Priestley's Socialist Ideas in An Inspector Calls

Priestley's Socialist Ideas in An Inspector Calls

'An Inspector Calls' is, in many ways, a vehicle used by Priestley to

spread and promote his socialist views. By utilising the characters'

various dispositions and juxtaposing them against one and other, he

highlights his message and creates a powerful dramatic piece. By

employing such techniques as dramatic irony, hindsight and a clever

setting, Priestley sends his eye-opening message and keeps both reader

and audience interested through the stunning revelations at the end of

each act.

The play is about an upper-middle class family that is visited by an

inspector regarding the suicide of a young woman by the name of Eva

Smith. The inspector arrives in the middle of a celebration of the

daughter (Sheila) and her engagement to the wealthy Gerald Croft. With

the minimum of questioning, the family reveals many things about

themselves that links them all to the death. When the inspector

leaves, the family discover he wasn't a real police inspector at all

and are relieved (save Sheila and Eric) to find out from the

infirmary, that there has been no suicide. Shortly after this, the

police call and tell them there has been a suicide and police

inspector will be calling to discuss the matter. The plot thickens act

by act and the unbelievable climax at the end of each one urges reader

to keep reading and audience to keep watching.

The writer often ridicules the Birling family using hindsight and

dramatic irony. He makes Mr. Birling say laughable things that make

him (in the audience's eyes) absolutely foolish.

'The Germans don't want war. Nobody wants war, except some

half-civilis...

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...e are only good repercussions.

Overall, the play sends a powerful message out to the audience. It

tells us of the awful things that capitalism promotes and how it

divides the world. We are given a powerful and worrying incite to the

future and we realise that we need to help our younger generation to

make the world a better place. The Inspector makes us realise that we

desperately need to work together with each other, help each other and

looking out for one and other. We are constantly reminded of this

throughout the play in various speeches made by a number of people.

The most powerful of which, that really commands attention and action,

is the Inspectors final speech.

'And I tell you that the time will come soon when, if men will not

learn that lesson, then they will be taught it in fire, blood and

anguish.'