By Annalise, Alice & Megan THEMES.. By Annalise, Alice & Megan

The Central Theme. In An Inspector Calls, the central theme is responsibility. The play is made to show us to be responsible for our actions and society. The play explores the effect of class, age and sex on people attitudes to responsibilities and shows that prejudice can prevent people from acting responsibility.

Responsibility Whilst Sheila and Eric accept that they are responsible for causing Eva harm, feel guilty and express remorse; Mr and Mrs Birling refuse to accept that they are to blame. They maintain that they simply did their ‘duty’ and are not at fault. However, the Inspector holds fast to the position that their wealth and social position carries with it certain responsibilities towards those people from the lower classes.

Responsibility The Inspector talks about collective responsibility meaning that everyone is society is linked, in the same way that the characters are linked to Eva Smith. The Inspector sees society as more important than individual interests. The views he is expressing are like those of Priestley who was a socialist.

CLASS Even though nobody is lower class, we hear a lot Everyone, apart from the maid, Edna, is a member of the upper class and is wealthy. Even though nobody is lower class, we hear a lot about what life was like for a member of the working class due to them speaking about Eva Smith’s life. We see only the rich, upwardly mobile Birlings and the upper class Gerald Croft.

SEX/GENDER The play was set in 1912 when women weren’t valued by society and did not yet have the right to vote. Even upper class women had few choices. For most of them, the best way to cope was to marry a wealthy man. For working class women, a job was crucial. There was no social security at that time, so without a job they had no money. There were very few options open to women in that situation: many saw no alternative but to turn to prostitution.

AGE The older generation and the younger generation take the Inspector's message in different ways. While Sheila and Eric accept their part in Eva's death and feel huge guilt about it, their parents are unable to admit that they did anything wrong.