Eva's Death in J.B. Priestley's An Inspector Calls JB Priestly wrote 'An Inspector Calls' after the Second World War. After witnessing the destruction cause by the war he wanted society to realise everyone has a responsibility to each other and believed if everyone carried out their responsibility it would ensure a healthier future for coming generations. He said, 'We are members of one body. We are responsible for each other. And the time will soon come when if men will not learn that lesson, they will be taught in fire blood and anguish.' In this play the Birling family represent society. Mr Birling, a wealthy manufacturer is holding a family dinner party to celebrate his daughter's engagement. A police Inspector Goole intrudes this party to investigate the suicide of a young-working class woman. Under the pressure of his interrogation, every member of the family turns out to have a shameful secret which links them with her death. Although each member of the Birling family and Gerald Croft have had contact with Eva Smith/Daisy Renton during the previous two years, none of them is aware of the others' involvement in the tragedy until the day of the inspector's visit. He makes them aware of the part they have played in her tragic end. The characters each react differently to the news and to the degree of responsibility which they should bear. The first person to have contact with Eva was Mr Birling. He had employed her at his works until September 1910. At first when the inspector had asked him about Eva he couldn't remember her until the inspector showed him a photograph of her. He then remembered her and explained about hi... ... middle of paper ... ... 1945 he deliberately set it in 1912 because that time represented the sort of society everybody wanted to leave behind. He was particularly concerned about the living conditions of the lower classes, represented by Eva, and the way the upper classes behaved, represented by the Birling's and Gerald Croft. He believed that we should all help each other which is the total opposite from what the Birling's believed. He uses the inspector to symbolise the conscience of the nation and through him challenges each of the characters who represent a part of society. He shows that change is more likely to come through the young (Sheila and Eric) rather than through the older generation (Mr and Mrs Birling) or the upper classes symbolised by Gerald Croft. This shows Priestly believes there is still hope for coming generations.
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.
This is the concept of collective responsibility. Priestley says, 'things could really improve if only people were to become more socially responsible for the welfare of others'. We have to confront our mistakes and learn from them. The play starts off with the Birling family celebrating their daughter's engagement to Gerald Croft. The family included Mr Birling, Mrs Birling, Eric Birling, Sheila Birling and Gerald Croft.
Drama in J.B. Priestley's An Inspector Calls J.B. Priestley is the author of 'An Inspector Calls', he wrote and published the play in 1945. The play he created was set in an industrial town called 'Brumley'. In 'An Inspector Calls' there are six main characters, one being an inspector who goes by the name of Goole. Inspector Goole questions the five other characters about a young working-class woman's, named Eva, death. During questioning, each of the Birling family, Sheila, Eric, Sybil and Arthur, all reveal that they have a secret connection with Eva, along with Gerald Croft, who is engaged to Sheila Birling.
Do you agree that Eva Smith is presented as a victim in the play ‘An
children too and his wife is cold hearted I hear - but come to think
there a war going on then?) you may be giving a party like this. …& I
The whole family’s actions are the cause of Eva’s death however the message about responsibility the Inspector presents is only take on board by Eric and Sheila. In conclusion, Priestley clearly gets across his message of responsibility towards others in the play. A clever script cunningly executed points out Priestley’s views to the audience. ‘Responsibility’ is the focal point of the play and is consistently addressed at the end of each interrogation, but the Birlings fail to recognise this.
they have done even know they do not lead her to her suicide. But a
The history of the time the play was written helps us to understand the views and the feelings expressed by Priestley in the play. The inspector transfers Priestley’s views and he shows the difference in social classes at the time. A gap which he wants to diminish. He illustrates the reason for this in the play, via the inspector, where he outlines the ways each of the Birlings have influenced someone from a completely different background and social class. This is the way Priestley viewed pre-war England.
in his amazing portrayal of what could happen if we do not act as a
Through his play Priestley endeavoured to convey a message to the audiences, that we could not go on being self obsessed and that we had to change our political views. He used the Birling family as an example of the Capitalist family that was common amongst the higher classes in 1912, who took no responsibility for other people and he showed this with the power of Socialism, represented by the inspector; the uneasy facade put on by the Birling family to cover up their real flaws and how they have treated those whom they considered to be lower class could not stand up to any scrutiny without shame for what had happened, showing that they know they have been wrong.
The play ‘An Inspector Calls’ is set in 1912 – the Edwardian era. The play focuses upon the Birling family and their changing relationships. The family is headed by the “prosperous manufacturer” Arthur Birling. During this era, social position was far more significant than it is today; Arthur Birling becomes the depiction of a typical Capitalist “hard headed businessman”. However, this era also marked a critical period of change and a rise in socialist activity. With the Labour Party beginning to have an impact on the political life of the country, the rights of workers that maintained Capitalist businesses were becoming slightly more apparent. Through, ‘An Inspector Calls’, Priestley makes it fervently clear that social change must be forced upon those in power such as Arthur Birling.
had a lot to say - far too much - so she had to go'. I don't see that
The first impression of Arthur Birling is in the initial stage directions, when he is described as ‘a heavy looking, rather portentous man in his fifties.’ The fact that he is described as ‘heavy looking’ and ‘portentous’ suggests that he has a fairly comfortable lifestyle, and has an inflated opinion of his own importance. Priestley has done this to fit the typical man of the house during the 1910’s.
and Arthur Birling, a man who has worked his way up from being one of