“We are responsible for each other”. How is statement examined and reflected in the play?
One of the major themes of the play An Inspector Calls is responsibility towards one another whether we are related or not, whatever our social status maybe or which race, religion we belong to. J.B. Priestley uses the Birling family to portray the typical capitalist views. Each of the Birling family members contributed with the death of Eva Smith with their selfish acts not considering the consequences of their acts, including Gerald Croft even though he was the one who did the least. Eva Smith been a ‘working class’ girl wasn’t considered to be of much importance by them because of their idealism of not having to be responsible for no else than themselves, so their actions did not make the least significance until Inspector Goole arrives. The play begins with Mr. Birling giving a speech of ‘responsibility’ to his son and his soon to be son-in-law, which really was his lack of sense of responsibility toward 3rd parties, when unexpectedly the inspector arrives and demonstrates how the whole party selfish actions may, which in this case did, lead to dire consequences .
J. B. Priestley starts the play with Birling talking to Eric and Gerald about responsibility in a long and patronizing speech-“A man has to make his own way- has to look after himself- and his family too”. Birling wants to teach the two ‘boys’ of responsibility and duty, his speech shows his arrogant and callous personality as well as his political views, capitalist. Also his supposed superiority from the working class- “You’d think everybody has to look after everybody else, as if we were all mixed up together like bees in a hive- community and all that nonsense”. Then the inspector arrives, and from that point onwards all that Birling supports and stands for is shown to be in some ways obsolete as it been socially proved that been a community and helping each other provides positive responses and wrong as...