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Does J. B. Priestley Present Ideas About Society In An Inspector Calls

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J.B. Priestley's play "An Inspector Calls" is a morality play set un 1912 but written in 1945 just after The Second World War. Priestley wrote the play to attempt to change the views of the mostly middle-class audience to support the socialist movement. Priestley chose the perfect opportunity to write such a play as big changes where already beginning in Britain, such as the introduction of a Labour government and the overwhelming amount of involvement of women in the war effort showing the beginnings of equality and the breaking of gender norms.
So, how does Priestley present ideas about society in An Inspector Calls?

Priestley uses the setting in "An Inspector Calls" to present ideas about society. "An Inspector Calls" is set in a "fairly …show more content…

Birling in a negative way as he represents all that Priestley dislikes about the capitalist ways of society. Mr Birling is the father, and leader of the contemptuous Birling family. He is described by Priestly as a ''Portentous'' man. Throughout the play, we see Arthur Birling being conveyed by the play write as a rather pompous and injudicious character. He shows no remorse or concern for his wrongful actions, unless they affect his social status. Birling is also portrayed as a defiant capitalist and extremely narrow minded.
Priestly presents Mr Arthur Birling and a ignorant and foolish character with us use of Dramatic Irony. As Mr Birling was delivering his speech at his daughter, Sheila's engagement, he mentioned that the titanic, was ''unsinkable, absolutely unsinkable''. As the play was written in 1945, we know that this bold statement is far from correct. Instantly, Priestly use of dramatic irony not only proves that it is a mistaken view, but it allows the audience to understand that Arthur Birling is not wise, but infarct a rather stupid and injudicious …show more content…

He is only interested in the present, and does not look to the future, Mr Birling does not have a open mind. Like most men at that time, they believed that nothing could change. They believed that the rich would always rule over the poor, that the labor ''cranks'' could never be a ruling government, and Arthur Birling represents these views.
Moreover, Priestly use of repetition on the word ''unsinkable'' suggests that Mr Birling in certain that he is correct, when infant he is far from it, making him appear to be foolish.
On the other hand, Mr. Birling's reference to the infamous Titanic also is also a symbol of arrogance. The titanic was a ship for the rich aristocrats of 1912, those who thought they were the hierarchy of society, much like what Mr Birling would like to see himself as. So for Priestley to use The Titanic as a example suggests that Birling is also a arrogant and pompous character.
Alternatively, the dramatic quote ''unsinkable, absolutely unsinkable'' is Priestly foreshadowing the Billings sinking fate. Mr Birling is so certain that he knows about everything, yet he is not aware that soon he will have a mysterious visitor at the

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