An inspector calls

• When was AIC written?

  1945
• When was AIC set?

  1912
• What was Priestley's message in AIC?

  Priestley wanted to criticise the divide between the classes and expose the callousness of capitalism
• What are the key themes?

  Generational divide, responsibility, guilt, gender, socialism and capitalism
• What characters demonstrate capitalism?

  Mr birling , Mrs birling, Gerald Croft
• What key quotes demonstrate capitalism in AIC?

  -'unsinkable...absolutely unsinkable'

  -'lower costs, higher prices'
• What is the importance of the generational divide?

  The younger generation-eric and Sheila- are malleable and change their views and respects the inspector whereas the older generation are not malleable they do not change, therefore Priestley wants the younger generation to cultivate a societal change
• What is Mr birling's role in AIC?

  to represent and expose callous capitalism and the selfishness of individualism
• Mr Birling is a 'hard-headed man of business'
• Analysis of 'lower costs, higher prices'

  Here the callousness of capitalism is exposed as Mr Birling wants to keep himself wealthy and maximise profits at the expense of the proletariat
• Sheila is an emblem of socialism as she recognises that the proletariat as people instead of just workers

  'these girls aren't cheap labour, they're people'
• Priestly uses Sheila as a symbol of change in the Edwardian era by demonstrating how the younger generation are malleable and susceptible to change
• Mrs Birling is 'her husbands social superior'
• 'Girl of that class'.

  Here Mrs Birling demonstrates blinkered views on the proletariat
• Eric Birling is 'half shy half assertive' in the beginning of the play
• Eric uses euphemisms like 'I was in that state when a chap easily turned nasty' when referring to how he exploited Eva smith
• Eric, like Sheila re both embodiments of socialism and by proxy, encourage the younger generation to cultivate a societal change
• Sheila calls Gerald a 'Fairy prince'