Character Analysis of Birling from An Inspector Calls by J.B. Priestley
The play An Inspector Calls was written by J.B.Priestley. Birling is
an important character in the book for a number of reasons. The
reasons for this will be discussed throughout the book, how he deals
with his own responsibility and others, how he deals with the hoax and
what he’s used for generally in the book. The play is about a family
who are all in someway to blame for the death of a girl.
At the beginning of the book Birling is presented negatively. We find
out that his daughter is going to marry and Birling then makes a
speech in which hw talks about his business and, how the marriage will
bring his company and his daughters fiancés fathers company together
for example he says “ your father and I have always been friendly
rivals in business for some time now and now you’ve brought us
together” which shows us even when his daughter is getting married he
is still thinking about his business.
Also he is presented as arrogant because he always says, “as a hard
headed businessman” and seems to think his views are the most
important and that everyone should listen to him. He does not deal
with accepting his own responsibility for things and always blames
others for his mistakes. As soon as the inspector left Birling
immediately started blaming Eric ignoring the fact that he had
contributed to the girl killing herself by firing her after she’d
asked for a rise which was not justified as he had done something
worse than Eric.
When dealing with others responsibility he is quick to blame them and
to forget about his own responsibilities . But in the case of Gerald
he only cares because he wants the marriage to happen so the companies
can join together and he can get more money and improve his social
position.
He does not deal with the inspector well as he is used to everyone
obeying and agreeing with hum him and following his orders because he
Priestley mainly uses the characters in the play to present his views, especially Mr and Mrs Birling, to present his ideas about class and society. In the Birling family, Mrs Birling is the most upper class, and is always referring to the lower class female factory workers such as Eva Smith as ‘girls of that class’. She seems to think that working class people are not humans at all.
she needed more money. So she said to him give me 25/6 because of that
It has no antique furniture that shows that Mr Birling has. only recently acquired his money and has not inherited any family. heirlooms. Mr Birling sees himself as a ‘hard-headed businessman’ and ‘I speak a lot’. a hard-headed practical man of business’ whose opinion is important. and that he is always right.
The war was said to bring fire blood & anguish in to our lives. WW1 -
and the majority of the wealth was in the hands of the minority of the
A Comparison of Characters of Mr. Birling and Inspector Goole in J.B. Priestley's An Inspector Calls
" This is the first sign that Mr Birling is starting to worry, as he has just quoted that "so long as we behave ourselves, don't get into a police court or start a scandal." He is thinking that he or his family might be in trouble with the law, and is worried because if this is true it may ruin his chances of receiving a knighthood. He is trying to hide (unsuccessfully) that he is frightened, which makes the end of the scene very dramatic, and helps to lead on to the next scene of the play. J.B. Priestley's use of dramatic devices is most concentrated in this scene, though he uses them throughout the play. This has made his play very successful, and enjoyable to read and watch, even though the message behind the story is a serious one.
· The social class system at the time when the play is set, (rich and
Wells, both of whom references are made to in the opening pages of the play. A lot of the tension in the play is between Birling and the Inspector, both of who are powerful figures in the household and are both vying for dominance, creating a lot of tension. This is symbolic of the global struggle between capitalism and socialism, the Inspector represents Priestley's socialist views, and Birling, the antithesis of the Inspector represents capitalist views, which is made clear through his speech "the interests of Capital steadily increasing prosperity." When the Inspector is there, Birling is very fast to drop the blame on someone else, insisting "I can't accept any responsibility" which is a complete contrast of what the Inspector says, telling the family to "share the blame among yourselves when I have left" This constant conflict, which is often at the heart of the dramatic genre itself, makes sure there is tension whenever the two characters are talking to each other. This conflict is not the only one within the play.
A ‘sharp ring is heard of the front door bell’ interrupting Mr. Birling’s dialogue that explicates “that a man has to make his own way- has to look after himself” as though the ‘sharpness’ of the ring is opposing Birling’s ‘solemnity’ in his words. The stage direction instantly demonstrates juxtaposition between the Birling and the other anonymous individual; this also generates tension because of the fact that the individual is yet to be introduced. Eric felt very ‘uneasy’ after Edna said to Birling that an Inspector has arrived which gives the audience clues of Eric being involved in a crime, Eric’s uneasiness also makes Birling ‘sharply’ stare at Eric- this creates suspense for the audience.
This helped Priestley promote socialism against capitalism. JB Priestley uses dramatic devices to make An inspector calls a modern day morality play, to do this he uses dramatic devices, such as dramatic irony and tension in order to convey the message through the entire play. They are used accurately considering the time in which the play is set. Priestley also uses the characters as dramatic devices, they symbolise the dramatic devices, an example of this is Priestley makes us hate Mr. Birling because he symbolises capitalism, and in Priestley’s eyes capitalism is wrong. Throughout the play, Mr. Birling is the voice of capitalism....
Birling is presented as a self-centred capitalist very early on in the play. His pleasure in the marriage of his daughter is purely for his own profit. "Now you've brought us together and perhaps we may look forward to a time when Crofts and Birling are no longer competing but are worki...
In the play “An inspector calls” by J.B priestly, Mr Birling and Shelia Birling have contrasting attitudes to social issues. The author uses this to difference to highlight the diversity between generations and their reaction to situations faced. Arthur Birling is the father to Shelia Birling and is presented as the old fashion generation whereas Shelia is the young generation, who is more aware of the responsibility she has towards other people.The play begins with Mr birling and his family celebrating the engagement of Shelia and Gerald. The atmosphere is happy and light-hearted. Before the inspector arrives, Mr Birling is happy with life and himself “It’s one of the happiest nights of my life.” This shows that Mr Birling is quire selfish because he only thinks that it is one of the happiest nights of his life and not of Shelia and Gerald.
Discuss Priestley's depiction of the Birling household and Gerald Croft, prior to the arrival of Inspector Goole In this submission I hope to fully discuss Priestley's depiction of the Birling household and Gerald Croft, prior to the arrival of Inspector Goole. The play is set in the fictional town of Brumley, an industrial town in the North Midlands. It is evening in the town, in the spring of 1912. At the moment the play starts the characters are celebrating the engagement between Gerald Croft and the Birling family's only daughter Sheila. They are all very pleased with themselves and are enjoying the occasion.
but she seems to be a person who would only marry for love and not for