Summary
Summary Themes and context of inspector calls
Inspector calls themes and context
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ThemesResponsibility and blame
Who is to blame? The arc of the play follows the gradual spreading of responsibility, from Mr. Birling, to Mr.
Birling and Sheila, to Mr. Birling and Sheila and Gerald, and so on and so forth. Each of the characters has
different opinions about which of them is most responsible for the girl’s suicide.
The lesson of the Inspector, and of the play at large, is that our actions have an influence beyond themselves
and therefore that we are already responsible for each other so long as we are responsible for ourselves and
our own actions. The play contends that Socialism simply recognizes and builds upon this truth, in de-privatizing
wealth and power and thus building an economy and politics on the foundation of shared responsibility.
Class
Taking the play from a socialist perspective inevitably focuses on issues of social class
Priestley clearly was interested in the class system and how it determines the decisions that people
make.
Younger vs older generation
The play implicitly draws out a significant contrast between the older and younger generations of
Birlings.
Older generation refuse to accept responsibility for their actions and only concerned for his
reputation
Younger generation are shaken by Inspector’s message and their role in the suicide, they are
taking more responsibility perhaps because they are more idealistic and emotional. Perhaps
Priestly is suggetsing a more communally responsible socialist future for Britain
Cause and effect and time
The Inspector outlines a “chain of events” that may well have led to Eva Smith’s death. Her suicide,
seen in this way, is likely the product not of one person acting alone, but of a group of people each
acting alone; it resulted from several causes.
If Birling had not sacked Eva in the first place, Sheila could not have had her dismissed from
Milwards, and Eric and Gerald would not have met her in the Palace bar. Had she never known Eric,
she would never have needed to go to the charity commission.
This series of events is closely associated with Priestley’s fascination with time and how things in
time cause or are caused by others.
Public vs private
This blurring of the line between the public and the private reflects the play’s interest in class politics, in the
conflict between those who want to maintain the privatization of wealth and production, and those who desire
the communalization of the same.
The Socialist perspective—as represented by the Inspector (and by J.B. Priestley)—challenges and seeks to erase
the line between public and private, by de-privatizing the economy, but also by making those who are privileged
to see that what they consider "private", by nature of their privilege, has an outside influence on the world from
which they are insulated
Supernatural
What forces are at work in the play to make the Birlings really accept their responsibility and guilt
Social duty
Priestly’s message is that we have a duty to other people, regardless of social status, wealth, class,
or anything else. There is, Priestley observes, such a thing as society, and he argues that it is
important that people be aware of the effects of their actions on others.
The Birlings, of course, initially do not think at all about how they might have affected Eva Smith,
but they are forced to confront their likely responsibility over the course of the play.
, Mr Birling
He is a hateful emblem of a self seeking capitalist state which Priestly believes requires urgent dismantling
He is characterised as a foolish and ignorant person who is passionate about money showing the selfish ideals
enshrined by capitalism
Mr Birling provides a useful vehicle through which Priestly can expound his own socialist ideals in post war
Britain
Mrs Birling
She represents capitalist ideologies and use their buorgeois status to exploit the proletariat showing how she is
cruel and emotionless
Priestly uses Mrs Birling to demonstrate the upper classes who champion capitalist views to be selfish and
patronozing to other through the way Priestly uses her speech style
Shiela
Eric
Gerald
Maid
Eva smith
Context
Purpose of the play
In an inspector calls social class is presented as a traditionalist and exploitative system
Classist reality is shown in the play
Propagandist in support of labour party
Highlights the power of socialism
Highlights the issues of capitalism and the conservative party
Priestley’s father was a school teacher:
We can see this reflected in the didactic tone of the play and how the inspector works trying to teach Birling’s a
lesson
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