- Wealth, Power, and Influence. The Birlings are a family of wealth and power, who take pride in their high social position. …
- Blame and Responsibility. …
- Public versus Private. …
- Class Politics. …
- Morality and Legality.
What is the main theme in Inspector Calls?
Responsibility
. The theme of responsibility links closely to that of social class. In 1946, when An Inspector Calls was first performed, Britain was recovering from the difficulties of the Second World War and facing major social and economic changes.
What are the three main themes in An Inspector Calls?
- social responsibility.
- age.
- gender.
- class.
Is time a theme in An Inspector Calls?
Priestley
draws on ideas about time to create twists and surprises in the play
. For example, the idea of time repeating itself, and using knowledge of the past to change the future, occurs at the end of the play. Here, the phone call telling the Birlings that a girl has just died brings the characters full circle.
Is guilt a theme in An Inspector Calls?
The Inspector wants the family to accept
the pain
it has caused Eva/Daisy. In this way, guilt plays an important role in the Inspector’s politics. … Eric feels some version of Sheila’s guilt, but his drunkenness shades his emotions somewhat.
What is the moral of Inspector Calls?
Chris Power introduces An Inspector Calls as a morality play that
denounces the hypocrisy and callousness of capitalism and argues
that a just society can only be achieved if all individuals feel a sense of social responsibility.
Is the inspector a ghost in An Inspector Calls?
The Inspector was
a supernatural being
(kind of like the ghosts who visit Scrooge in A Christmas Carol) who took it upon himself to show the Birlings the error of their ways and to get justice for Eva.
What does Mrs Birling’s theme?
Themes: The central theme is
social responsibility, morality and social change
. This includes concepts of guilt, forgiveness/repentance, sin, justice and injustice, and corruption. Priestley wanted to warn people of the immorality of a capitalist society. Each character commits one of the 7 deadly sins.
What themes does Eric represent in An Inspector Calls?
Priestley uses Eric as symbolicof
redemption
; no matter the atrocitiescommitted in the past, he has the capacity to change and improve. Priestley presents Eric in a sympathetic lightthrough Eric’s opposition to Mr Birling’s capitalist and individualisticattitudes.
How does Sheila show guilt?
Shelia is again demonstrating how guilty
she feels
and by saying she knows what she did was bad shows how she is taking social responsibility. The word ‘ashamed’ suggests that she is hating herself for what she did and that guilt will live with her forever.
What is ouspensky’s theory?
Ouspensky believed in
the theory of eternal recurrence
. This is a theory that holds to the concept that the universe has been recurring, and will continue to recur in a self-similar form an infinite number of times (everything happens again and again and again).
How is the theme of responsibility presented in An Inspector Calls?
Social responsibility
is the most obvious theme in ‘An Inspector Calls’. The Inspector goes to the Birlings’ to encourage them to be accountable for their actions, and to take responsibility for others. … This means by being mindful of your own actions, you help take responsibility for others.
How is the inspector used as a dramatic device?
Priestley
uses the inspector as a dramatic device. … The lighting before the inspector arrives suggests that the Birling family – who encapsulate a stereotypical portrayal of a middle class family – were happy whilst they were ignorant to the plight of the working class.
How does Priestley present ideas of guilt?
Priestley presents ideas about guilt
by showing that while they did not kill her with their own hands
, the Birling family and Gerald Croft are responsible for a young woman’s suicide. They used their money and power to oppress her to the point she felt she had no option but to kill herself.
Who says we are members of one body?
In `An inspector calls` by
J.B Priestley
, the writers aim is reflected into this quote, “We don’t live alone. We are all members of one body.
WHO said about time you Learnt to face a few responsibilities?
Ironically,
Birling
tells Eric that he needs to learn to take responsibility: ‘It’s about time you learnt to face a few responsibilities. That’s something this public-school-and-Varsity life you’ve had doesn’t seem to teach you. ‘
