An Inspector Calls explores themes of social responsibility, class division, and gender inequality through its complex characters and their interactions.
Mr Birling represents the epitome of unchecked capitalism and social privilege in Edwardian England. His character analysis reveals a man deeply invested in profit and status, dismissing collective responsibility in favor of individual success. Through key Mr Birling quotes like "a man has to mind his own business and look after himself," Priestley criticizes the wealthy's indifference to social welfare. His dismissal of Eva Smith's demands for better wages and his celebration of the Titanic's "unsinkable" status symbolize the shortsightedness of capitalist thinking.
Gender roles in 1912 An Inspector Calls are scrutinized through various characters, particularly through Mrs Birling's position of power in charity work. Her treatment of Eva Smith highlights the period's gender inequality, where women faced harsh judgment based on social class and moral expectations. Mrs Birling's charity work significance lies in exposing the hypocrisy of upper-class philanthropy - while claiming to help "deserving cases," she uses her influence to deny aid to those who most need it. When Eva Smith used Mrs Birling's name, it triggered a harsh response rooted in class prejudice. Gender in An Inspector Calls demonstrates how women were confined by strict social norms, with different standards applied based on their social status. Eva Smith/Daisy Renton's tragic story serves as a powerful criticism of both class and gender discrimination, showing how society's most vulnerable members - particularly working-class women - suffered under the combined weight of economic exploitation and gender-based prejudice. Through these characters and their actions, Priestley crafts a compelling critique of Edwardian society's treatment of women and the working class, calling for greater social responsibility and equality.
