What Is The Importance Of Birling's Social Responsibility In An Inspector Calls

During the play we see how Birling has no respect for people of a lower social standing and he does not feel that he is responsible for anyone but himself. “I can’t except any responsibility. If we were all responsible for everything that happened to everybody we’d had anything to do with, it would be very awkward” .The attitude Birling has which is shown here is very poor and shows how selfish he is towards anyone but himself. He seems not care what his actions do to other people’s lives and what affect he has on them, which shows an attitude of a man that can do what he then wants to get rich. We are shown through the play how the opposing attitude of the Inspector attempts to teach the Birling’s a lesson on social responsibility. Mr Birling …show more content…
Sheila is the character who realises the quickest the Inspector’s message because she has the most understanding for social responsibility. Sheila uses imagery when she talks of her mother’s attempts to ‘build up a kind of wall’ ; implying the metaphorical distance Mrs Birling creates between the classes. When Sheila warns the others that the inspector is ‘giving us rope so that we hang ourselves’ she once again uses a metaphor to create a visual image of the way the Inspector skilfully manipulates character’s into confessing their sins and understanding how they are socially responsible. Sheila’s language becomes more passionate and she uses sarcasm “so nothing’s happened so there’s nothing to be sorry for nothing to learn”. This shows the blindness of the parents and how they do not understand the inspector’s words. Sheila also uses irony when she is appalled by her parents’ attitudes to carry on as before: “I suppose we’re all nice people now “. The sneering tone in which Sheila says “nice” shows that she completely disagrees with her parents and that she understands the moral consequences of her actions. This use of irony highlights …show more content…
This demonstrates that there is potential for the future. At the end of the play Eric shows remorse and his acceptance is evidence of his moral fibre. Through Eric’s treatment of Eva “I wasn’t in love with her or anything” an abhorrent picture of the upper-class emerges. They are shown to be callous and cold. However, Eric illustrates the capacity to change- despite your past errors and your family’s beliefs you can change. His transformation is more realistic- as at first, he blames his mother for her death and then finally comes around to accept responsibility. On the other hand, he is presented as quite a weak character and is the most emotional and demonstrative of all. This leads the audience to question whether he can change his ways for good or is he too weak and dependent on his parents. When Eric gives Eva stolen money, Priestly could be commenting that wealth does not replace goodness and integrity- there needed to be a more even distribution of wealth so people like Eric become socially aware. Contrast is shown in the part of the structure of the play is the manner in which Priestley contrasts the attitudes of the characters. There is an obvious contrast and clash between the views of the new generation represented by Sheila and Eric and those who hold to the past represented by Gerald, and the Birlings. This can