inspector call - knowunity

• Priestley presents capitalism as a self-absorbed, amoral system where people think their purpose is to make money
• Priestley symbolises capitalism through Mr Birling
• Mr Birling: '"Well it's my job to keep Labour cost down"'
• Capitalism

  An economic and political system in which a country's trade and industry are controlled by private owners for profit rather than by the state
• Through dramatic irony, the political view "Germans don't want war. Nobody wants war" is shown to be idiotic as war happens
• Priestley wants everyone to look after each other and view communities as important, introducing the Inspector as a mouthpiece for socialist viewpoints
• The Inspector is used to highlight the issues of society, and Priestley wants the upper classes to stop being selfish and using the poor for their own financial gain
• Sheila: '"Oh, how horrible! Was it an accident?"'
• Socialism

  A political and economic theory of social organisation which states that production and wealth should be owned or controlled by the whole community
• The Inspector's Final speech foreshadows the world wars and is designed to be a stark warning against future wars
• In 1945, when the play was written, Socialism became more popular with Churchill voted out of office by the Labour party
• Some of the upper classes were scared of socialism because they associated it with communism
• In a socialist country, workers would have the right to join a union, an organisation that protects workers' rights and negotiates with management on questions of salary and work conditions
• In a socialist country, it would have been impossible to sack Eva Smith in the way Mr Birling did, as workers would already be on a decent wage that accurately reflects the difficulty of their work
• The play

  Written in 1945, set in 1912
• In his final speech, the Inspector uses a list of 3 biblical allusions to reinforce his socialist message, with the blunt statements designed to shock the Birlings and leave a lasting impact
• Audience

  • Slightly more progressive and more likely to agree with socialist views
• 1912 was a very patriarchal society
• Eva

  Referred to as a 'girl' rather than a woman
• Socialist


  A person who advocates or practises Socialism
• Priestley uses the play to reveal unfair class systems, with the upper class inheriting loads of money as Lords and Ladies, the middle class owning factories or being professionals, and the working class having the hardest jobs and little money
• In 1912, rich men had power and most say, they led Britain into WW1
• In 1945, it was a time of starting to look out for each other and people learned from 2 world wars
• Patriarchal


  Characteristic of a form of social organization in which a man is the head of the family and descent is reckoned through the male line
• The play is a political play as Priestley puts the political ideology of socialism and capitalism against each other
• Priestley uses the play to reveal unfair class systems
• Socialism

  Distribution of resources, wealth and power in order to create a more equal society
• Capitalism

  Resources are seen as private property, you earn what you deserve/gain, the rich remain rich and the poor receive no aid or support
• Priestley was a Labour voter as it meant social change to meet the needs of the workers
• The upper class feels it is their responsibility to punish the lower classes with lower wages
• The audience is meant to sympathise with the poor through Eva Smith
• Inspector Goole

  A probing voice of conscience that undermines the self-satisfaction and false security of the family
• Priestley uses the characters in the play to address the problems faced by the poor
• Priestley is criticising this
• Taking responsibility for your own actions is key to social awareness
• Social classes

  • Working class
  • Middle class
  • Upper class
• Inspector Goole

  • Blunt, cunning, moral, emotive, influential, a catalyst for change, forceful, enigmatic
• Inspector Goole: '"We are all responsible for each other. If there's nothing else, we'll have to share our guilt."'
• Arthur Birling


  A complex character who represents the capitalist upper class, with outdated views and a lack of empathy that leads to tragedy
• Working class had all the hardest jobs and little money