An Inspector Calls by J.B.Priestley

An Inspector Calls by J.B.Priestley

The play ‘An Inspector Calls’ has been set in 1912, however it was

written in 1945 by J.B.Priestley. These dates are particularly

important because in 1912 when it was set, the attitudes of the higher

and middle classes where those typical of the Edwardian period. They

were happy with the fact they were financially secure and that the

country was currently going through a time of industrial prosperity,

they didn’t want things to change. Whereas, the time in which the play

was written the people had suffered the tragedy of the Titanic, two

World Wars and were just overcoming the economic depression of the

1930’s. Priestley had seen such a rapid change over the past thirty

years, that he began to worry that the people might reclaim the old

Edwardian attitudes and opinions, and so they would be back exactly

where they were thirty years previous. By airing these concerns

throughout the play, he is trying to make the point that it was these

attitudes that lead to the first and second World Wars, and therefore

if the 1945 audience adopt these views once again they could trigger

war once more.

Throughout the play Priestley raises many of the issues that he

personally finds concerning with the way in which we choose to live

our lives. He was concerned with the fact that some people can find it

perfectly normal to go through life being selfish, only thinking of

themselves and not others. This concerned him because he was worried

that if people were to only think of themselves, then it would drive

them to greed and self-absorption. This would only generate abhorrence

towards others and cause friction be...

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...the Birling’s

will continue in a vicious circle until they eventually learn their

lesson.

I believe that Priestley is trying to get across the message of

responsibility, and the fact that we all need to accept responsibility

for our own actions because in the long term they not only affect us,

but also the people around us. He conveys this message throughout Act

One by using many dramatic devices, including making fun of Birling’s

Edwardian beliefs and airing his own Socialist views through the role

of the Inspector. This message is still relevant today because it does

not matter, what time period you live in, your actions always have a

ripple effect on other people and it would be selfish not to consider

others when contemplating doing something which may affect the lives

of others in the short or the long term.