AN INSPECTOR CALLS

by J. B. Priestley
What do you know about Mr. Birling so
far?
What does Priestley
What is significant about
want us to feel towards
his position in society?
him?

How does this character

What is he like as a
help Priestley convey his
person? Any evidence?
political views?
 How does Priestley present his political views?

Point: Answer the question by telling me WHAT Priestley is doing.

Evidence: Find 3-4 quotations that support your point.

Techniques: Tell me what techniques he is using (metaphors, repetition, short

sentences, stage directions etc.)

Analysis: HOW do all of the things you have picked out of the text prove the point you
are making? (Include author’s intention, audience response, context etc.

Link: Attempt a sentence that links your paragraph back to the question.
 Point Evidence Techniques Analysis Link

Throughout the play, Priestley encourages the audience to reject Capitalism, as he seeks to discredit Mr Birling who
embodies its ideals, and present him as an unlikeable character. At the beginning of the play, the political landscape of
the time is explored in Mr. Birling’s monologue. In the line ‘the Titanic is unsinkable, absolutely unsinkable’, the repetition
of ‘unsinkable’ and the positive adverb ‘absolutely’ emphasises Mr. Birling’s certainty. Unfortunately, his prediction is
wrong: the Titanic sinks later in 1912, killing 1517 people, which the audience in 1945 would be aware of. This
contemporary audience would also have only just experienced the Second World War, and so Birling’s assertion about
‘silly little war scares…’ would have made them feel antagonistic towards his character. In addition, as the play was
debuted in Moscow in 1945, Russian audience would have been furious that Mr. Birling would describe them as ‘always
behind-hand, naturally’, particularly when Russia was one of the most important countries in helping the Allies win the
war. The dramatic irony here indicates that Priestley is criticizing the complacency of Capitalist prosperity through Mr.
Birling’s speech, and this creates an impression that Capitalists are unreliable; the world is changing but the Birlings do
not expect it. Priestley is deliberately presenting Mr. Birling as foolish to a 1945 audience, who have experienced two
World Wars, the Great Depression, social unrest, strikes and a widening gap between rich and poor, which only exposes
the ignorance of Capitalism. They will therefore react against Mr. Birling, whose obnoxious behaviour discredits the
system of Capitalism, allowing space for Priestley’s own Socialist views.
 Point Evidence Techniques Analysis Link
Firstly, Priestley presents his socialist views in Act One, when Mr. Birling claims that the Titanic is “unsinkable, absolutely
unsinkable” which displays to the audience his foolishness and arrogance. Mr. Birling, who is the embodiment of
Capitalism, repeats the adjective “unsinkable” which illustrates his misplaced confidence about his judgement: the
audience know the Titanic sank later on in the same year the play is set. The dramatic irony employed here by Priestley
makes the audience question the reliability of his judgement, making him an untrustworthy character. The Titanic is
itself a metaphor for the ruling classes who, like the ship, have ‘every luxury’. It also suggests that Mr. Birling is like the
captain of the Titanic, overconfident that the Titanic can cross through the iceberg, but unaware of its magnitude or
impact. This signifies that Capitalists are short-sighted, and overconfident with themselves that they can’t see the
impending danger. This indicates to the audience that if we continue to follow the ways of Capitalism, one day we will
suffer tragic consequences. Mr. Birling also comments that “aeroplanes that will be able to go anywhere. And look at
the way the automobile’s making headway – bigger and faster all the time. And then ships.” However, the audience in
1945 know that these advancements in technology are exactly what made the two world wars possible, suggesting that
this expansion in machinery was part of the expansion of Capitalism into war. Furthermore Mr. Birling continue by
commenting that Russia “will always be behindhand naturally.” This conveys to the audience that Mr. Birling has
xenophobic views and, since the play was first presented in Moscow, the audience would quickly lose trust in his
character. His role as a flawed Capitalist character helps Priestley to further his agenda as a Socialist, conveying the
detrimental impact on a world that does not embrace its ideals.
 Point Evidence Techniques Analysis Link

One way in which Priestley presents his Socialist views in An Inspector Calls is by discrediting Capitalism. At the
beginning of the play, Mr. Birling starts making long speeches about issues in the society at that time, and events that
might occur in the future. He confidently assures his family that there “isn’t a chance for war”, and that the idea of war
is “fiddlesticks”. He also repeats that the chance of a workers’ strike is “nonsense”, and that the Titanic is “absolutely
unsinkable”. The audience would know that these events did happen, and after surviving these terrible events, the
audience might have a negative impression of Birling, and become dubious of his judgement. Some might even feel
anger and hostility towards him, as they might have gotten affected by the consequences of those events. Priestley
intends to portray Birling as an arrogant, pompous fool so that the audience would show dislike to and to lose trust in
Birling. Birling is the embodiment of Capitalism in the play, so Priestley discredits Capitalism by making Birling seem
ignorant of the world around him. Birling also makes a xenophobic remark that the Russians will be “behindhand
naturally”; since Priestley organized the play’s debut for Moscow in 1945, the audience might be offended and feel
resentment towards Capitalism. Birling also refers to the “half-civilized folks in the Balkans”, which would have triggered
negative responses from a 1945 audience, who feels sensitive towards racism after living through the horrors of World
War II. Priestley’s use of dramatic irony to discredit Mr. Birling and present Capitalism as a savage and unintelligent way
of living is the first way in which he aims to convince his audience of the strengths of Socialism.
 YOUR TURN
How does Priestley present his political views?
Point: Answer the question by telling me WHAT Priestley is doing.

Evidence: Find 3-4 quotations that support your point.

Techniques: Tell me what techniques he is using (metaphors, repetition, short

sentences, stage directions etc.)

Analysis: HOW do all of the things you have picked out of the text prove the point you
are making? (Include author’s intention, audience response, context etc.

Link: Attempt a sentence that links your paragraph back to the question.
Critical Vocabulary Sentence Starters
Conveys Advocates Point: One way that Priestley presents his political views is…
Suggests Proposes
Evidence: During his lecture to the younger members of his
Communicates Argues family, Mr Birling
Implies Maintains confidently states…

Portrays Discusses Technique: Priestley’s use of ___________

Displays Depicts
Analysis: This portrayal of Mr Birling suggests…
Indicates Represents An audience of 1945 would feel…because…
Connotes Shows The intended impact is…
During 1912…
Illustrates Exposes
Promotes Signifies Link: The depiction of Birling as…is a clever way for Priestley
to…
You can also use some of the sentence starters from the examples.
One way that Priestley presents his political views is through his negative
presentation of Mr Birling as the embodiment of Capitalism. During his
lecture to the younger members of his family, Mr Birling confidently states
that the Titanic is ‘unsinkable…absolutely unsinkable’. Priestley’s use of
repetition here exposes his certainty, and the use of the superlative ‘absolutely’
signifies his confidence in himself. An audience of 1945 would feel that his
character lacks credibility due to his ignorance. Despite his confidence,
Birling also has insecurities when it comes to his social standing. An example
of this would be when, in conversation with Gerald, he says

Link: This depiction of Birling as…is a clever way for Priestley