An Inspector Calls :: English Literature

An Inspector Calls' is based in 1912, before the first and second world war, before the sinking of the Titanic and before women had any rights. An Inspector Calls 'An Inspector Calls' is based in 1912, before the first and second world war, before the sinking of the Titanic and before women had any rights. 'An Inspector Calls' was written in 1945, Britain was enduring the final year of The Second World War and the country was united in one community, together they were fighting for Britain. JB Priestley liked what he saw; people were putting aside their class and background and ignored their prejudices in an attempt to help their country. The only problem was Priestley knew after the war, that Britain may return to its previous state. Therefore Priestley wrote a play, based in Edwardian Britain when class mattered and reputation was everything. Priestley set the play in Brumley, an industrial town where, like most places in Britain, the rich and poor rarely met. The only places the two classes became more integrated were the bars where prostitutes and rich men would meet. But these places were another world, a form of escapism for family men yearning for more excitement, they had double standards and these double standards appear throughout the play. The story is about the Birling family and their involvement with a young woman who tragically committed suicide, each member of the family had their own input to her downward spiral, and it started with Mr Birling. 'A man has to mind his own business and look after himself and his own..' and it is with that there is knock at the door. Inspector Goole enters the Birling household (and in my opinion acting as Priestley's alter-ego), causing unrest amongst some of them and no affect on others. The mood changes from a happy, celebratory atmosphere to a tense and mysterious one. Maybe this could be shown in a change of lighting, being more intense as apposed to before when the family were rejoicing the fact of their daughter's engagement. When the inspector begins to interrogate Mr Birling he refuses to accept any responsibility for Eva Smith's death, he gives no thought to his actions and this is obvious as he shows relatively little remorse or guilt. However, Mr Birling has an honest approach to life, not ashamed by his refusal to give Eva Smith a raise 'I refused of course,' and seems surprised why anyone would query his actions. Money in this era was a precious thing and all Eva Smith was to Mr Birling was a problem, which must be rid off immediately, especially since it could