How Is Responsibility Presented in an Inspector Calls

Mrs Birling is a “cold” woman. This is show by her not wanting to take responsibility for her part in the death of Eva Smith. This is also show as when Eva comes to her organisation looking for help she not only refuses her herself but used her “influence , as the most prominent member of the committee” to have everyone else refuse her help too. This makes her seem a heartless woman that uses her power of being rich and upper class to get thing her way. She refuses Eva for the petty reason that she comes to the committee under the name of “Mrs Birling”.

Together with Eric, who was described by Priestley as shy and childish. This changed as we realised his part in Eva’s death. Eric was honest and admitted his faults. Eric refuses to try to cover his part up, saying, what he did is what he did and he can’t change it. He was embarrassed that he was a hardened drinker. He is a thief and he later feels the guilt of this when he realises he contributed in encouraging Eva Smith's death and that he was the father of her unborn child. Moreover, when Eric realises that his mother is partly responsible for the death of his unborn child he is petrified, shocked and turbulent. By the end of the play Eric had taken responsibility for his actions alongside Sheila.

Mrs Birling is described as "…her husband's social superior". She is a snob and is very aware of the differences between social classes. She tries to deny things that she doesn't want to believe a prime example would be Eric’s drinking she says at the beginning of Act 3 “you don’t get drunk” this line really emphasises the extent at which Eric is not only insignificant to the older generation but ignored. The reader is shocked by this statement as we know at the beginning of the play he is a drunk by the way he responds and sits in his chair ‘half at ease’ and it is ironic that his own mother is oblivious to it. As they are higher class than Eva Smith they also feel as though the death is less important, as Mrs Birling states 'Girls of that class -” this shows that she was prejudice towards the girl due to her class and her position (getting pregnant and not being married) she was therefore in Mrs Birling’s eyes not worthy of receiving any money from the charity, this is echoed when she says “I'm Mrs Birling, y'know” using a patronising

" The character Mrs. Birling automatically tries to pass the blame and responsibility of the suicide of Eva Smith onto someone else, willingly creating a scapegoat, "Go and look for the father of the child, it's his responsibility", she tells the Inspector. Although Sheila Birling's views are more socialist she represents the younger generation in society, she is more concerned with fashion, her appearance and family life, rather that the

In contrast to Mr and Mrs Birling, Priestley sets up the younger generation (Eric and Sheila) as reformed characters to contrast with the older generation, who are too set in their ways,"[sarcastically] so nothing really happened. So there's nothing to be sorry for, nothing to learn. We can all go on behaving just as we did". Again we must remember that Eric and Sheila are just caricatures of the younger generation, who have the capacity to learn and to carry Priestley's message.

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 held responsible for the death of Eva Smith in various different ways. She is selfish as she won’t accept any blame for it, and once again, she is also doing the same as Mr Birling. She is taking the two generations and differentiating then according to how responsibilities are taken.

command at the end of Act I and the start of Act 2, and the end of Act

This progresses to a more obvious display of emotion “I think it was a mean thing to do” this openly criticizes her father, something which would have been heavily unexpected and seriously punished ,with the inspectors presence Sheila can present the change of attitudes of the younger generations. Priestley was attempting to show that the change in attitudes of the upper class will not be instant; the younger generation will be the catalyst for the change in attitudes towards the lower classes.

Birling is also very dismissive of Sheila; we witness this when he says “nothing to do with you, Shelia. Run along”, the way in which he speaks to her is quite belittling and we are made to believe that although she is his daughter, women are second class to men, he truly believes that she is not worthy of being spoken to with regard to the inspectors visit. Birling is a very single minded man who does not take kindly to opposition to his beliefs. This is seen when he says “we’ve had experience – and we know” this shows he is no longer prepared to discuss the topic any further, when discussing war with his son Eric.

Though some may argue Mr. Arthur Birling could have triggered the chain of events leading to Eva Smith’s death, I disagree. Birling, a man in his mid-fifties, is the first of the family to be acquainted with Eva Smith after he fires her from his business, Birling and Company, for being a ‘ring-leader’ and encouraging his female workers to go on strike and demand a higher pay. Birling is selfish and uncharitable. He refused the girls pay-rise requests, stating that, “We

Sheila is much wiser, and can now judge her parents and Gerald from a new perspective; her social conscience has been developed and is aware of her responsibilities.

She begins as a shallow naive girl, who when her maid gets hurt, rather than having sympathy, she complains for her not being able to assist her. However, after spending time with Elphaba, she learns to become less superficial and becomes a better person.

At the federal level, inspectors general are appointed on the basis of ability in accounting, auditing, and financial analysis as well as the general field of law management analysis and public administration. The president nominates the IGs in cabinet-level departments and major agencies with confirmation by the Senate. IGs have in-depth knowledge of their organization and work under the general supervision of the head of the

The “Baby Boomer” individuals are aging, and there are more of them than there are children being born. One reason there are less children being born is due to fertility and waiting to have children. Another change that the “Baby Boomer” people are experiencing themselves are “mixed families” due to divorce. Women can divorce easier than the past. Because of divorce, the grandparents are experiencing “mixed families” where one parent remarries, and they establish an acquaintance or strong relationship with the stepparents and their