How Does Priestley Portrays A Class-Ridden Society

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How successfully has the writer portrayed a class-ridden and hypocritical society? Throughout Inspector calls, Priestley portrays a class ridden and hypocritical society very successfully. In Act 2, Mrs Birling says 'girls of that sort would never refuse money'; this shows she feels morally superior because she is upper class. In addition, the adjective 'that' shows her disgust towards the working class. Similarly, when Sheila complains how 'last summer ... [Eric] never came near [her]', Mrs Birling replies that she will have to get used to it. Through this, Mrs Birling conveys her sexist attitude that men are superior and her lack of belief in women's right even though she is the chair of a women's charity. In fact, the woman's charity is …show more content…

Though Sheila and Eva are both in their twenties and 'pretty', the cardinal reason behind their difference is class. As a working class, poor woman, Eva is forced to work in 'cheap labour' and go 'onto the streets' - a euphemism for prostitution. Mr Birling shows much disregard for the death of Eva as he impatiently states 'I don't understand why you should come here'. Nonetheless, when the Inspector informs Sheila of the details of Eva's death, Mr Birling interrupts the Inspector 'angrily' exclaiming 'why the devil do you want to go upsetting the child like that?'. The massive difference between his attitudes for the two situations shows how he feels that bad things could happen to other classes and people but should not happen to his child. Explicitly, Priestley shows the hypocrisy of Mr Birling and of society. In the Edwardian Era, two-thirds of the country's wealth belonged to less than one percent of society in addition to there being a clear divide between the rich and the poor. Wealthier families such as the Birlings lived in 'large, substantial homes' and have a maid - a reminder of the Birling's wealth - whilst people in poverty represented by Eva Smith lived in rooms out back. Priestley may be trying to convey how the upper classes and the wealthy were blind to how horrible the lives of the

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