Guilt

• For Priestley, guilt is the result of accepting personal and social responsibility for one’s actions. It is noteworthy that younger characters in An Inspector Calls express guilt, but not the older generation, suggesting that they are not willing to see their own flaws, or those of the society they live in.
• • The Inspector contends that if the characters are to learn anything from his message, they must express their guilt:
  • For the Inspector, the admission of guilt requires self-reflection and this is an important step in encouraging the characters to change
• • For Priestley, their guilt is both individual and collective:
  • At an individual level, he believes each character compromised their morals in their treatment of Eva
  • At a collective level, they represent the upper classes who have enabled the lower classes to be exploited and mistreated for their own gain 
• • Sheila is the first character to express her guilt and it is instantaneous:
  • While Sheila acknowledges her guilt, the Inspector insists that the guilt, as well as the responsibility, must be shared by all
  • Similarly, Eric eventually expresses his guilt, though he is only willing to do so in the last act:
  • While he could appear to express a stronger sense of guilt than the others (through his emotional outburst), his immaturity may suggest he is unable to feel it as keenly as his sister
• • While Gerald appears to express sincere and honest regret during his confession about Eva, his guilt is only temporary:
  • He attempts to justify his actions towards Eva to make himself appear less culpable
  • When he realises there are no consequences for his behaviour, he no longer cares
  • This could be contrasted with his confession to Sheila over his affair with Eva, as he appears more concerned that his affair has been found out, rather than having betrayed his fiancée
• • Arthur and Sybil are the only two characters who refuse to express any guilt for their treatment of Eva:
  • They continue to fail to see or acknowledge that they have done anything wrong
• What is Priestley’s intention?

  • For Priestley, the guilt felt by the characters and society as a whole must be personal and collective, if the change is to occur
  • At an individual level, Priestley suggests we are responsible for our personal conduct toward others
  • At a collective level, Priestley suggests we should ensure all groups are treated fairly and equally