Generational divide

• Priestley explores the idea of generational change in An Inspector Calls: younger characters are more open to social and economic change, and as a result are in conflict with their parents' generation, who are stuck in their ways.
• • Priestley attempts to reveal the inadequacies of Arthur and Sybil as parents:
  • They fail to acknowledge Sheila and Eric as adults and offer little support during the evening’s proceedings
  • They ignore Eric’s alcoholism which may in part be due to their indulgence
  • They attempt to shield Sheila from hearing sordid details about “women of the town”, despite Sheila being already aware of such realities
• • Priestley portrays Arthur, Sybil and Gerald as fully entrenched in upper-class notions of superiority and unable to change:
  • Arthur and Sybil mock the foolishness of Sheila and Eric for having been so affected by the Inspector
  • Eric and Sheila do not share the sense of relief as the others when the Inspector is discovered to be a fraud, as this is irrelevant to them
• • The Inspector shows the audience that all of the characters have had an opportunity for redemption, though only Sheila and Eric have embraced it:
  • While he displays genuine remorse for his treatment of Eva, by the end of the play he reverts to his original stance 
  • The older generation is more concerned with protecting their social positions and continues to perceive themselves as upstanding members of the community
  • Gerald falls between the younger and older generations:
• • In contrast, Priestley shows that the younger generation can change and accept their social responsibility:
  • Sheila challenges her parents for not learning from the Inspector, thus illustrating a greater capacity to learn from her mistakes
  • The younger generation present a symbol of hope
• What is Priestley’s intention?

  • Through Sheila and Eric, Priestley offers optimism to the audience that the younger generation is capable of change:
  • Priestley depicts the younger generation as more compassionate and empathetic which suggests they will no longer avoid their social responsibilities 
• What is Priestley’s intention?

  • Priestley suggests the younger generation will avoid the errors of the previous generation:
  • He suggests the selfish and exploitative Capitalist system will be replaced with a more Socialist agenda