Themes An Inspector Calls

Responsibility Most of the characters have a narrow view of what this means. The Inspector broadens the minds of the younger generation. Mr B believes you are responsible for your own family ironic as Eric is ignored Mrs B accepts responsibility as chair woman of charity but turns Eva/Daisy away Eric has none at beginning Sheila learns as play goes on Gerald shows some sense as he did rescue Eva/Daisy from Mr Maggoty

Social Class The Birlings are comfortably middle class. Mr Birling has worked hard to maintain his position. Mrs B however is her husband’s “social superior”. The Crofts are higher up than the Birlings, indicating they were born into position. Mr B abuses his social class status to show off: he name drops, repeatedly refers to a potential knighthood and drinks expensive booze. Even the ritual of the celebration is sacred

Happy Families At beginning family are celebrating Sheila & Geralds engagement and are “pleased with themselves.” They each individually pretending to be happy. The father & mother are securely in control at the start At the end of the play the children have rebelled and the family unit is collapsing Sheila and Eric refuse to “go on behaving just as we did.”

Generational Conflict The older genration are old fashioned and, at the beginning of the play, are in control. Arthur is boss of the business 7 the family; Sybil is in charge of domestic arrangements. They treat Eric & Sheila as children even though they are both in their early 20s. The younger generation are different. Eva was sacked by Mr. B for her vitality and it is this he tries to suppress in his kids, “If you’ve nothing more sensible to say…you’d better keep quiet.”

Generational Conflict Eric sulks, his father calls him “spoilt” and he has certainly behaved immature in the past leading him into trouble. He wants to be understood and at the end he knows he does not want to be like his parents “I don’t give a damn now whether I stay here or not.” Sheila has to tell her father she is “not a child.” She did behave like one when she had Eva/Daisy dismissed. She grows up and tells her parents off by the end. At the end Sheila and Eric stand together, opposing their parents & Gerald.

Generational Conflict Gerald is closer in age to Eric & Sheila but is already old in his attitudes. He works for his father’s comopany and hopes his marriage to Sheila will act as a merger between them. He repeatedly agrees with Birling. He says the strike wouldn’t have lasted long because “They’d be all broke – if I now them.” He has an “us” and “them” mentality, typical of the arrogant upper class. He doesn’t appear to be suffering like Eric & Sheila and is keen to discredit the Inspector.

Gender Stereotypes The Girls in the beginning conform to stereotypes: Sheila & Mrs B are excited about the wedding and jewellery (notice she didn’t get to choose her own ring) They are protected by the men from “unpleasant and disturbing” things. Eva/Daisy enjoyed working with “pretty clothes” and Sheila loves shopping for them. Sheila gets Eva sacked because of pride, vanity and jealousy – stereotypically female traits Sheila cries… alot

Gender Stereotypes The boys seem to conform to stereotypes They are preoccupied with work and politics They protect the women by sending them out of the room We are told Gerald behaved like a “wonderful fairy prince” rescuing Daisy/Eva from Meggarty Gerald is allowed to sleep around before his marriage. It is implied Arthur did the same. There are different rules for men and women.

Gender stereotypes The Stereotypes are challenged by the girls. Eva/Daisy was one of the “ring leaders” in the strike and had “a lot to say”. She questioned the decision of her boss. She wasn’t the “usual sort” of worn out, worn down prostitute. Instead of relying on a man to save her, she refuses Eric’s support and tries to go it alone. Sheila is revealed to be a strong young woman as the play progresses. She interrupts everyone at different times (apart from the Inspector). She challenges her father, refuses to be called a child by her parents and hands back her engagement ring to Gerald. At the end she directly disagrees with her parents.

Judgement Day An Inspector Calls is a political, social and morality play as well as a form of whodunnit. The play is blunt in pointing out everyone’s sins and tries to get them to confess and repent. The Inspector represents the temporal law. But at the end Eric says “he was our police inspector all right” indicating he was a moral inspector.