J.B. Priestley's An Inspector Calls

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J.B. Priestley's "An Inspector Calls"

"An Inspector Calls" is a politics based detective play script written

by John Bonyton Priestley, or better know as J.B Priestley.

The play takes place in the wealthy Birtling's family dining room, a

room of which has "good solid furniture of the period", "the general

effect is substantial and heavily comfortable but not cosy and

homelike."

The family are celebrating their daughters engagement to Mr Gerald

Croft, an upper class man, as are the Birling's in the play. A visit

from the Inspector Goole becomes a terrifying experience for the

Birlings, as they find out that they have all played a part in a young

girls suicide. J.B Priestley wrote this play after world war II in

1945, and was first performed in 1946, though he set the play as if it

were taking place in 1912,just a week before the Titanic took sail to

New York.

In this play, Priestley's main aim was to encourage people to take

responsibility for their actions, and to stop people from shifting the

blame on to others.

Priestley conveys his attitudes and ideas through the characters in

the play. Inspector Goole is used to voice his own opinions, where as

the Birlings are to show what Priestley's opinions are of

'capitalists.'

Many people in 1912, thought that capitalism was the right way to go

about things, (such as upper class people, the Birlings and Gerald

Croft who appear in the play) where as others thought that this was an

incorrect way, and unfair such as lower class people, Inspector Goole

and J.B Priestley.

In "An Inspector Calls", Priestley tries to encourage socialism, and

for it to over come capitalism. He tries to make a point that

socialism is the correct way to go about things ...

... middle of paper ...

...l, and he shows demonstrations and

examples on how to, and not to behave.

Priestley wanted socialism to overcome capitalism, by using Mr Birling

and Inspector Goole as examples of the differences between the two.

Priestley uses Inspector Goole as a hero, he makes the socialist seem

to be the nicer person of the two, and therefore encourage the

viewers/ readers to have the same opinion or change their opinion to a

"socialism rules, capitalism sucks" point of view.

Priestley's views are absolute and he puts this into both characters.

Birling believes in absolute capitalism, where as Goole believes in

absolute socialism.

Priestley does convey his opinions and attitudes, though I don't think

unfortunately well enough to change other peoples attitudes. There

will always be people such as the Birlings, thinking that they are so

much better than others.

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