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Summary Of J. B. Priestley's An Inspector Calls

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In ‘An Inspector Calls’, written just after WW1, J.B. Priestley seems to be asking the question, “Just what kind of society are we fighting to save?” Priestley was set the play in 1912. This enabled him to comment on people’s attitudes and ideas before WW1. The social issues that were so prevalent in the labour strikes of 1912 were still important in 1946 because the very definition of society means that human beings don’t live alone and that each one is responsible for their actions towards the other, “We do not live alone. We are members of one body.” By setting his characters in a time of innocence and hope, Priestley can speak even more strongly to his audiences who have lived through a time of despair. The pride and complacence of the Birling’s seems all the more foolish to an audience who knows what is going to happen to the English people. The lessons that Eric and Sheila learn are even more poignant when one realizes that very soon all classes in England, upper, middle and lower, will be involved in the same tragic war. …show more content…

In act one there is a contrast between Goole and Mr. Birling. Priestley sets Birling up for the audience to dislike him because of his capitalist views which he disagrees with. Priestley uses dramatic irony and makes Mr. Birling seem like an ignorant fool. Priestley makes Goole have knowledge of the future allowing him to use it against Birling. Also at the time many people in the audience would have had the same views as Birling. This would make the audience think about their own views as they dislike someone with the same views as

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