspector, is to try to bring the Birling family to understand that they have a moral responsibility for the death of Eva Smith, if not a legal one. In Act Three, the Inspector tells the Birling family: “The girl killed herself and died a horrible death. But each of you helped to kill her. Remember that. Never forget it.” But who was really the

In the play An Inspector Calls, Priestley uses different characters to portray women. At the start of the play, Sheila is seen as fragile, materialistic and inferior to the men in her life, which is typically the view of higher-class women. This is followed by the perspective of lower class women having excellent morals yet being disposable, which is seen through Eva Smith’s character. This contradicts to Mrs Birling’s control on others and her strong social class views.

John Boynton Priestley was born in Bradford, Yorkshire on September 13th 1984. The play “An Inspector Calls” was written by him in 1945, and came onstage in 1914. An Inspector calls, is a play that revolves around the apparent suicide of a young woman called Eva Smith. In the play, the unsuspecting Birling family are visited by the mysterious Inspector Goole. Priestley uses a variety of different techniques, especially language and quotations, to contrast and elicit differing responses to Mr Birling and Inspector Goole.

Priestley’s Main Aim in An Inspector Calls JB Priestly wrote ‘An Inspector Calls’ to enhance the message that ‘we don’t live alone. We are members of one body. We are responsible for each other’. This is something Priestly felt strongly about and he succeeded in representing his views through the character of the Inspector in the play itself.

By constructing the Inspector as just and omniscient, Priestley encourages the audience to view left-wing values as morally virtuous. Through the Inspector's authority, commanding presence and stature Priestley makes a direct jab at the audience with the Inspector's last

"We don't live alone. We are all members of one body. We are responsible for each other."

In the play 'An Inspector Calls', many contrasts and paradox's are present and at the centre of them all is the character known as Inspector Goole. However, the inspector is not any ordinary inspector. I believe that the inspector is used as a device by Priestley to explore the wider themes of the play and to depict other characters true personalities. This essay will explore some of the techniques Priestley presents the inspector in An Inspector Calls.

Mrs Birling is also plays a vital part in Eva’s death because she was selfish and shows no concern or consideration to Eva at the commission committee meeting. She also has the inability to put herself in other’s shoes. She was not supportive to a pregnant, unmarried woman. Instead, she was insensitive and didn’t approve of Eva. She says ‘I blame the young man who was the father of the child’, and this goes to show, she makes assumptions quickly, and doesn’t want to be blamed for anything.

Eva Smith is a subject of common debate amongst the readers of the play ‘An Inspector Calls’. Priestley is a strong socialist and his views are expressed by the portrayal of the character of the inspector as well as Eva Smith. The entire story revolves around Eva which makes her the protagonist in the play. From the moment her character is first introduced in the play to later as the story progresses and unfolds the story revolving round her makes her the most central character. Indeed, when the play is over and we read back over those first few scenes, her manifestation can be felt from the very beginning to the very end: from Gerald’s ambiguous maneuvers when reminded of his evasiveness ‘last summer’ to Birling’s enthusiasm for lower costs

Priestley reveals conflict at the heart of the Birling family by shaping up disagreement between them throughout the play. This is evident in ‘but these girls aren’t cheap labor. They’re people.’ Sheila portrays the younger generation’s impressionability. Although she views the workers as people, she refers to them as ‘these girls’ which is still harsh and cold but not as dehumanizing as Mr. Birling’s referral and treatment. The italicized letters of the noun ‘people’ emphasises how different Mr. Birling and Sheila view lower class society. however, Birling completely opposes his daughter in, ‘It has nothing whatever to do with this wretched girls suicide. Eh, Inspector?’ he is quite remorseless

I consider ? is a trifle impertinent Inspector?, indicating she does not like it when she is not superior to others or is undermined in some way. Throughout being questioned, Mrs Birling is reticent and has to be asked small details so the Inspector can extract the right information out of her, ?And if I was, what business is it of yours?? indicating that she may have something to hide. Like her husband, Mrs Birling refuses to accept any responsibility for her actions and is constantly in denial when questioned, ?I?ve done nothing wrong and you know it?. Perhaps this could be because she actually believes she has done nothing wrong, or because she is hiding what she has done wrong. However, not a completely cold-hearted or self-absorbed woman, she does not knowingly place the blame on the rest of her family, but on the father of Eva?s child, who she later learns is Eric. She asks the Inspector to force the father of the child make a ?public confession of responsibility? and so Mrs Birling is really condemning the family to bad publicity, exactly what Mr Birling has not wanted all throughout the play.

An inspector calls is a morality play that challenges the ideas of an upper class Edwardian audience,preistley achieves this both through the attitudes of the play but also through his implementation of personal morals. Sheila is initially presented as the stereotypical Edwardian daughter but soon freely presents her emotions, without the need for approval from her parents.

soon find out that Eva worked in his factory, and how she was fired by

How does JB Priestly explore and present the theme of gender in the play ‘An Inspector Calls”?

The inspector right from the moment he is introduced is commanding of the situation and already has that authority he displays later on in the play. “at once an impression of massiveness, solidity and purposefulness”. As the play progresses the inspector continues to make this impression on the family by his interrogations and speeches. The inspector does this by keeping composed