Responsibility Theme, An Inspector Calls: GCSE English Literature Revision

Theme: Social Responsibility

Topics on this page:

Social Responsibility Theme Notes
JB Priestley’s message/intended effect on audience
Book quotes relating to the theme of Social Responsibility

1. Social Responsibility Theme Notes

In An Inspector Calls, the central theme is responsibility. Priestley is interested in our personal responsibility for our own actions and our collective responsibility to society, to take care of one another. Throughout the play, Priestley explores the effect of major themes including Social Class, Conflict between characters/classes, Age Divide Between Generations as well as Sexism and Gender Differences on people's attitudes to responsibility, and shows how prejudice can prevent people from acting responsibly.

2. JB Priestley’s message/intended effect on audience

Priestley is interested in our personal responsibility for our own actions and our collective responsibility to society, to take care of one another through a shared responsibility. For example, elites taking responsibility for the common good through the theme of Social Class, or for elite men to become responsible for the sexism they show throughout the play, through the theme of Sexism and Gender Differences.
In 1912 there was no welfare state in Britain. Poor people often depended on charity. But wealthy people, such as Mrs. Birling, in the play, usually controlled the charity. Priestley wanted to create a change in society and make the upper class feel more responsible for the rest of society.
Priestley wanted to shine light on the issue of social responsibility at a particularly critical point in time which had a need for shared responsibility. An Inspector Calls was first performed after World War 2 with the increasing power of capitalism in the Western world (the economic system in which companies and people make most of the decisions). Quality of life was low after the war, Priestley believed both the rich and poor would benefit from a focus on looking out for one another.

Top AIC guides: Best 5 An Inspector Calls Revision Guides

3. Book quotes relating to the theme of Social Responsibility

As this play is set before World War 1 but performed just after the second world war, Priestley sends an ironic warning to the audience and characters (clearly referring to the war) of what will happen if his message of responsibility is ignored. "And I tell you that the time will soon come when, if men will not learn that lesson, when they will be taught it in fire and blood and anguish.", “fire and blood and anguish” foreshadows the two world wars.

Gerald describes Daisy Renton as “young, fresh and charming” which implies that, for him, she was just someone he could amuse himself with until he decided he no longer cared for the relationship. He homes her and looks after her which shows that he knew she was vulnerable and in need of help; however, soon he just abandoned her. This also links to the theme of gender differences in the play.

Mrs Birling doesn’t take any responsibility and states “I blame the young man who was the father of the child she was going to have.”, not knowing that her son Eric is the father. She even said the man responsible should turn himself in and take full responsibility. When she finds out her son is responsible she hypocritically attempts to cover the issue up. (See the theme of Conflict)

The Inspector tells the characters, "Each of you helped to kill her", showing that he wanted them all to accept and share responsibility for their actions. It suggests the idea that we are all bees in a hive and need to take care of one another, that the past generation has made mistakes and we cannot turn away from the suffering lower class.
His final speech is aimed at the characters and the audience, talking of a collective responsibility in society (as Priestley was a socialist himself): "One Eva Smith has gone - but there are millions and millions and millions of Eva Smiths and John Smiths still left with us, with their lives, their hopes and fears, their suffering and chance of happiness, all intertwined with our lives, and what we think and say and do."

Inspector Calls... Memes?