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An Inspector Calls Gender Analysis

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Gender:
Generation gap:
How does Priestley explore the difference in attitudes between older and younger generations in An Inspector Calls?

In ‘An Inspector Calls’, Priestley exposes the lack of responsibility among the middle and upper classes and offers a cry for change, commanding his 1945 audience to show greater compassion for the working classes and promote greater social responsibility in British society. Priestley uses the contrast between older and younger characters in the play to reveal the chasm between traditional classist attitudes and more progressive socialist ideals, hoping that the transformation of his younger characters will propel his audience on the same trajectory and build a fairer, more equal society for all.

Priestley …show more content…

It is clear that, before the Inspector’s arrival, Sheila is immature and selfish. She is extremely ‘pleased’ with herself at the start of the play because she is engaged to a respectable gentleman, and the entire family are celebrating her engagement. When the Inspector arrives, Sheila is forced to face up to the fact that she selfishly had Eva Smith fired from her job at Milwards because she was jealous of her good looks. It is clear, therefore, that Sheila had quite willingingly misused her parents’ account at Milwards to get what she wanted. However, when the Inspector questions Sheila, Sheila goes as far as to say ‘I started it’. The audience knows, in fact, that it was Arthur Birling who started it but, unlike Sheila, Arthur Birling feels no sympathy and no guilt. Through Sheila’s character, Priestley offers hope to his audience that the younger generation will be more socially responsible, and will take actions that benefit …show more content…

When the family learn that Eric is the father of Eva Smith’s unborn child, both parents are shocked; they could never have imagined that their son would have got himself involved with a working class girl in this way. However, as soon as they learn from Gerald that the Inspector isn’t real, they are happy to return to the way things were, feeling confident in the knowledge that Eric’s actions won’t damage their reputation. In this sense, they display double standards. Arthur Birling was highly critical of Eva Smith for stepping out of line in asking for a pay rise, yet seems happy to ignore and forget the irresponsible behaviour of his son. Sybil looks down on ‘girls of that class’ for getting themselves into difficult situations, yet is also happy to return to the celebratory mood in spite of the fact that it was her own son who contributed to Eva Smith’s situation. Eric, on the other hand, feels terrible guilt for his actions. When questioned by the Inspector, he describes the circumstances in which he met Eva Smith as ‘hellish’. It is clear that he regrets drinking too much and forcing himself upon her. He cannot believe it when his parents are prepared to go back to the way things were, accusing them of ‘beginning to pretend now that nothing really happened at all’. Priestley uses Eric’s confrontational attitude to highlight the extreme difference in the thoughts and behaviour of the older and

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