How Does Priestley Present The Theme Of Responsibility In An Inspector Calls

Arthur Birling says, “If we were all responsible for everything that happened to everybody we’d had anything to do with, it would be very awkward, wouldn’t it?” How does Priestley explore ideas about responsibility in An Inspector Calls?

"An Inspector Calls" was written by J.B. Priestley in 1945. It is set in 1912 England, with the entirety of the plot progressing within the Birling household. Priestley wrote this play to express his views on the social situation he observed in Britain at the time. The play’s core purpose is to convey Priestley’s message about social responsibility and the importance of owning up to one’s actions. He uses the character of Inspector Goole as a vessel to convey the theme of responsibility in the play. The way

There is a cycle of immorality, implying that the upper class learns nothing from their mistakes. To present this, Priestley shows the lack of change in attitude in the older generation. For example, when Mr. Birling offers Gerald a drink at the end of the play. The scene shows us that their mindset has not changed. The cyclical structure is also presented through the last phone call in the play, perhaps from a real inspector. This form suggests that the characters are trapped in their own making. This is used by Priestley to show the never-ending issues that prevail in society. He influences the audience to support his views of socialism by portraying Mr. Birling as an egoistic man. The characters’ language is used to showcase their social status and attitudes toward each other. For instance, Mrs. Birling refers to Eva Smith in a rude manner when she says “girls of that class”, implying that she should not be held responsible for what happened to the girl. She also uses words such as "impertinent," "impudent," and "presumptuous" to describe Eva Smith’s request for help. Her language reveals her belief in the superiority of her social class. Having the Birlings speak in a refined manner is a decision made by Priestley to show the dominance of the upper class during 1912. Furthermore, inspector Goole is shown as more forceful and direct, to make the audience perceive him as an authority figure. His authority is shown in the quote “Public men, Mr. Birling, have responsibilities as well as privileges”. Through this, the audience can interpret that the inspector has already found his morals, and his language is used by Priestley to convey his thoughts to the audience. As the audience anticipates how the characters will react to Inspector's discoveries, the play's structure builds tension and suspense. The