WEALTH AND SOCIAL

STANDING
IN “AN INSPECTOR CALLS”

SASHA M AND ZEHRA M

 SOCIAL STANDING/ CLASS
Before World War Two, Britain was divided
by class. Two such classes were the
wealthy land and factory owners and
the poor workers. The war helped bring
these two classes closer together and
rationing meant that people of all
classes were eating and even dressing
the same. The war effort also meant
that people from all classes were mixing
together. This was certainly not the case
before.
Priestley wanted to highlight that inequality
between the classes still existed and
that the upper-classes looked down
upon the working-class in post-war
Britain.
 HOW IS THIS SHOWN IN THE PLAY?

In An Inspector Calls, Priestley explores the theme of class through the treatment of working-
class Eva Smith by the wealthy Birlings and Gerald Croft when she is in the following
situations:
• when she is a factory worker
• when she works in a shop
• when she is effectively homeless
• when she is potentially a single mother
How does Priestley Evidence Analysis
show this?
Mr Birling feels that it is his
"If you don’t come
When Mr Birling responsibility to come down
down sharply on
discusses how he 'sharply' on 'these people'. Priestley
Mr Birling's opinion of some of these people,
sacked Eva Smith wanted the audience to realise that
the working class. they’d soon be asking
after she had gone on this is the wrong attitude to have, we
for the earth."
strike. should be looking after 'these people'
not punishing them.

Joe Meggarty is an 'Alderman' or a

"He's a notorious council member. The rest of the family
When Gerald tells the
womaniser as well as is shocked to hear that he is a
The behaviour of the Birlings about the
being one of the 'sot' (another word for a drunk), and a
Birlings' friends. behaviour of Joe
worst sots and rogues womaniser. Much to the Birlings'
Meggarty.
in Brumley." surprise, their upper-class friends can
behave badly.

When Mrs Birling is Mrs Birling refers to Eva Smith as a

discussing the "As if a girl of that sort 'girl of that sort'. She clearly has
Mrs Birling’s opinion
moment when Eva would ever refuse preconceptions about working-class
of the working class
approached her money!" girls suggesting that they lack morals
charity. and will always take money.
QUOTATIONS
• Mr Birling sees Eva as just one of “several hundred young women” who worked at
his factory. This shows that in his view, all of his workers have no value. By saying
“they keep changing” he shows the audience he did not even care if he dismissed
Eva as she was just cheap labour to him. Therefore, by the victim of the play being
a working class female, Priestley highlights the vulnerability of the working class
in those times, something that was socially acceptable.

• “Perhaps I ought to warn you that hes an old friend of mine, and that I see him
fairly frequently.” Mr Birling bullies the Inspector through his status and authority
in society, showing Mr Birling believed he was more important than an Inspector.
WEALTH
The Birlings are a family of wealth and power, who take pride in their high
social position. Mr Birling is a successful businessman, and the family
inhabits a nice home with a maid (and likely other servants). The play
begins with the family celebrating and feeling generally pleased with
themselves and their fortunate circumstance.

Throughout the Inspector’s investigation, however, it comes out that several

of the Birlings have used their power and influence immorally, in
disempowering and worsening the position of a girl from a lower
class: Mr Birling used his high professional position to force Eva
Smith out of his factory when she led a faction of workers in demanding
a raise; Sheila, in a bad temper, used her social status and her family’s
reputation to have the girl fired from Milward’s; Mrs Birling used her
influence in the Women’s Charity Organization to deny the girl monetary
aid. Both Sheila and Mrs Birling acted upon petty motivations in
injuring the girl; Mr. Birling acted upon selfish, capitalist motivations.
The play demonstrates the corruption
implicit within a capitalist economy in
which wealth and influence are
concentrated in a small portion of the
population. The few wealthy people at
the top maintain the social hierarchy in
order to retain their high position, and
have the power, on a petty whim, to
push the powerless even further down
the ladder. And, in the conflict at the
end of the play between the younger
and older members of the Birlings, it
becomes clear that as the powerful
settle into their power, they become
blind to the possibility that they may be
acting immorally, seeing themselves as
naturally deserving of their positions
and therefore of their actions as being
natural and right