Priestly presents Eva Smith as a character that has been exploited because of her class, gender, and age. The play starts off with the Birling family having a dinner party to celebrate their daughter’s engagement. It is set in 1912 at the Birling household which gives us a good impression of their wealth; “a fairly large suburban house, belonging to a prosperous manufacturer”. They also have a “parlour maid” who sets the table with, “dessert plates and champagne glasses” and “decanter of port, cigar cigarettes. Port glasses are already on the table". This shows the wealth of the Birlings and how they are the upper middle class, the mood is casual but then an inspector calls and the mood changes to tense. The inspector talks about how each of them played a part in Eva Smiths …show more content…
Eric and Gerald both had affairs with her, and though Gerald cared for her, Eric’s relationship with her was more aggravated and required him to steal money for her. If Eva/Daisy is a real person as the phone call at the end of the book suggests, then the family’s guilt might tie them together. Priestley shows how selfish and horrible or jealous behaviour can ruin people’s lives. He uses the play to show the audience/reader how we must change and adapt, he tries to show us how we must all care for one another. Priestly shows Eva as a character that has worked and tried to live a good life but has been tossed around by people who are better than her because of their class/gender/age. Inspector Goole shows the Birlings or the reader should act and how “We don't live alone. We are members of one body. We are responsible for each other.” Priestly uses inspector Goole to show us how if we do not learn to care for each other “And I tell you that the time will soon come when, if men will not learn that lesson, then they will be taught in fire and blood and anguish”. Priestly try’s to show us how to act so another World War does not happen and we will have
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.
This is shown when both Eric and Gerald had used her for sexual relations. When Gerald describes Eva as “very pretty-soft dark hair and brown eyes” gives me the impression that he only got to know Eva because of her looks and not because of her personality. It is also arguable that Gerald helped Eva as he was “I was sorry for her;" his shows that he may be just a good person for giving her a place to stay but it took at first when we was confronted by the inspector he kept it a secret for a while as he did not want Sheila to know or maybe because it would affect his place in class for having an affair. Eric also had a relationship with Eva when he met her he was drunk as "Oh - my God! - how stupid it all is!” this is giving me the impression that he is trying to avoid the fact that he had a responsibility and that he felt guilty for leaving Eva as she fell prevent with his
A Comparison of Characters of Mr. Birling and Inspector Goole in J.B. Priestley's An Inspector Calls
Do you agree that Eva Smith is presented as a victim in the play ‘An
An Inspector Calls' is primarily focused on he attitudes surrounding the higher classes in 1912, and how these attitudes can lead to actions with potentially devastating consequences. The attitudes are particularly aimed at women, especially those of working class status. In the play women are portrayed as second class citizens, after men. However the difference (e.g. in independence) between upper class men and women is greater than that of working class men and women.
Priestley explores the relationships between men and women as he shows that the Birlings look at people's gender to judge them. Sheila is a representation of stereotypical girls during that time period, who obsess over pretty clothing and expensive things. As when she gets the ring, she describes it as "a beauty". Moreover, Priestley shows that men have a higher status than women and they make all the decisions as Sheila asks Gerald "is it the one you wanted me to have?" Furthermore, in the play, it's shown that the expectations of women were to act innocent and pure and that they should seek protection from "unpleasant and disturbing" things.
He uses the downfall of Eva Smith and a chain of events to demonstrate this. This leads to a very convincing and well-devised play, which puts across JB Priestley’s views clearly and precisely. In Edwardian Britain there was a great difference in the roles of men and women in society and the outlook of what and was not accepted differed substantially. A prime example of this in the play is when Mr Birling says ‘Nothing to do with you, Sheila.
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.
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.
In the opening of the play Priestly creates a celebratory atmosphere with hints of underlying tensions. Priestly creates this atmosphere with the different social class level between Mr. and Mrs. Birling and demonstrates areas of conflict shown throughout the play. However, the author constantly reminds the reader of a celebratory atmosphere of the engagement of Sheila Birling and Gerald Croft. This is an extremely significant moment at this point in time as it meant a larger profit income for the Birling family business and a social advantage meaning a rise in the upper class. However, the author makes some underlying tension when many of the characters interact with others leading to possible conflict.
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.
Writing a Theatre Review: “An Inspector Calls” On Thursday 23rd March 2017 we went to see “An Inspector Calls” at the Playhouse Theatre. Stephen Daldry’s moral thriller is a powerful play written by J.B. Priestley that skilfully explores issues of a world that values the wrong things, in which the gap between rich and poor is carved by the ignorant attitudes of rich people. The play presents us two different classes of people, the Birlings who portray the rich community, and the Inspector who represents the lower class, being the character that the audience can connect with the most. Inspector’s role in this play is to demand recognition of the rights of the poor and he does it by asking us to see ourselves as a community not before he
but she seems to be a person who would only marry for love and not for