An Inspector Calls by J.B. Priestley - Coursework Example

?  An Inspector Calls by J.B. Priestley of the of the An Inspector Calls by J.B. Priestley Q. Explore the ways the contrast between different generations are developed in ‘An Inspector Calls’ Introduction ‘An Inspector Calls’ is one of J.B. Priestley’s most well known plays and is an expose on the empty false standards and values adopted by British society in the early 20th century. While the play was written in 1945, it is nevertheless based on British society in 1912, and concerns itself with the activities of a prosperous middle class family called the Birlings. The entire play, based on three acts, takes place on the same evening of 1912 at the Birling residence in Brumley, which is described as ‘an industrial city in the north Midlands’. The Birlings are having dinner when they are interrupted by an Inspector Goole who insinuates that they are responsible for causing the death of a young working class woman called Eva Smith. In the interim there are many instances where we get an insight into the nature and attitudes of the characters, which the playwright has so cleverly indicated as he intersperses events with anecdotes about them. Thesis Statement Priestley’s play ‘An Inspector Calls’ gives a good glimpse into the decadent values and attitudes held by British society. He underscores the differences between the erudite facade of composure they maintain while they are really at ill-ease with themselves and their place in society. In other words, they are more concerned with outward appearances, while this masks and hides many a skeleton in their closet. The differences between the social classes are clearly indicated, and the apparent superiority of the Birling household is ridiculed. Discussion The real significance of Priestley’s ‘An Inspector Calls’ is not really in the plot, but in the story that unfolds between the lines. Priestley has aimed his salvos here at upper class British society, mainly the nouveau-rich social strata like the Birlings. It appears that the Birlings have indeed come into contact with Eva at various junctures in the recent past and all of this is recollected as the play unfolds. Their attitude in dealing with Eva on these occasions in fact reflects on their own character and values as well-“…what happened to her then may have determined what happened to her afterwards, and what happened to her afterwards may have driven her to suicide. A chain of events” (Inspector Goole: Act One)1. The patriarch of the family, Mr. Arthur Birling is described as a ‘heavy looking, rather portentous man in his 50s’. He is the picture of the capitalist, and loves to describe himself as a ‘hard headed businessman.’ As would be expected of this character type, Birling is arrogant and self centered, while being morally blind as well. At no point in the play do we find him repentant or soul searching. He dismisses any inclination of guilt or blame in Eva’s death, although he recalls that he had dismissed her about 18 months ago for stirring up trouble at his mill. He was concerned with quelling dissent and lowering labor costs at the factory, both of which were accomplished by Eva’s dismissal. Arthur is displeased with Inspector Goole’s visit, this having materialized just when they were celebrating the engagement of his daughter Eva to Gerald Croft, the son of a business competitor. This he is overly concerned with his family’s social standing and cannot stand to see it tarnished by Goole’s accusations. The last thing he wants is a public scandal… “You'll apologize at once ... I'm a public man” (Mr. Birling: Act Two)2. Sybil Birling is Arthur’s wife and comes from a higher social status than her husband. As the head of a women’s charitable organization, she looks down upon the working class and regards the deceased Eva and her ilk as being dishonest, greedy and immoral. She also stands by her husband’s side and tries to protect the family name. On the last occasion she saw Eva, the latter had been pregnant and destitute but she had advised the committee not to give her financial aid. Thus she can also be held as morally responsible for forcing Eva to commit suicide. Sheila Birling is the Birling’s daughter and has just got engaged to Gerald Croft. She is guilty of falsely accusing the deceased Eva for an imagined slight while being served by her, which resulted in Eva’s dismissal from a department store. The truth is that she was jealous of Eva’s beauty. However she appears to be considerably mature in realizing her family’s moral responsibilities and can be termed as the voice of conscience in the family. Her socialist attitude of accepting blame is in stark contrast to the cavalier devil-may-care capitalist attitude of the rest of the family. Eric Birling is the son of the Birlings and is put forward as a carefree fun loving being, up to the usual acts of mischief and dalliances so common of his class. He is also an alcoholic and the one who has impregnated Eva/ Daisy after forcing her to have sex with him. He steals ?50 from his father’s business to pay for it. Yet like Sheila he accepts his moral responsibility for Eva’s death. Both Sheila and Eric can be seen as the younger generation with widely differing values as compared to the older generation of Arthur and Sybil Birling. We last come to Eva Smith/ Daisy Renton, who represents the working class girl of a lower social status in the play. It can be seen that while none of the Birlings are individually responsible for her demise, collectively they can be blamed as morally responsible for her fate. It is their collective disparagement of Eva at various junctures that has contributed to her helplessness and subsequent suicide. Understandably she is forced to take on another name, Daisy Renton after having been thrown out of a job but forced to survive in the worst way imaginable. In fact Sheila’s fiance Gerald Croft is revealed to have had an affair with Daisy Renton, but he subsequently dumps her after he has become ‘the most important person in her life.’ While the fact that he takes pity on her and installs her as his mistress might appear morally reprehensible- at least he has feelings not shown by the older generation. On her part Eva/ Daisy is revealed to be on a higher moral ground than any of the Birling family, as she would not accept stolen money from Eric, even in her dire circumstances. She would prefer death by suicide rather than live with dishonor and shame. And what of Inspector Goole? Is he the voice of conscience in Priestley’s play? Many think so, as he gives the Birling family a good moral shakeup. He might even represent Priestley in disguise. His name Goole does even hauntingly rhyme with ghoul, which means a specter or spirit, and like Scrooge in ‘A Christmas Carol’, the Birlings are given a glimpse of the uselessness and emptiness of the values they hold sacred by this ghost. Their moral emptiness and ineptitude is laid bare at the end of the play. Priestley also admonishes the world that its moral decadence will result in ‘the fire of blood and anguish’ that was World War I. Inspector Goole is only an instrument of conscience, given the gift of prophecy and has the duty of inviting the Birlings to accept their moral complicity in sending Eva/Daisy to commit suicide by taking insecticide… “We don't live alone. We are members of one body. We are responsible for each other. And I tell you that the time will soon come when, if men will not learn that lesson, then they will be taught it in fire and blood and anguish. Good night” (Inspector Goole: Act Three)3. Conclusion ‘An Inspector Calls’ awakens us on many levels. The tussle between Arthur Birling and Inspector Goole could rightly be seen as a fight between capitalist and socialist attitudes. At question is also the practice of giving charity to destitute women, as such instances make the rich class feel superior at the cost of the poor. Also the practice of ‘chivalry’ in keeping women as mistresses has been questioned, as both Eric Birling and Gerald Croft leave Eva Smith/ Daisy Renton vulnerable after taking physical and emotional advantage of her. The culmination of this all results in Eva choosing death by suicide, for which the Birling family have to share the blame. Bibliography J. B Priestley. An Inspector Calls. Dramatists Play Service, 1998. 72 pages. Read More