INTRO- In an inspector calls Priestly presents the male characters, particular Gerald and Mr Birling
as irresponsible, as they deny the responsibilities they previously had, before a murder had taken
place, in which they were responsible for. They had taken advantage of vulnerable people of the
working class especially women. Eric starts off as an irresponsible drunkard but then turns over a
new leaf as he starts to see things in a new light. Eric understands that his actions has impacted
others and therefore is an aspect of daisy Renton’s suicide. Priestly uses inspector Goole to
demonstrate his view of collective responsibility, and that if we don’t take care of each other and
are self-centred, then it’ll cause a Huge divide in society, and inequalities being present.
Mr B- ‘ obviously it has nothing to do with that wretched girls suicide’
He fails to take responsibility for his actions and doesn’t seem to show compassion or sympathy of the suicide in which he
was a crucial factor of. The adjective ‘wretched’ suggest he views her as a vile person, and that in his capitalist mind he
feels as though because shes lower class than him, he can talk to her however he wishes to.
Hyperbolised character shows he’s unaware of right and wrong as well as what hes saying. To anyone else, it is clear that
him firing Eva from her job caused the other events to happen, and therefore causing part of the blame to be on him
Mr Birling dismisses the idea that we should be responsible for each other, suggesting that such a situation would be
'awkward'. The inspector challenges the idea of taking responsibility for others and that by looking after others, Priestley
suggests society as a whole will benefit. However Mr Birling is egoistic and rejects the idea of caring for others because he
feels as though the working class deserves to be in that position, because they don’t work for their success, just like how he
did.
Mr birling is a capitalist who doesn’t sympathise with the working class and therefore doesn’t care
about their wellbeing or even existence. Eva smith, who represents a confident working class and
justice tries to combat this behaviour by preventing him of doing wrong towards others, but due to
her social standing she is easily dismissed by Mr birling,’ a heavy looking, rather portentous
man’. Due to this sole event which builds to the other part of her miserable life, she is
helpless and feels as though she is left with no options and has no one who could help
guide her to a stable life. Mr birling is a crucial factor for eva smiths suicide, however
denies that ‘it has nothing to do with that wretched girls suicide’. He fails to take responsibility
and tries to take the blame off of him in order to try prevent a scandal. The adjective ‘wretched’
creates an image of someone who is worthless and despicable, and Mr birling claiming Eva smith
as ‘wretched’ reinforces his disgust towards the lower class and highlights how he despises those
who don’t adopt the same capitalist mind-set as him, therefore talking in a way in which he wishes
to. He doesn’t take ownership of his own behaviours and dismisses the idea that ‘we should all be
responsible for each other’ thus leading to a death occurring. His irresponsibility would’ve been
seen as a stereotypical behaviour that all middle class people would’ve has at the time and priestly
uses a hyperbolised character of an upper-middle class capitalist to tells us that they are unaware
of right and wrong, and as he rejects his responsibility, it exhibits that him firing eva from her job
had caused other events to happen therefore causing part of the blame to be on him.
Gerald- "There isn't such an Inspector. We've been had."
By saying 'we've been had', it's made to seem like the Inspector was pulling a comedical joke on the family. However, this
isn't the case at all and even with the Inspector being fake, their actions are still just as real.
But, in most of the family's mind, if there is no Inspector, there is no scandal to be had, showing the importance of status
to the family, and how little they really care about how they treat lower classes. The contrast between Gerald's response
now and before shows he hasn't really changed, and is just as irresponsible.He was just faking to have had taken
responsibility only to avoid having to encounter the inspector, but once he knows there isn’t an inspector, he goes back to
his old ways and doesn’t consider what hed done as ‘immoral’
Priestly uses Gerald as a bridge between the older and younger generations. Whereas the older generations never
accepted responsibility, and the younger generations did, he switches between the two.
as irresponsible, as they deny the responsibilities they previously had, before a murder had taken
place, in which they were responsible for. They had taken advantage of vulnerable people of the
working class especially women. Eric starts off as an irresponsible drunkard but then turns over a
new leaf as he starts to see things in a new light. Eric understands that his actions has impacted
others and therefore is an aspect of daisy Renton’s suicide. Priestly uses inspector Goole to
demonstrate his view of collective responsibility, and that if we don’t take care of each other and
are self-centred, then it’ll cause a Huge divide in society, and inequalities being present.
Mr B- ‘ obviously it has nothing to do with that wretched girls suicide’
He fails to take responsibility for his actions and doesn’t seem to show compassion or sympathy of the suicide in which he
was a crucial factor of. The adjective ‘wretched’ suggest he views her as a vile person, and that in his capitalist mind he
feels as though because shes lower class than him, he can talk to her however he wishes to.
Hyperbolised character shows he’s unaware of right and wrong as well as what hes saying. To anyone else, it is clear that
him firing Eva from her job caused the other events to happen, and therefore causing part of the blame to be on him
Mr Birling dismisses the idea that we should be responsible for each other, suggesting that such a situation would be
'awkward'. The inspector challenges the idea of taking responsibility for others and that by looking after others, Priestley
suggests society as a whole will benefit. However Mr Birling is egoistic and rejects the idea of caring for others because he
feels as though the working class deserves to be in that position, because they don’t work for their success, just like how he
did.
Mr birling is a capitalist who doesn’t sympathise with the working class and therefore doesn’t care
about their wellbeing or even existence. Eva smith, who represents a confident working class and
justice tries to combat this behaviour by preventing him of doing wrong towards others, but due to
her social standing she is easily dismissed by Mr birling,’ a heavy looking, rather portentous
man’. Due to this sole event which builds to the other part of her miserable life, she is
helpless and feels as though she is left with no options and has no one who could help
guide her to a stable life. Mr birling is a crucial factor for eva smiths suicide, however
denies that ‘it has nothing to do with that wretched girls suicide’. He fails to take responsibility
and tries to take the blame off of him in order to try prevent a scandal. The adjective ‘wretched’
creates an image of someone who is worthless and despicable, and Mr birling claiming Eva smith
as ‘wretched’ reinforces his disgust towards the lower class and highlights how he despises those
who don’t adopt the same capitalist mind-set as him, therefore talking in a way in which he wishes
to. He doesn’t take ownership of his own behaviours and dismisses the idea that ‘we should all be
responsible for each other’ thus leading to a death occurring. His irresponsibility would’ve been
seen as a stereotypical behaviour that all middle class people would’ve has at the time and priestly
uses a hyperbolised character of an upper-middle class capitalist to tells us that they are unaware
of right and wrong, and as he rejects his responsibility, it exhibits that him firing eva from her job
had caused other events to happen therefore causing part of the blame to be on him.
Gerald- "There isn't such an Inspector. We've been had."
By saying 'we've been had', it's made to seem like the Inspector was pulling a comedical joke on the family. However, this
isn't the case at all and even with the Inspector being fake, their actions are still just as real.
But, in most of the family's mind, if there is no Inspector, there is no scandal to be had, showing the importance of status
to the family, and how little they really care about how they treat lower classes. The contrast between Gerald's response
now and before shows he hasn't really changed, and is just as irresponsible.He was just faking to have had taken
responsibility only to avoid having to encounter the inspector, but once he knows there isn’t an inspector, he goes back to
his old ways and doesn’t consider what hed done as ‘immoral’
Priestly uses Gerald as a bridge between the older and younger generations. Whereas the older generations never
accepted responsibility, and the younger generations did, he switches between the two.
