This document summarizes key themes and passages from the play An Inspector Calls by J.B. Priestley. It explores themes of social responsibility, age, gender, and class through examples of how different characters demonstrate varying levels of responsibility and hold stereotypical views according to their age, gender and social class. Younger characters Eric and Sheila feel more responsible compared to the older Birlings. Mr. Birling and Gerald have patronizing views of women, while Mrs. Birling fails to empathize with another woman. The document also examines attitudes towards the working class, with Mr. Birling feeling he must come down "sharply" on working people.

1. Themes
 social responsibility
 age
 gender
 class
SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY
Sheila feels
socially
responsible
Sheila is shocked
when she learns that
she had a part to
play in Eva’s death.
"All right Gerald,
you needn't look at
me like that. At least
I'm trying to tell the
truth. I expect you’ve
done things you’re
ashamed of too."
Sheila takes responsibility for
her actions and tells the truth.
Gerald is being judgemental of
her even though he has not yet
taken responsibility for his
own actions.
Mr Birling
does not feel
socially
responsible
Mr Birling refuses
to take any
responsibility for
Eva Smith’s death.
"If we were all
responsible for
everything that
happened to
everybody we'd had
anything to do with,
it would be very
awkward, wouldn't
it?"
Mr Birling dismisses the idea
that we should be responsible
for each other, suggesting that
such a situation would be
'awkward'.
Eric feels
socially
responsible
Eric shows that he
takes responsibility
for his actions in the
final act of the play.
"I don't see much
nonsense about it
when a girl goes and
kills herself. You lot
may be letting
yourselves out
nicely, but I can't.
Nor can mother. We
did her in all right."
Eric clearly shows that he has
a sense of social responsibility.
Whilst Gerald and Eric's
parents are enjoying being in
the clear, Eric still takes the
matter of Eva's death very
seriously. He is even brave
enough to tell his mother that
she should feel responsible
too.
Mrs Birling
does not feel
socially
responsible
Sybil Birling will
not take any
responsibility for
the death of Eva
Smith even after she
has been questioned
by the Inspector.
"I should think not.
Eric, I'm absolutely
ashamed of you."
In telling Eric that she is
ashamed of him she shows that
she has learned nothing from
the Inspector’s investigation.
The audience would know that
she is in no position to be
questioning the behaviour of
anyone else given her own
treatment of Eva Smith and
lack of social responsibility.
The
Inspector's
lessons
When the Inspector
is questioning the
Birlings.
"It's better to ask for
the earth than to
take it."
Here the Inspector is
suggesting that it is socially
irresponsible to be greedy and
'take' things without
permission. This is a practice

2. the privileged Birlings would
be used to.

3. AGE
Sheila
and Eric
Eric stands up to his
parents when it
becomes clear that
they will not take
responsibilty.
"You’re beginning to
pretend now that
nothing’s really
happened at all."
Eric sees that his parents are
trying to 'pretend' that
nothing happened when it is
suggested that the Inspector was
not real. He and Sheila, the
younger characters, still feel
responsible.
Mr and
Mrs
Birling
Mrs Birling explains
her decision to turn
away Eva when she
came to her for help.
"So I was perfectly
justified in advising
my committee not to
allow her claim for
assistance."
Despite hearing about all the
misfortune that Eva Smith has
suffered, Mrs Birling is
unmoved and stubbornly stands
by her decision to turn Eva
away.
Older Vs
younger
Mr Birling turns on
his son Eric and
nearly attacks him
physically.
"Why, you hysterical
young fool - get back
- or I'll -"
Mr Birling implies here that
Eric is a 'fool' because he is
young. Ironically, it is the older
Arthur who nearly resorts to
physical violence.

4. GENDER
How Mr
Birling
refers to
women
When Mr Birling
is telling Eric and
Gerald about
women's attitudes
towards the
clothes they wear.
"...not only
something to make
'em look prettier -
but - well, a sort of
sign or token of
their self-respect."
Mr Birling shows that he has a
patronising view of women, making
the suggestion that clothes are a sign
of self-respect for them. He has a
stereotypical view of women here
and does not see them as individuals
but suggests that all women think in
the same way.
How
Gerald
refers to
women
Gerald makes
sexist and
superficial
comments about
the women in the
bar he visits.
"I hate those hard-
eyed dough-faced
women."
Gerald shows that he can be very
superficial in his view of women. If
they don’t meet his standard of how
they 'should' look, he dislikes them.
How Mrs
Birling
treats
Eva
Smith
When Mrs Birling
suggests that Eva
is incapable of
having feelings.
"She was claiming
elaborate fine
feelings and
scruples that were
simply absurd in a
girl in her
position."
Priestley shows that even women like
Mrs Birling can be just as cruel
and old fashioned as the men are.
She does not try to empathise with a
member of her own gender. This also
highlights her negative attitude
towards the working class

5. CLASS
Mr Birling's
opinion of
the working
class.
When Mr Birling
discusses how he
sacked Eva Smith
after she had
gone on strike.
"If you don’t come
down sharply on
some of these
people, they’d
soon be asking for
the earth."
Mr Birling feels that it is his
responsibility to come down
'sharply' on 'these people'.
Priestley wanted the audience to
realise that this is the wrong attitude
to have, we should be looking
after 'these people' not punishing
them.
The
behaviour of
the Birlings'
friends.
When Gerald
tells the Birlings
about the
behaviour of Joe
Meggarty.
"He's a notorious
womaniser as well
as being one of
the worst sots and
rogues in
Brumley."
Joe Meggarty is an 'Alderman' or a
council member. The rest of the
family is shocked to hear that he
is a 'sot' (another word for a
drunk), and a womaniser. Much to
the Birlings' surprise, their upper-
class friends can behave badly.
Mrs
Birling’s
opinion of
the working
class
When Mrs
Birling is
discussing the
moment when
Eva approached
her charity.
"As if a girl of
that sort would
ever refuse
money!"
Mrs Birling refers to Eva Smith as a
'girl of that sort'. She clearly has
preconceptions about working-
class girls suggesting that they lack
morals and will always take money.