Consider: the ideas about responsibility in An Inspector Callshow Priestley presents these ideas by the ways he writes.
Priestley explores ideas about responsibility through the way the Birlings behave towards Eva Smith. Arthur Birling explains the family’s philosophy when he says ‘ a man has to mind his own business and look after himself and his own’ which suggests that he feels that he only has responsibility for his own family and himself.. This is reinforced by the way the Birlings treat Eva Smith. Firstof all Arthur fires her from his factory to make an example of her because she asks for higher wages and dares to take responsibility for others by speaking up on their behalf. Arthur’s prime motive is to keep wages down so that he could make more profits. Priestley reinforces this through Arthur’s constant repetition of ‘hard headed man of business’, to remind the audience that he is representative of capitalism and the damage it causes. Priestley is showing the audience that a blind belief that generating profits and prosperity for the good of everyone is fundamentally wrong as it causes innocent people to suffer tragic consequences.Although all the Birlings are responsible for Eva’s mistreatment and death in some way, they react differently when they find this out from the Inspector. Mr and Mrs Birling do not change and are only concerned about their reputation the possible ‘scandal’ or Arthur’s ‘knighthood’.. However, Sheila and Eric do recognise that they have behaved badly by the end of the play and therefore Priestley is suggesting that it is the younger generation that have the responsibility for adopting more socialist principles. Through their attitudes Priestley suggests that socialism is the modern way and that it is young people who will change society for the better.
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