Themes Flashcards
How does J.B. Priestley portray power as a significant theme in An Inspector Calls?
The physical power of Mr Birling symbolises his wealth and status: ‘a heavy looking, rather portentous looking man’ (AO2).
Mr Birling’s imposing appearance reflects the disproportionate power of the wealthy, upper classes in a capitalist society (AO3).
The Birlings and Gerald abuse their power to deprive Eva Smith and/or physically assault her. Inspector Goole’s interrogation is structured to reflect the decline of Eva Smith from Mr Birling’s employee to a helpless prostitute who later dies (AO2).
This reflects the unfairness of the capitalist system in pre-war Britain, which was advantageous to the wealthy minority in Britain but not the less wealthy minority (AO3).
Inspector Goole controls the structural release of information to the audience and the Birlings through his interrogation, despite being a lower-class character (AO2).
As Inspector Goole symbolises morality, Priestley could be suggesting that society should prioritise morality and good principles over selfish capitalist ideas (AO3).
How does J.B. Priestley portray the concept of blame in An Inspector Calls?
Neither Mr Birling nor Mrs Birling accepts responsibility for their part in Eva's death. Mrs Birling shifts blame from Eva to the father of Eva's child ('She only has herself to blame... Go and look for the father of the child. It’s his responsibility’). The structural shift represents the extent of her denial (AO2).
Mrs Birling's blaming of Eva Smith for her misfortune reflects the attitude that some upper-class individuals held at the time of writing - that the poor deserved their misfortune, unlike the upper classes who were entitled to their wealth. These individuals were against the creation of a welfare state (AO3).
Inspector Goole's role in the play is to encourage self-reflection and self-blame. This is reflected in the stage directions - the lighting becomes 'brighter and harder' when the Inspector arrives to symbolise his shedding light on character flaws and immoral actions (AO2).
Priestley was using the character of Inspector Goole to encourage his contemporaries to reflect on their actions to ask themselves whether or not they were doing enough to support the poor in the aftermath of the world wars (AO3).
Sheila and Eric blame themselves for their role in Eva Smith's death by the end of the play. The structural change in their attitudes (AO2) suggests that Priestley had hope for the younger generations who were adopting socialist views and pushing for social inequality in the early 20th century (AO3).
