An Inspector calls

Shelia's essay - AIC Thesis

Priestley presents Sheila as a symbol of hope for women and the younger generation. Perhaps he does this in order to encourage these people to promote socialist change, prolonging its positive effects already established by the landslide victory of Clement Attlee’s Labour government in 1945.

Through shelia we learn the detrimental effects of the corrupt and unjust nature of the 1912 patriarchal society which capitalist upper class men utilise to impose their capitalist ideologies onto women

Shelia's essay - AIC Paragraph 1

Shelia is initially a firm construct for capitalism. Through shelia we learn the detrimental effects of the corrupt and unjust nature of the 1912 patriarchal society, which capitalist upper class men utilise to impose their capitalist ideologies onto women.

• “seated upstage” and “mummy”

• the streets”, Sheila interrupts “gaily” querying “What’s this about the streets?”

• “half playful, half serious”

   

Writers intentions: this suppression could reinforce a need for hope amongst women and the younger generation as they are being kept in ignorance and thus are prevented from the opportunity of socialist reform.

Priestley could do this in order to criticise the immense power of men in a patriarchy, as one man can have disastrous consequences on many young women, emphasised through the visceral descriptions of the death of Eva.

Priestley could be highlighting the need for hope amongst all women and the younger generation to overcome these restrictions and to become valued members of society, achievable through the pursuit of socialist change, already begun through suffrage movements in the 19th and 20th centuries, ultimately leading to a fairer and more equal society.

Priestley illuminates the need for hope amongst women and the younger generation to become sensitised to their society and to escape the ignorance imposed on them by their older social superiors through pursuing Socialist reform.

 

Shelia's essay - AIC Paragraph 2

Priestley reveals the capability of women and the younger generation to overcome their social challenges, perhaps in order to establish hope for a lasting socialist change.

• Sheila reflects upon her “punishing” of Eva for “just suiting” a “dress”.

• “silly” ideals “desperately sorry”

• “He’s giving us the rope so that we’ll hang ourselves”.

Writers intentions : Shelia’s acknowledgment could illuminate the capability possessed by all young women to escape this oppressive image of femininity that they are reduced to, as even the most fatuous of people, of which Sheila could initially be emblematic of, have the capacity to reflect upon their faults.

Priestley brings to light his hope that the younger generation will be a “serious” force in continuing the positive Socialist reform, already established by figures such as Clement Attlee and himself.

Sheila undergoes such a drastic shift in only a matter of hours - Priestley constructs her as a symbol of hope, encouraging all young women to follow her change and escape the confines of the capitalist patriarchy, becoming the voice of Socialist reform.

Priestley illuminates the capability possessed by all young women to change and advocate for hope in society to ultimately challenge the nature of their lives and to shift from arguing over frivolous matters to discussing grave societal issues with dignity, creating lasting and effective Socialist reform as ultimately, if scrutinised, capitalism is a weak force that will collapse. 

Shelia's essay - AIC Paragraph 3

Finally, Priestley presents Sheila as increasingly detached from her family’s capitalist and patriarchal influence, perhaps in order to bring hope to all young women that they can advocate for Socialist reform

• “Inspector… was anything but a joke”

• The “ring”

• “Look at… the famous younger generation who know it all. And can’t even take a joke-“ before being cut off by a second “sharp”

Writers inetntions: Priestley presents woman and the younger generation as integral to furthering Socialist societal progression as their older male counterparts will remain stagnant in their archaic capitalist views.

Priestley reinforces his hope that this work will be done by the younger generation, and that they will continue in the strides made for Socialist change, already established by Clement Atlee’s labour government in 1945.

Social responsibility in AIC Thesis

Priestley uses the theme of social responsibility to expose the moral failings of capitalist and post-industrialized individualism and to promote a more collective, compassionate vision of society, where people recognize their duty towards one another - particularly the maginalised working class men and women.

Social responsibility in AIC Thesis

Priestley uses Mr Birling to embody the rejection of social responsibility, portraying him as a self-serving capitalist who values profit over people.

• “But the way some of these cranks talk… you’d think everybody has to look after everybody else, as if we were all mixed up together like bees in a hive.”

• “A man has to mind his own business and look after himself and his own – and sharp ring of a doorbell.”

• “He has to look after himself – and his family too, of course.”

Writers intentions:

Priestley, a socialist writing after WWII, challenges Edwardian capitalist values, using Birling to mirror the selfish elite of 1912. Priestley intends to criticise the moral failure of the upper class and highlight the dangers of rejecting shared responsibility.

The Inspector arrives like a divine or supernatural force, challenging the complacency of capitalist ideology just as Priestley hoped socialism would do after the war.

Priestley ridicules superficial family values among the upper classes and advocates for genuine collective responsibility.

Social responsibility in AIC Thesis

Priestley uses Eva Smith to represent the voiceless victims of a system that lacks social responsibility.

• “She was a lively good-looking girl – country-bred, I fancy – and she’d been working in one of our machine shops.”

• “She was a good worker too. The foreman told me he was ready to promote her.”

• “They suddenly decided to ask for more money.”

Writers intentions:

Industrial unrest in 1912 resulted from such exploitative practices, which 1945 audiences were keen to reform.
Priestley wants viewers to realise that fair treatment should not depend on status or appearance.

Priestley reveals how those in power paint just causes as rebellion to justify injustice. This reflects real-life strikes that were vilified by employers - 1926 strikes

Social responsibility in AIC Thesis

The inspector is presented as priestley’s mouthiece for social resposibility and to challenge capitalist indvidualism.

• “We are members of one body. We are responsible for each other.”

• “If men will not learn that lesson, then they will be taught it in fire and blood and anguish.”

• “A girl has just died – on her way to the Infirmary – after swallowing some disinfectant.”

Post-war Britain was rebuilding under ideas of welfare and community – ideals Priestley echoes here.

The audience is reminded of WWI and WWII, reinforcing that selfishness has real-world consequences. 1945 audiences, having endured war, would recognise the truth in this and be more receptive to social change. Priestley wanted to shock the audience into action and reform, using fear as a motivator.

Ouspenkiis theory of eternal recurrence - This chilling repetition forces 1945 audiences to see change as necessary – or else face the same cycle of destruction. To use dramatic irony and structure to ensure the message sticks with the audience beyond the curtain.

Mrs birling in an inspector calls. - thesis

Priestley constructs Mrs. Birling as a microcosm for the hypocrisy of the upper class in order to criticize the inequalities of the class system and the stagnancy of society under the archaic patriarchy.

Perhaps he did this in order to promote the need for a welfare state through socialist initiatives like the Beveridge report so that we can escape this ceaseless cycle of ‘fire’ and ‘blood’ and ‘anguish’. 

Mrs birling in an inspector calls. - Paragrapgh 1

Mrs Birling is a symbol of the gender inequality in the 1912 patriarchal society and how it leads her to become complicit in her own oppression and cuases her to inflict it on he daughter.

• “squiffy” - ‘What an expression, Sheila! Really the things you girls pick up these days!’

• , ‘you’ll realize that men with important work to do’ have their time occupied by it, and that Sheila will ‘have to get used to that’ just like she did.

Writers intentions: Priestley constructs Sybil Birling to be a microcosm for the ‘rather cold’, self aggrandizing women who believe they have to succumb to their roles inorder to uphold their reputation.

Priestley may be criticizing these stubborn women and be highlighting the need for outstanding women such as the suffragettes to counter the archaic stereotypes within patriarchal Edwardian society to create a fair and equal one that can progress. 

Mrs birling in an inspector calls. - Paragrapgh 2

Priestley constructs Mrs Birling as a quintessential for the hypocrisy of the upper class.

• ‘friendless and penniless’, saying, ‘a girl of that sort would never refuse money’

• ‘women of the town’.

• ‘gross impertinence’

• n she accepted ‘no blame for it at all’ and shifted the blame to the ‘woman herself’ and the ‘father’, saying he’d be entirely responsible.

Writers intentions: Priestley may have constructed Mrs Birling this way to criticize these inequalities in class caused by the upper class’ ignorance and encourage the need for a welfare state like the Beveridge report to fix these issues

Priestley constructs Sybil Birling this way as a microcosm for the hypocrisy of the bourgeoise in 1912 Edwardian society who use charity and kindness as a façade to uphold their reputation inorder to expose them for their selfishness and greed as it is their actions that are causing societal progress to remain stagnant. 

Mrs birling in an inspector calls. - Paragrapgh 3

Priestley reveals how despite all the inspectors lessons, it is clear that Mrs Birling is stagnant, as she goes back to her ‘cold’, imposing character.

• When the Inspector leaves she speaks ‘triumphantly’, saying ‘I was the only one who didn’t give into him’.

• The second phone call at the end of the play, which leaves the family ‘dumbfounded’

• Cyclical structure - “Hysterical child”

Writers intentions: Priestley therefore uses Mrs Birling to represent the older generation who have almost been brainwashed by capitalism to the point that they are too stubborn to change.

Priestley could do this inorder to highlight the need for wonderful women like the suffragettes who Sheila represents to counter the archaic gender stereotypes within patriarchal Edwardian society

Criticizing capitalism and promoting socialist views like social conscience and collective responsibility in order to prevent tragic events like this from repeating. 

Context: The suffrage movement in the early 20th century where Mrs Birling is a microcosm for the many upper classes who resisted it.

Mr birling in an inspector calls. - Paragrapgh 1

Priestley constructs Mr Birling as a microcosm for the arrogance and foolishness of the Capitalist upper class men, who must change for society to undergo social reform.

Priestley does this to warn his contemporary audience of the ‘fire, blood and anguish’ which awaits society if these people continue their Capitalist ways, thus encouraging the scrutiny of Capitalism and its unstable ideology if we want society to be saved.

following the landslide victory of Clement Atlee’s labour government of 1945, Priestley is pushing for a more prolonged socialist change as perhaps, if the Socialist government maintain their power, these Capitalist individuals like Mr Birling will be less likely to revert to their own ways.  

Mr birling in an inspector calls. - Thesis

Priestley satirises Mr Birling as a very foolish Capitalist, representing the unstable nature of Capitalism.

• ‘heavy looking’

• ‘there isn’t a chance of war’

• ‘absolutely unsinkable

Context: First World War began 2 years later in 1914.

Writers intentions: Priestley wrote the play at this time to highlight the extent to both Mr Birling and the Capitalist system’s foolishness, but also to give the 1945 audience the impression that Capitalism is an unstable ideology, perhaps, promoting Socialism as society’s stable ideology and reassuring society that socialism unlike Capitalism, will be ‘unsinkable’ and be the end to these world ‘wars’ post 1945.   

Mr birling in an inspector calls. - Paragrapgh 2

Priestley reveals how the Capitalist society has shaped his individualistic, traditional views.

• ‘a man has to mind his own business, look after himself and his own’.

• ‘bees mixed in a beehive’.

• ‘sharp ring of the doorbell’

• ‘rather impatient’

Writers intentions: Priestley may construct Mr Birling this way to encourage the scrutiny of Capitalism as ultimately, the breaking down of Mr Birling could represent the breaking down of Capitalism in the face of Socialism, thus emphasizing Socialism’s overpowering ideals and Capitalism’s unstable ideals, warning society not to follow Capitalism post 1945 if they want to escape this ceaseless cycle of ‘fire, blood and anguish’.   

Mr birling in an inspector calls. - Paragrapgh 3

Priestley reveals how even after the Inspector leaves, Mr Birling hasn’t changed, emphasizing his stagnant character.

• ‘still I can’t accept any responsibility’

• ‘I’d give thousands—yes thousands’,

• ‘port’

Writers intentions: Priestley uses Mr Birling as a microcosm for the individualistic capitalist mindsets that have corrupted the upper class

He argues that if society wasn’t under this capitalist government, ‘hard-headed practical men of business’ like Mr Birling would not carelessly sack their ‘friendless and penniless’ workers, which is perhaps why this play was written in 1945 when the labour party run by Clement Atlee took over, as it gives his 1945 audience a visual image of the hopeful future society will have if they stop listening to Capitalism and start to embrace Socialism.

Mr Birling could be used as a microcosm for the older generation who refuse to change their capitalist ways, thus warning the 1945 audience to not go back to their old ways as Socialism has just been brought in and is what society needs for social reform.

Influencing Priestley’s contemporary audience to not be like Mr Birling and embrace Socialism like Sheila.