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Essay / How is social responsibility illustrated in "An Inspector Calls"
Table of ContentsIntroductionSocial Responsibility in "An Inspector Calls"Arthur BirlingSheila BirlingEricConclusionReferencesIntroductionIn the play "An Inspector Calls", Priestley conveys the theme of social responsibility to through the words and actions of that of his character. The film was set in 1912 but was written in 1944, just after World War II in 1946. Therefore, many writers of the time were disturbed by the welfare of the poor. Zooming in, we can suggest that men were considered far superior to women, while a man represented the family and its heritage as seen in a patriotic society. Adding to this, we can suggest that in 1912 we only care about the upper class for themselves. In addition to this, in this essay we analyze how responsibility is shown in "An Inspector Calls" and how each character takes or does not take responsibility for their behavior, while being aware of the overall effect of social responsibility on certain characters throughout the piece. and how it would change the way they perceive the scene. Additionally, we can see that when the Inspector enters, the lighting should be "bright", and we see Priestley using the Inspector as a dramatic device to create tension throughout the play. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”?Get an Original EssaySocial Responsibility in “An Inspector Calls” Arthur BirlingThe first character we are introduced to is Arthur Birling, who describes himself as a “stubborn » , practical businessman. This quote shows how proud Arthur Birling is of his hard-earned success; Arthur Birling views Sheila's marriage as a "business opportunity", which highlights how irresponsible Mr Birling is towards his work and his family. Zoom in The adverb "very" in the quote "You will marry at a very good time" demonstrates dramatic irony and false confidence in the reader's perspective; we can see that Priestly uses dramatic irony to make Arthur Birling look stupid and untrustworthy, presenting a poor first impression of the socialist vision of Arthur Birling that was Priestley's goal in Act 1. Additionally , the adjective “hard-headed” shows the first-person perspective. of a bourgeois who displays his stubborn state of mind, especially when it comes to increasing the wages of his work, which he considers to be "asking for the land", this displays a metaphorical language supported by what point he is deprived of a few shillings, even though he possesses incredible wealth. This clearly demonstrates a hierarchical society in which he recognizes that taking responsibility for others is not how he was taught to behave at a younger age, which was the basis for his refusal to be socially responsible in growing up and didn't seem to consider how "higher prices" would impact his work; while showing greedy behavior. Later in the play we notice how Arthur Birling sees Eva as "girls of that class". The adverb "that" is used to show their euphemistic mindset towards the lower class and is seen as "cheap labor" perceives them as tools to make profit and not as people while showing his sense of superiority over the working class. Additionally, Arthur Birling displays a hierarchical attitude which influences his socialist attitude based on their “class”. Moreover, he said, "cannot alwaysaccept no responsibility", the adverb "still" underlines the constant refusal to confess his role in Eva's death while showing his "stubborn" state of mind. In addition, the adjective "there is" in the quote “This happened over 18 months ago” indicates that Arthur Birling believes that time erases responsibility and does not display socially responsible behavior towards those less fortunate Later in the play, Arthur Birling. says: "yes, yes, it's a horrible matter", which is considered a repetition, meaning that Arthur Birling is trying to calm the situation through his delusional way of speaking while showing his apathetic attitude towards his socially irresponsible actions; Priestley explains how Mr. Birling is an unlikeable character and unaware of how his actions might affect the people around him while relying on his all-knowing wealth to free himself from the crimes doing all that; it takes to deny the role of social responsibility in Eva's death. Zooming in on the quote "he certainly didn't make me confess - I was only doing my duty", the word "my" shows his arrogance, while delivering personal statements. The pronoun and religious imagery of the noun "must", this suggests that he feels obligated to do so while trying to strengthen his power throughout the house. Additionally, Arthur Birling appears to prioritize obtaining a knighthood, thus encouraging the engagement between Sheila and Gerald, as Gerald's family is from the upper class, which greatly enhances Mr. Birling's business in all aspects of a business, which neglects the likelihood of change. to be socially responsible. Zooming in, we can clearly observe the patriarchal society in which he lives and the clear divide between the “older” and “younger” generation. In conclusion, we can distinguish the fear that he creates in the face of the public scandal which would result from the inspector's investigation and would therefore harm the chances of obtaining the title of knighthood, which is not in his favor.Sheila BirlingWe are also introduced to Sheila Birling, who is depicted as a woman from 1912 who had not been exposed to reality; she must have her opinions respected. At the beginning of the play, Sheila is described as "pretty" in her "early twenties", whose worth is demonstrated by her appearance but who is developing into an empowered and confident woman. One of Sheila's most striking characteristics is being infantilized by her family and part of society. In addition to this, Sheila is described as a "pretty girl", the name "girl" clearly demonstrates that she has restrictions, just like a "girl", even as an engaged woman. We can see that this juxtaposes Mrs and Mr Birlings idea of Sheila and how a woman of the same age should be more responsible for herself, but Sheila is indeed not. We can also see how Sheila is slowly evolving to become socially responsible. Evidence of this is when Sheila says, "I feel rotten", where the adjective "rotten" emphasizes how remorseful she is, which would mean that Eva is beginning to embrace Priestley's message throughout the play . Additionally, Sheila uses the pronoun “mom” to evolve how capitalism within Sheila is innocent and perhaps childish. Therefore, brainwashing a capitalist society will later lead it to adopt a horrible attitude towards the working class. Sheila later changes the word "mum" to "mother", which makes it clear that Mrs. Birling does not take the social responsibility factor seriously and therefore had to show a "stricter" tone towards Mrs. Birling while still showing 'increasing maturity and growing political perspective throughout the,.