An Inspector Calls
Responsibility
Mr Birling
● Antithesis of Priestley's message
● Always cares about himself, even if hurting others
● Oblivious of what people go through, never accepts responsibility
● Priestly is suggesting that his lack of compassion is tied to his class and capitalist ideologies
● First time Priestly brings up the idea of shared responsibility is through the character of Mr B
○ ‘The way that some of these cranks talk and write now, you’d think everybody
has to look after everybody else, as if we were all mixed up together like bees
in a hive - community and all that nonsense’ act 1
■ Harsh and insensitive language, “cranks”, “nonsense” : heartless and cold to the
audience. He seems to find it disgusting that he should have to help those in the
lower class
■ As an audience, we already don’t trust Mr B’s view because of his comments on the
Titanic as being “unsinkable, absolutely unsinkable”. Priestley portraying
that these capitalistic views are also ridiculous.
■ Complex sentence, makes himself come across as more knowledgeable than he
actually is, argument doesn’t hold much logic
■ Zoomorphosises socialism, makes it seem barbaric, degradation and mockery of
collective responsibility, portraying it as animalistic and primal only fit for
insignificant beings, undermines socialist values
■ Hyphen - prompts a theatrical pause, hesitating before articulating “community”,
emphasises his physical repulsion to the concept, can’t even verbalise it
■ Microcosm - for capitalist ideologies, he later becomes vilified for his rejection of
the idea of community and preference for materialism
● Priestley portrays capitalism’s inherent negligence through mr B’s interest in money
○ He tells the inspector “it is my duty to keep labour costs down” act 1
■ His “duty” is to exploit the lower class and support his business but not society.
Priestley is insinuating that business is tied with neglect and inhumanity
■ P crafts a political diatribe (criticising politics) to illustrate how capitalism
encourages irresponsibility through its ideologies. He argues that socialism,
synonymous with responsibility stands as the sole remedy for a progressive and
equitable society
■ Noble quest he has undertaken
Mrs Birling
● Personifies upper class contempt towards lower class
● Like mr b, is committed to her own innocence
● P used her to suggest that lack of R comes from classism and prejudice bc she doesn’t want to
associate herself w the lower class
● Conventional duties of upper class are corrupt
○ “Make sure he’s compelled to confess in public to his responsibility” act 2
■ Seems to have a moral code, values ownership of wrongdoings
■ Retracts this when finds out abt eric
■ She's superficial and hypocritical, never fully meant any of them
● Class prejudice
○ “Naturally, I don’t know anything about the girl” act 2
, ■ Adverb naturally, shes above suspicion because of her class
■ This is situational irony as her involvement is soon exposed, P challenges the way
the upper class assume their own innocence to avoid R
■ Mrs B is entitled to be prejudiced against “girls of that class”, natural barrier
between them
■ Her choice of words subtly suggests that admitting responsibility would be like
conceding to the inspector, posing a threat in the capitalist hierarchy and she
wishes to safeguard her position
● Neglects social responsibility
○ “We’ve done a great deal of useful work in helping deserving cases”, boasts to
inspector act 2
■ Enjoys recognition, but doesn’t actually care
■ “Deserving” - she’s the judge of who gets chosen, foreshadows her immoral
behaviour w harsh judgments and prejudice
■ P is showing that poor never get the help they deserve, she is insincere and
callous, by extension women of upper class are hated on by audience
○ “I consider I did my duty” act 2
■ Ironic > juxtaposes the expectations of someone in a philanthropic position like
hers
■ Noun “duty” is a tool to explore disparity between perspective of capitalists and
socialists bc for Mrs B, upholding the class system was of paramount importance
hence her “duty” may have been to uphold the class gap by refusing eva smith help
■ Introduces the audience to the dichotomy between moral and social duty
■ P critiques classicism which penetrates every aspect of edwardian life rendering
even welfare organisations hollow and corrupt
■ There is a gap between our actions and the consequences, we feel like we can act
immorally because we don’t see the direct impacts of our actions, however the
inspector acts as a vehicle to bridge this gap
The inspector
● Sense of duty
○ In contrast to the Birlings, the inspector’s duty is towards society and helping others.
○ Their sense of duty is empty of meaning
○ Even if ur not directly involved, that doesn;t mean you can;t help,
○ P used the suicide as a symbol of how the lower class are always attacked for no reason
● The inspector’s final speech
○ Directly contracts Mr B’s opening speech of self preservation
○ “We are members of one body” - everyone is connected on a deep basic level which
can’t be denied, moral duty to help others act 3
■ Biblical allusions - language comes directly from Holy communion and majority of
his audience would be christian, inspector is like Jesus promoting the union of
society
■ Alike Jesus providing salvation to mankind, his final speech could be like salvation
to the birlings, if they wish to they can change
■ Juxtaposes Mr B’s animalistic simile
■ Use of singular image one > serves as a poignant reminder of the
interconnectedness that binds humanity together, he teaches it’s society’s moral
imperative to care and support each other
■ Holds a mirror to flaws of Mr B’s beliefs
, ■ this makes P's message even more impactful as it makes them consider whether
their actions are transgressions against God and that this isn't how God planned
society to be
■ so, P is critiquing capitalistic viewpoint as it doesn't make sense to vote for them
as they don't believe in community are helping fellow men and christians should
be doing
■ Collective responsibility is a by-product of adopting socialist beliefs, he asserts
that it serves as a solution to the segregation and division that exists in society
○ “There are millions and millions and millions of Eva Smiths and Johns
Smiths still left with us” act 3
○ Inspector's last words create an emotive, lasting image of suffering and grief > “If men
will not learn that lesson, they will be taught in blood and fire and anguish”
act 3
■ Allusion of world wars that P has lived through, result of negligence of R
■ Biblical in nature, suffering will come to those who made other suffer, agent of
God trying to bring Birlings back to foundation of morality - religion
■ Parallel to the suffering of Eve when she was burnt inside out, and by extension
the suffering of many working class people at the hands of the greedy
■ Polysyndeton - shown by repetition of “and” highlights perpetual torment
awaiting those who shirk moral responsibility, inspector’s prophetic and
omniscient presentation imbues the message with heightened gravity and
significance
■ Perhaps it can be inferred that Priestley was trying to prevent eternal recurrence
as he was greatly influenced by the Russian Philosopher Ouspenksy who believed
that if man didn’t learn from their mistakes they would live in a never ending cycle
of the same behaviour and suffering, which can be seen through his use of a
cyclical structure
■ So through his political diatribe, Priestley is emphasising to his audience the
importance of learning from one's mistakes to end the social segregation and
division
■ The Inspector comes back from the future or from some place outside time to offer
the Birlings an opportunity to change – an opportunity they appear not to take. In
the end they have learned nothing and so will have to go through it all over again
Sheila
● First member of family to accept shared Responsibility
● She changed over time with the presence of the inspector, just as P hopes the audience will
change
● “I am really responsible”
○ Shes accepting what went wrong, repenting for sins,
○ Shes first miserable which shows taking responsibility is not easy and is a long process
but it must be done
○ All those who have not taken responsibility, will repent for sins
● “These girls aren’t cheap labour - they’re people” (look below) act 1
● “No, he’s giving us the rope-so we’ll hang ourselves” (look below) act 2
Eric
● “I did what I did. And mother did what she did. And the rest of you did what you did
to her” Act 3
○ Personal pronoun I > illuminates eric’s growing sense of personal accountability and
social awareness
Responsibility
Mr Birling
● Antithesis of Priestley's message
● Always cares about himself, even if hurting others
● Oblivious of what people go through, never accepts responsibility
● Priestly is suggesting that his lack of compassion is tied to his class and capitalist ideologies
● First time Priestly brings up the idea of shared responsibility is through the character of Mr B
○ ‘The way that some of these cranks talk and write now, you’d think everybody
has to look after everybody else, as if we were all mixed up together like bees
in a hive - community and all that nonsense’ act 1
■ Harsh and insensitive language, “cranks”, “nonsense” : heartless and cold to the
audience. He seems to find it disgusting that he should have to help those in the
lower class
■ As an audience, we already don’t trust Mr B’s view because of his comments on the
Titanic as being “unsinkable, absolutely unsinkable”. Priestley portraying
that these capitalistic views are also ridiculous.
■ Complex sentence, makes himself come across as more knowledgeable than he
actually is, argument doesn’t hold much logic
■ Zoomorphosises socialism, makes it seem barbaric, degradation and mockery of
collective responsibility, portraying it as animalistic and primal only fit for
insignificant beings, undermines socialist values
■ Hyphen - prompts a theatrical pause, hesitating before articulating “community”,
emphasises his physical repulsion to the concept, can’t even verbalise it
■ Microcosm - for capitalist ideologies, he later becomes vilified for his rejection of
the idea of community and preference for materialism
● Priestley portrays capitalism’s inherent negligence through mr B’s interest in money
○ He tells the inspector “it is my duty to keep labour costs down” act 1
■ His “duty” is to exploit the lower class and support his business but not society.
Priestley is insinuating that business is tied with neglect and inhumanity
■ P crafts a political diatribe (criticising politics) to illustrate how capitalism
encourages irresponsibility through its ideologies. He argues that socialism,
synonymous with responsibility stands as the sole remedy for a progressive and
equitable society
■ Noble quest he has undertaken
Mrs Birling
● Personifies upper class contempt towards lower class
● Like mr b, is committed to her own innocence
● P used her to suggest that lack of R comes from classism and prejudice bc she doesn’t want to
associate herself w the lower class
● Conventional duties of upper class are corrupt
○ “Make sure he’s compelled to confess in public to his responsibility” act 2
■ Seems to have a moral code, values ownership of wrongdoings
■ Retracts this when finds out abt eric
■ She's superficial and hypocritical, never fully meant any of them
● Class prejudice
○ “Naturally, I don’t know anything about the girl” act 2
, ■ Adverb naturally, shes above suspicion because of her class
■ This is situational irony as her involvement is soon exposed, P challenges the way
the upper class assume their own innocence to avoid R
■ Mrs B is entitled to be prejudiced against “girls of that class”, natural barrier
between them
■ Her choice of words subtly suggests that admitting responsibility would be like
conceding to the inspector, posing a threat in the capitalist hierarchy and she
wishes to safeguard her position
● Neglects social responsibility
○ “We’ve done a great deal of useful work in helping deserving cases”, boasts to
inspector act 2
■ Enjoys recognition, but doesn’t actually care
■ “Deserving” - she’s the judge of who gets chosen, foreshadows her immoral
behaviour w harsh judgments and prejudice
■ P is showing that poor never get the help they deserve, she is insincere and
callous, by extension women of upper class are hated on by audience
○ “I consider I did my duty” act 2
■ Ironic > juxtaposes the expectations of someone in a philanthropic position like
hers
■ Noun “duty” is a tool to explore disparity between perspective of capitalists and
socialists bc for Mrs B, upholding the class system was of paramount importance
hence her “duty” may have been to uphold the class gap by refusing eva smith help
■ Introduces the audience to the dichotomy between moral and social duty
■ P critiques classicism which penetrates every aspect of edwardian life rendering
even welfare organisations hollow and corrupt
■ There is a gap between our actions and the consequences, we feel like we can act
immorally because we don’t see the direct impacts of our actions, however the
inspector acts as a vehicle to bridge this gap
The inspector
● Sense of duty
○ In contrast to the Birlings, the inspector’s duty is towards society and helping others.
○ Their sense of duty is empty of meaning
○ Even if ur not directly involved, that doesn;t mean you can;t help,
○ P used the suicide as a symbol of how the lower class are always attacked for no reason
● The inspector’s final speech
○ Directly contracts Mr B’s opening speech of self preservation
○ “We are members of one body” - everyone is connected on a deep basic level which
can’t be denied, moral duty to help others act 3
■ Biblical allusions - language comes directly from Holy communion and majority of
his audience would be christian, inspector is like Jesus promoting the union of
society
■ Alike Jesus providing salvation to mankind, his final speech could be like salvation
to the birlings, if they wish to they can change
■ Juxtaposes Mr B’s animalistic simile
■ Use of singular image one > serves as a poignant reminder of the
interconnectedness that binds humanity together, he teaches it’s society’s moral
imperative to care and support each other
■ Holds a mirror to flaws of Mr B’s beliefs
, ■ this makes P's message even more impactful as it makes them consider whether
their actions are transgressions against God and that this isn't how God planned
society to be
■ so, P is critiquing capitalistic viewpoint as it doesn't make sense to vote for them
as they don't believe in community are helping fellow men and christians should
be doing
■ Collective responsibility is a by-product of adopting socialist beliefs, he asserts
that it serves as a solution to the segregation and division that exists in society
○ “There are millions and millions and millions of Eva Smiths and Johns
Smiths still left with us” act 3
○ Inspector's last words create an emotive, lasting image of suffering and grief > “If men
will not learn that lesson, they will be taught in blood and fire and anguish”
act 3
■ Allusion of world wars that P has lived through, result of negligence of R
■ Biblical in nature, suffering will come to those who made other suffer, agent of
God trying to bring Birlings back to foundation of morality - religion
■ Parallel to the suffering of Eve when she was burnt inside out, and by extension
the suffering of many working class people at the hands of the greedy
■ Polysyndeton - shown by repetition of “and” highlights perpetual torment
awaiting those who shirk moral responsibility, inspector’s prophetic and
omniscient presentation imbues the message with heightened gravity and
significance
■ Perhaps it can be inferred that Priestley was trying to prevent eternal recurrence
as he was greatly influenced by the Russian Philosopher Ouspenksy who believed
that if man didn’t learn from their mistakes they would live in a never ending cycle
of the same behaviour and suffering, which can be seen through his use of a
cyclical structure
■ So through his political diatribe, Priestley is emphasising to his audience the
importance of learning from one's mistakes to end the social segregation and
division
■ The Inspector comes back from the future or from some place outside time to offer
the Birlings an opportunity to change – an opportunity they appear not to take. In
the end they have learned nothing and so will have to go through it all over again
Sheila
● First member of family to accept shared Responsibility
● She changed over time with the presence of the inspector, just as P hopes the audience will
change
● “I am really responsible”
○ Shes accepting what went wrong, repenting for sins,
○ Shes first miserable which shows taking responsibility is not easy and is a long process
but it must be done
○ All those who have not taken responsibility, will repent for sins
● “These girls aren’t cheap labour - they’re people” (look below) act 1
● “No, he’s giving us the rope-so we’ll hang ourselves” (look below) act 2
Eric
● “I did what I did. And mother did what she did. And the rest of you did what you did
to her” Act 3
○ Personal pronoun I > illuminates eric’s growing sense of personal accountability and
social awareness
