social responsibility

Question 1

provide a summary of the theme:

Answer 1

• play written 1946, no assistance for people to look after themselves.
• priestley felt if people were more considerate of one another, and more responsible for own behaviour and for welfare of others, it would improve quality of life overall. all actions have consequences.
  - condemns powerful for not
  protecting people they’re supposed to,
  leading country into war without
  thinking of effects on lower class.
• Eva Smith dies as no one takes responsibility for their actions against her. priestley uses events of play to suggest if we don’t take responsibility for each other, world will become terrible place.

Question 2

describe the development of the theme of social responsibility:

Answer 2

• before: Priestley exposes audience to Birling’s attitude. he is Priestley’s antithesis. his character associates capitalism with selfish and irresponsible behaviour, indicating change must happen.
• during: dialogue revolves around argument of social responsibility. Inspector confronts them with reality, has the last word.
  - priestley makes it clear who is in the
  right and who wins the argument.
  when its revealed girl has died in
  infirmary after all, signals inspector’s
  triumph. inspector’s perseverance and
  triumph shows public change can
  happen.
• end: children also act as inspector’s
  mouthpiece. shows how the younger
  generation must be educated, that
  change can happen through them.
  educate young, think of tomorrow.

Question 3

how is mr birling the antithesis of the message of social responsibility, particularly at the beginning of the play?

Answer 3

• only cares about himself, puts himself first.
• completely oblivious about other’s struggles, or how his actions impact others. never accepts responsibility.

‘You’d think everybody has to look after everybody else, as if we were all mixed up together like bees in a hive - community and all that nonsense.’
- intolerance suggests political state in
1910s, and his narrow-mindedness.
- harsh and insensitive language (‘all that
nonsense’) made audience think he’s
heartless. he’s disgusted by idea looking
out for others.
- simile (‘like bees in a hive’) implies social
responsibility is primitive and
demeaning. ‘you’d think’, ‘as if’ - Birling
finds idea preposterous. previous
statements on ‘titanic’ and ‘war’ already
discredit him, audience knows
‘community’ statements also be
challenged.

Question 4

how else does mr birling show his lack of social responsibility at the beginning of the play?

Answer 4

• Birling prioritises himself over duty to others.
• ‘A man has to make his own way - has to look after himself - and his family too.’
  - repetition of ‘a man has to’ Mr Birling
  believes men born with obligation to
  themselves alone.
  - delay before ‘and family too’
  suggests family comes as afterthought.

Question 5

how does mrs birling neglect social responsibility?

Answer 5

‘with dignity’ she boasts, ‘we’ve done a great deal of useful work in helping deserving cases.’
- semantic field of virtue suggests her
charity work brings her a false sense of
moral accomplishment.
- enjoys recognition, doesn’t care for
those who come to her: ‘girls of that sort’.
- adj ‘deserving’ foreshadows prejudice
and harsh judgement.

• care institutions run by upper class, who despise poor, care only about their status. lower classes never get help they need.

Question 6

how does the inspector show social responsibility?

Answer 6

when Birlings protest to his ‘manner’, he asks ‘Apologise for what - doing my duty?’. overstays his welcome so can wait for Eric’s return and ‘do his duty’. dedicated to job, even if controversial. people should be loyal to others, do what is right (even if goes against authority).

Question 7

how does the inspector’s final speech teach the audience and the Birlings about social responsibility?

Answer 7

• ‘there are millions and millions of eva smiths and john smiths still left with us, their lives, their hopes and fears, their suffering and chance of happiness, all intertwined with our lives.’
  
  • semantic field of connection dismisses
    societal divisions, class,
    wealth. ultimately, we’re all the same.
• ‘if men will not learn that lesson, they’ll be taught it in fire, blood, and anguish.’
  
  • allusion to world wars that priestley
    had lived, fought through.
  • prediction is almost Biblical in
    imagery, prophetic, lending
    statement more weight.
  • ‘fire and blood and anguish’ could
    depict warfare, also what Eva
    experienced as her insides were ‘burnt’,
    or of what everyone experiences when
    at hands of selfishness.