'An Inspector Calls' is a play that conveys the theme of responsibility throughout. The game is known as a morality game. This is when the characters in the work personify a moral quality. In this case, Priestly uses his characters to illustrate the importance of being responsible. Each character shows how they handle responsibilities. The characters, in the play, also reflect the different people in society and how each person learns to deal with their participation in Eva Smith's death. This also connects to the didactic message present in the work. The intention of an educational message is to try to educate readers about morality. Priestly attempts to teach his readers the gravity of responsibility in our daily lives and the meaning that responsibility has for us. The author believes that we are a collective and must be able to take responsibility for each other without letting anything divide us. Try to make this a point detectable everywhere. His socialist views are also reminiscent and detectable throughout the entire work, from the plot to the characters. His views are further consolidated by Inspector Goole. He is perceived as an outspoken socialist, acting as a spokesperson for Priestley and the working class who are being neglected and despised at this time. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an original essayMr. Birling is probably one of the least supportive characters in the play. His arrogance and pomposity scream louder than his words. Birling shows little to no responsibility in the entire play. He repudiates the idea of responsibility: "If we were all responsible for everything that happened to everyone we dealt with, it would be very embarrassing, wouldn't it?" Birling calls the idea of taking responsibility for one's actions "embarrassing." This provides the audience with evidence which shows that Birling will not pay any attention to something which he believes does not concern him, does not affect him or his reputation and here we can significantly see his selfishness. Priestley used the rhetorical question to show how Mr Birling believes the answer is blindingly obvious and that taking responsibility is surely an absurd and “embarrassing” idea. This represents that part of society that simply has difficulty understanding accountability. Mr Birling's quote underlines his view that taking responsibility is simply futile, unnecessary and would cause unnecessary tension. Most readers, at the time, would believe that finding something “embarrassing” is not a valid reason to not take any awareness or blame. Birling's capitalist views are persistently and painfully evident throughout the entire play, showing that Birling does not accept the ideas of others due to his immense ego, personal pride and ignorance. This further increases the public's antipathy towards the presumptuous Mr Birling, because he cannot understand the idea of responsibility. Birling mentions this in Act 1. This is significant as it allows the audience to know Mr Birling's view on responsibility from the beginning of the play, which continues to the end demonstrating that he has not changed and developed in terms of assumption of responsibility.Mrs. Birling maintains the same principles as her husband when it comes to responsibility. After realizing his participation in Eva Smith's death, he has already decided that he bears no responsibility for her suicide. She insistently blames the girl's father. “Secondly, I blame the young manthat he was the father of the child she would have... If the girl's death is due to anyone, then it is due to him." Once again, a recurring theme among the older Birling generations is the inability to understand the 'idea of taking responsibility. Sybil uses the conditional connective “if” 'if the girl commits suicide', she is implying that no one should really be blamed, however, if we have to point fingers, it should not be at her yet questioning her and her family's involvement in Eva's suicide by using "if". and quickly increases the tension between all the characters. The irony is that he is blaming his son, but when he finds out he refuses to believe it thinking that he is not capable because he is his son. The tension also increases when Mrs Birling starts to get agitated." Mrs Birling: (quite agitated now)" these captions show Mrs Birling's frustration as people disagree with her views which tells us more about her character - someone who is cold and cares about the approval of others . Mrs Birling does not want to be involved in this scandal, as she wants the public to maintain the same image of her, that of a wealthy woman who is a leading member of the Women's Charity Organisation. Mrs Birling's fear of public scandal leads her to completely reject the idea of taking responsibility for the death of Eva Smith and subsequently her nephew. Sheila is initially perceived as a mean, materialistic and childish young woman, however, at every moment in the play her character development is evident. After realizing what he did. Sheila is the first character in the play to defend Eva Smith and the working class by proclaiming "they're not cheap labor, they're people." This statement juxtaposes his father's capitalist propositions that the working class is just workers who aren't worth much time. nor money. The change can be seen when the once naive Sheila Birling couldn't generate her own beliefs and concepts and followed the capitalist crowd, to now someone who will defend the working class not seeing a divide, regardless of social status; we are all people regardless. Sheila begins to show remorse and regret when she says this quote and her socialist ideas begin to form. Priestley uses Sheila as an example that we can change and develop. He also uses Sheila to tell the audience that we can still take responsibility regardless of our previous beliefs. We get to see Sheila defend what she did and start to accept the consequences. Priestley uses Sheila to show that change can become a reality. We should be able to construct our own sophisticated idea, however societal pressures may discourage us and make us believe something else. Here Sheila shows us that we all have a voice and should stand up for what we believe despite what others have to say. Another character who shows social responsibility in Eva Smith's death is Eric Birling. In Act 3, Eric shows that he is taking responsibility for his actions. He shows remorse and guilt when he fully understands what he has done. We can see Eric gain authority when he says "I don't see much nonsense in it when a girl goes and kills herself." You all may be venting well, but I'm not. And not even mom can do it. We did well." Eric is aware that the rest of his family (aside from Sheila) are lax in contributing. They don't understand that they played a role even if she didn't kill herself or even if.
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