How Does Priestley Present Social Class In An Inspector Calls

Name: Yuvrajsingh Bayas 11 Bowen

Question: How does Priestley explore different social classes in An Inspector Calls?

Introduction=

‘ An Inspector Calls ’ is a play written by J Priestley in the year 1945 and but the play was set in the year 1912. The play is set right before World War One, in an upper-class house belonging to the Birlings, a high-status family, whose lives are suddenly affected by the death of a woman called Eva Smith. Throughout the play, there are 4 main themes; social responsibility, social class, and age. In the play, Priestley explores different social classes by presenting views from a range of characters with different social images and backgrounds. Priestley uses many devices such as irony and foreshadowing to

create different atmospheres which shows what each character is feeling. A modern-day audience would consider some behaviors shocking and inhumane, however, when the play was first performed the idea of discrimination between classes would still be seen as quite normal. The play presents Priestley ideas on social class and status, through the different reactions to the death of Eva Smith and the effect she has on the Birlings.

In the play, Priestley explores different social classes by presenting views from a range of characters with different social images. The play ‘An Inspector Calls’ is set in 1912, where there was a big segregation between the high class who were portrayed as more dominant and controlling characters, who considered themselves higher than everyone else. Whereas the lower class were seen to be more vulnerable and Priestley shows that during those time the high-class society had greater responsibility as they were more wealthy and educated compared to the poor class society. This is evident when he says “If you don’t come down sharply on some of these people, they’d soon be asking for the earth”. JB Priestley uses adverbs such as ‘Sharply’ to illustrate to the audience that back in those days people of a high class had to talk sternly and with authority to make it clear to the lower class that they are the ones with power. This shows that characters like MMr. Birlingonly care about themselves and their power that they have. Additionally, the use of ‘these people’ suggests that the lower class were classed under one name. This makes the audience feel we should go against such type of people who think more of themselves than others, also they feel sorry and empathetic for the unfortunate as they do not have their individual identities. While on the other hand in the present everyone, no matter from what background and ethnicity have their own identity. From this, we get this understanding that Priestley wants the audience to realize that this is the wrong attitude to have as it is inhumane. But we should be looking after ‘these people’ and not punishing them as they are less fortunate.

Priestley portrays the upper class as not socially responsible for Eva Smith’s death because people of such class would never do such a thing. This is clear when it says “if we were all responsible for everything that happened to everybody we’d had anything to do with, it would be very awkward, wouldn’t it” Here Mr.Birling is trying to interpret that the higher class can never do such a low-class move. Additionally, the way he says it with a dismissive tone adds on to the idea that people in higher class do not care about what happens to the lower class as they do not affect their lives in any way. Mr. Birling uses a word such as “responsible” to connote on the point that such actions are not done by the rich and classy but done by the poor and uneducated. Additionally, Priestley used a rhetorical sentence at the end of Mr. Birling speech to create a dramatic effect on the audience, to keep them engaged and thinking about the current situation. Furthermore, the rhetorical question is used to convince the audience to agree with him about his statement. An alternative perspective is, the audience may see this as a way of Mr. Birling to get the blame of him by diverting the attention to other characters. We cannot help but feel suspicious and curious about what Mr. Birling has done to make him come to a point where he is trying to shift the blame to other people. This could be due to that Priestley wants the audience to understand that no matter what wrong you do, someone will find out by hook or by crook so it is better, to be honest, and admit your mistakes than being caught. At the time, such actions by the wealthy people would have been seen as something normal because of the massive segregation between the rich and the poor. But today, looking down or blaming the poor as they are more vulnerable is seen as a sin or even worse, a crime.

In Act 3, JB Priestley shows that people in high class don't always have the same thinking and views on things. This is shown when Eric takes responsibility for his actions in the last act of the play. The evidence for this is “ I don’t see much nonsense about it when a girl goes and kills herself. You lot may be letting yourselves out nicely, but I can’t. Nor can mother. We did her in all right”. Eric shows that he has some idea of social responsibility. In the play, when Gerald and Eric’s parents are seen enjoying themselves, Eric still takes the death of Eva Smith very seriously. He is so serious that he told his own mother that she should feel responsible as well. The use of nouns such as ‘nonsense’ and ‘I can’t’ add on to the idea of that Eric strongly feels that everyone should admit and take responsibility for Eva Smith’s death. Additionally, the use of the pronoun ‘You’ implies that Eric groups everyone as guilty, as they all have contributed to her death. The structure of this quote consists of long sentences to add to the frustration and annoyance Eric is going through, also the use of that one short sentence, in the end, is there to tell the audience that high-class people also do take responsibility for their actions as well. However, it could also be interpreted as a sign that rich people are always the main cause of the frustrations and depression among the lower class. This makes the reader feel sympathetic and sorry for the poor because they have to go through such torture and pain. The writer may have tried to highlight, the fact that people in high-class do have feelings and not all of them are greedy, but some do feel sympathetic about the less fortunate. A contemporary audience would have felt that this action done by Eric is abnormal because back in those days the rich never really cared about the poor as they were nothing compared to them.

During the play, JB Priestley explores the idea of social class through the eyes of Mrs.

Birling who looks down on a lower working class person, Eva Smith. When Mrs. Birling says “As if a girl of that sort would ever refuse money!” infers that Mrs. Birling is prejudice against the working-class girls. Furthermore, she also believes that do not have morals or dignity as they will take any money from people. This lets the audience know that Mrs. Birling looks down on all working-class woman as they don’t have the same level of status, income, and respect as her, thus showing her lack of remorse when talking ill about the less fortunate and how she thinks highly of herself. Mrs. Birling says this quote loudly and confidently, shown by the exclamation mark, to convey her instant thoughts about the lower class and that what she is saying is correct. The following lines by the inspector, said in a stern manner, shadows what Priestley himself would have said to Mrs. Birling because what she said is completely against the idea of everyone being part of “one body” therefore making the atmosphere tenser within the characters and the audience. This built up tension clearly indicates to the audience how Priestley feels about this topic and how important it is for him to educate his audience about treating people from different social classes with respect and

care.

At the end of the play, JB Priestley informs the audience of the importance of being united through the Inspector.

This idea of being united is evident when it says “We don’t live alone, we are members of one body. We are responsible for each other.” The use of the phrase “ we don’t live alone” suggests that Priestley beliefs this world belongs to everyone and no one should feel that they are being discriminated against or that their right has been taken away from them. Additionally, Priestley uses a metaphor here “ one body” to imply that everyone in the world is equal, no matter their social status as everyone is needed to help and continue the human race. Lastly, “we are responsible for each other” implies that everyone one needs to support and provide help for one another as there are some people in the world who are less fortunate, who require aid. In this short speech by the Inspector, Priestley uses plain language and 3 short sentences which create a significant impact and sends a message in the audience's mind that they should sympathize for the people who are less fortunate than themselves. The Inspector uses a serious tone to emphasize the importance of being united for Priestley. After saying those lines the Inspector leaves and the stage direction shows that the characters are left “ subdued and wondering”. The adjective “subdued” suggests that the characters have realized what wrong they have done which in turn forced an innocent woman to kill herself.

Furthermore, the characters are left ‘wondering’ implying that the characters understood and agree with what the inspector said making them reflect back on all the moments where they treated people like Eva Smith poorly. Thus, showing the intentions of Priestley and how he wants to teach the audience about respecting every single individual in the world no matter their background.

To close, ‘An Inspector Calls’, clearly presents the idea of different social classes through the suffering of Eva Smith. The importance of status also clearly displayed within the play, as most of the issues faced by Eva Smith are due to her lack of status. Moreover, the difference in importance of social class is highlighted through the age difference within the Birlings, this is also shown through their different views. The different responses from a modern audience and past audience would also be displayed through the reaction from the Birlings when they find out Eva. They immediately deny that they would have been to blame, however as the story develops the younger generation accept what they have done showing not only the difference in social class but also the difference between the generations.