Differences between Mr Birling and the Inspector in An Inspector Calls :: English Literature

Essay on the differences between Mr Birling and the Inspector â€Å"An Inspector calls† Essay on the differences between Mr Birling and the Inspector The play was written in 1945 and set in 1912 with a society very different from ours. The society of 1912 was divided into classes and how much money you had. People were not treated as equals and those of a lower class (e.g. Eva Smith), were treated with disrespect and no equality by those of a higher class with bullying attitudes and influences (e.g. Mr Birling and his family). The main theme of the play is trying to put across a strong view to respect each other and treat people as your equal, no matter what their race, status etc, may be. The play and its message, I think, is aimed at the younger generation, who will one day have the power and influence to change the society we live in. Mr Birling’s social background is different from his wife’s. Although they are of the same class, Mrs Birling’s family is higher than Mr Birling is. He is always trying to impress people (e.g.†Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Lord Mayor two years ago†¦Ã¢â‚¬ , â€Å"†¦knighthood†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ). He has a great air about him, trying to prove that he is of high class and important. The Birling’s family life is not quite what it seems. It is clear that Mr Birling and his wife still treat their two children (Eric and Sheila), like little children, trying to intimidate them. They also don’t seem to be close to their children. A quote that demonstrates this is on page 32, when Mrs Birling finds out that her son is a heavy drinker. At the start of the play, the family are sitting at their dinner table, celebrating Sheila and Gerald’s engagement. However, Mr Birling soon shows his true feelings on the engagement when he says that the marriage would be a great business opportunity, (page 4). The role of the Inspector throughout the play is that he is trying to make the Birling’s take responsibility for their actions towards Eva smith. He has a moralising attitude and isn’t afraid or intimidated by Mr Birling’s bullying attitude. The Inspector’s words/speeches hold hidden depths of what is happening around us and how we treat people can have dramatic consequences. He is trying to achieve the impossible with the Birling’s. he tries to make them see what consequences their actions had and to take responsibility for their part in driving Eva to suicide. His final speech on page 56 has a big effect on Sheila and Eric (and the reader). He finally gets through to Sheila and Eric and is sympathetic