The Role of Social Class in Priestlys, An Inspector Calls

Priestley mainly uses the characters in the play to present his views, especially Mr and Mrs Birling, to present his ideas about class and society. In the Birling family, Mrs Birling is the most upper class, and is always referring to the lower class female factory workers such as Eva Smith as ‘girls of that class’. She seems to think that working class people are not humans at all. In the beginning, Priestley describes the Birlings’ house as ‘a fairly large suburban house’ with ‘good solid furniture of the period’, showing they are upper-middle class and that they have money. They also have servants such as a maid and a cook. Priestley wants to give us an idea that the Birlings are upper class both in possessions and attitudes. The†¦show more content†¦The events of the play reveal that most people in the upper-middle class (Mr and Mrs Birling and Gerald) look down on the lower class with derision (‘girls of that classâ₠¬â„¢) and the only middle class person in the play (the Inspector) seems to detest the upper-middle class because he believes in socialism. The moral of the play is that everyone is part of a community, and everyone is responsible for each other, it does not matter whether they are lower class or upper class (‘[W]e don’t live alone. We are members of one body. We are responsible for each other.’). Priestley believed in socialism, he uses the Inspector to express his thoughts about this. This is the main message that he wanted the audience to take away. In ‘An Inspector Calls’, Priestley presents different ideas about class and society. His main idea is socialism. He believes that we ‘don’t live alone. We are members of one body. We are responsible for each other.’ That whether we are upper class or lower class, we are responsible for each other and we shouldn’t look down on other people or think that they aren’t huma n but creatures just because they are a lower social class than us. Priestley tries to present the idea that society will only work if we work together and are responsible for each other. Otherwise, there would be noShow MoreRelatedWrite About Inspector Goole’s Role in the Play. How Far Is He a Believable Policeman? How Does Priestly Use the Inspector in the Play?2740 Words   |  11 PagesWrite about Inspector Goole’s role in the play. How far is he a believable policeman? How does Priestly use the Inspector in the play? In this essay I am going to be exploring the role and function Priestly gives the inspector in â€Å"An Inspector Callsâ€Å". I am going to break down his role in the play, explore his effects on the other characters, analyse his stage presence, show his intention in coming to the Birling household and also how Priestly utilises the inspector’s personal qualities. I am alsoRead MorePriestleys Main Aim in An Inspector Calls Essay2480 Words   |  10 PagesPriestleys Main Aim in An Inspector Calls Priestly’s main aim in An Inspector Calls is to draw attention to the roles and consequences of capitalism in society and he achieves this successfully. As he managed to shock audiences of the earlier decades and through the play capitalist attitudes are portrayed as immoral and hypocritical to a modern audience we can see that the play has been successful to a certain extent. J.B. Priestly was born in 1894 and lived throughRead MoreAnalysis of An Inspector Calls by J.B. Priestly1844 Words   |  8 PagesAnalysis of An Inspector Calls by J.B. Priestly ‘An Inspector Calls’ is a twentieth century drama written by J.B. Priestly in 1947 but takes place in 1912. This story is about the Birling family celebrating their daughter, Sheila’s engagement to Gerald Croft. A few pages into the story, an Inspector called Goole which means ‘spirit in death’ interrogates the family and the story of Eva’s death unfolds. As it progresses each character realises their connection toRead MoreDifferent Attitudes and Perceptions Between Generations in the Play An Inspector Calls967 Words   |  4 PagesDifferent Attitudes and Perceptions Between Generations in the Play An Inspector Calls Works cited Missing J.B. Priestlys play An Inspector Calls, written in 1945, is set in the spring of 1912 in the household of an upper middle class family in the north of England. The plot of the play is based around the Birling familys involvement in a young womans suicide and