An Inspector Calls: Themes

An Inspector Calls: Themes

1. Responsibility

   • one of the main themes
   • Priestley is a socialist so wanted to teach the idea that We are all responsible for eachother
   • The theme of responsibility in the novel is cl;osly linked to Priestley's socialist, anti-capitalist views
   • Mrs Birling
     • Her sense of duty is linked to her sense of propriety and her dislike of the working class
     • She is cold hearted, and wants no responsibility
     • "I accept no blame for it at all"
     • When questioned, also refers to duty
     • She wants to pin her responsibility elsewhere, and inadvertently blames Eric
   • The role of the Inspector is to convince each member of the family to accept their responsibility in Eva Smith's death
   • Gerald
     • Despite Gerald's remorse, he still tries to avoid responsibility at the end of the play
     • He uses his power over Eva in a positive way
     • Gerald wants things to go back to how they were
     • Gerald sides with the older generation, despite the audience's thoughts that he might change
   • Eric
     • He treated Eva very unfairly, and feels a lot of remorse for this
     • "The fact remains that I did what I did"
     • Tries to convince his family to be responsible
     • Like Sheila, Eric quickly wants to take responsibility
   • Birling
     • Birling's idea of duty and responsibility is to himself and to profits
     • "I can't accept any responsibility"
     • He mocks the Inspector for talking like a socialist "Crank"
     • Birling is very against the idea of helping others
     • He thinks people should be responsible for themselves and no one else
   • Sheila
     • After being questioned, Sheila admits and accepts responsibility
     • At the end of the play, her and Eric are trying to convince the rest of the family to take responsibility
     • "So I'm really responsible?"
     • Sheila becomes responsible very quickly
   • The audience is also meant to learn responsibility from the play
   • The Inspector
     • Throughout the play, he makes comments about responsibility, aimed at the characters and the audience
     • "There are millions and millions ... of Eva Smiths and John Smiths still left with us, all intertwined with our lives"
     • "We don't live alone. We are members of one body, we are responsible for each other"
     • "There will come a time when if men will not learn that lesson, they will be taught it in fire and blood and anguish"
       • This quote will deeply affect the audiences in 1946 who have lived through 2 world wars, and in this way, Priestley lends validity to the Inspectors statement about shared responsibility
   • The Older generation accepts no responsibiilty whereas the younger does