theme generations

• presentation of older Birlings as old fashioned
• inability to recognise young people as thinking beings -> the way Mr and Mrs B speak to them at the end
• older Birlings arrogance -> Mr B knowing it all/ Mrs B's treatment of IG/ dismissed of Eric and Sheila
• younger Birlings presented as hopeful - they are ashamed about their involvement in the death and desperate to make amends

  -Mr Birling scathing Eric and Sheila
• Mr and Mrs Birling are both unrepentant about their involvement in Eva's death
• Inspector Goole presented as a positive father figure for the younger Birlings - Sheila moves towards him
• Eric and Sheila take responsibility in the end -> develop a sense of social responsibility during thr play
• "I hate to think how much he knows that we don't know yet" -Sheila
• "He's only a boy" -Mrs Birling
• "You're not the kind of father when a chap could go to when he's in trouble. That's why." -Eric