Due to the difference in age Mr and Mrs Birling are narrow minded as they have the views of the archaic
society which clashes with the thoughts of the younger generation. The younger generations are more
accepting of socialist ideologies, Sheila and Eric accept their part in Eva’s death and feel guilty and
responsible (see theme of Responsibility). The older generation, Mr Birling and Mrs Birling, and in many
ways Gerald Croft, strongly believe in capitalism and caring only for themselves. The parents are unable
to admit responsibility. Gerald Croft is caught in the middle, being neither very young nor old. In the end
he sides with the older generation, perhaps because his aristocratic roots influence him to want to keep
the status quo and protect his own interests.
Priestley shows how we can all change, through the characters of Eric and Sheila who learn to become
socially responsible. He creates the characters of Mr and Mrs Birling to seem foolish and out of touch.
The children and parents reverse roles by the end of the play. Ultimately, through the younger
characters, Priestley shows that the younger generation can accept taking responsibility and caring for
others. This shows there is optimism that the future of society are taking on the Inspectors message.
Gender
In the play, all the women are portrayed as delicate characters- particularly Sheila who the men protect
from many things including that Eva Smith committed suicide. Set in 1912, the woman in the play were
seen as possessions to their husband and did not work or have careers due to the patriarchal society.
Mrs Birling was also protected from outside affairs, such as the knowledge that many upper class men
attended prostitute bars (the ‘stalls bar’) and that her son drank excessively. These leads to conflict
within the family.
Conflict
Priestley shows that
conflict is at the
heart of the Birling
family by making
characters in the
same family have
opposing views and
making them stand
up to each other,
conveying conflict is
present in upper
class even though
the upper class hid it
from society.
Priestley creates
conflict between the
Inspector and the
older Birlings by
showing that they
attempt to belittle
the socialist
Inspector by
Priestley’s creation
of conflict support
his message that no
one is perfect in
society, removing
the façade that the
upper class had.
Priestley also
conveys the
conflicting views
between the upper
and lower class.
Responsibility
J.B. Priestley was a socialist and one of the ideas that he had in mind was about 'how society should be organised?' He was focusing on the ideas of
socialism and capitalism. socialism is when the rich are compelled to share their wealth and capitalism is when you are allowed to keep more of your
money.
One Eva Smith has gone - but there are millions and millions and millions of Eva Smiths and John Smiths still left
with us, with their lives, their hopes and fears, their suffering and chance of happiness, all intertwined with our
lives, and what we think and say and do. This quote is evidence for The Inspector talking about collective
responsibility, everyone is society is linked, in the same way that the characters are linked to Eva Smith. Everyone
is a part of "one body", the Inspector sees society as more important than individual interests. The views he is
propounding are like those of Priestley who was a socialist.
.........
Social Class
Apart from Edna the maid no other person is shown in the play that is of lower class. However
throughout the play we learn a lot about people of the lower class as each member of the Birling family
admits their wrong-doing towards Eva Smith's death who is a member of the working class. J B Priestley
is trying to show that the upper class are unaware that the easy lives they lead rest upon hard work of
the lower classes. Priestley clearly was interested in the class system and how it determines the
decisions that people make.