An Inspector Calls - Themes Flashcards
How is the theme of the seven deadly sins shown in the play?
Morality plays were popular during the 15th and 16th centuries and sought to teach the audience lessons that focused on the seven deadly sins.
Whilst characters who commited these sins were punished, morality plays showed that if a character repented them, they could redeem themselves.
Priestley uses this to teach a 20th-century audience a series of lessons that relate to his beliefs on responsibility, age, gender and class. The effect is to make the people leaving the theatre better people.
How is the theme of Old vs Young shown in the play?
The younger generation are more accepting to the idea, and feel huge guilt about it; whereas their parents are unable to admit that they did anything wrong - in fact they are quite stubborn and see the young as being foolish.
Furthermore, the old will do anything to protect themselves. For example, Mrs Birling lies to the Inspector when he first shows her the photograph, and Mr Birling wants to cover up a potential scandal. On the other hand, the young are honest and admit their faults. Eric shows this by the quote “the fact remains that I did what I did.”
Also, the old have never been forced to examine their consciences before, and still can’t even after the Inspector’s visit. As the saying goes, “You can’t teach an old dog new tricks”. On the other hand, Sheila and Eric see the human side of the story, and examine their consciences as a result of it.
By the end, Mr and Mrs Birling have a lot to fear from the ‘real’ inspector, because they know they will lose everything. However, Sheila and Eric have nothing to fear from the visit of the ‘real’ inspector, because they have already admitted wrong, and will change.
Gerald is confused and caught in the middle. He is neither young nor old, but in the end he sides for the older generation, perhaps because of his arisocratic roots and that he wants to keep the status quo and protect his own interests.
The Inspector’s message here is that we should be optimistic that the young will shape future society.
