The Main Themes of An Inspector Calls
J.B. Priestley's 1945 play ‘An Inspector Calls' is often regarded as one of the more complex texts that GCSE English students are called on to study.
In this weeks Blog, we look at the historical context that influenced the themes that Priestley explored in the play.
What are the main themes of An Inspector Calls?
In order to fully understand the themes of the An Inspector Calls, you must first understand J.B. Priestley's purpose when writing the play.
Priestley was very concerned about the inequality he saw across Europe, especially as he attributed this inequity to the conditions that initiated the two world wars at the start of the 20th century.
He advocated for better working conditions and higher living standards for all in society and was a prominent figure in developing the idea of the Welfare State.
He believed that government intervention into business practices and living standards was the only way to reduce the uneven distribution of wealth in society.
In An Inspector Calls, Priestley uses Inspector Goole to present his own views about social responsibility and he hoped to persuade his audience to embrace the introduction of the welfare state, providing protection and support for all.
Priestley saw three main problems that must be solved in order for society to become fair and equitable for all:
1. Unfettered Capitalism – Priestley challenged the idea that capitalism should be left unchecked to regulate prices and wage levels through market forces alone. He believed that there should be some government intervention to regulate the market so that workers and consumers could not be exploited by greedy business owners like Mr. Birling.
2. A Rigid Class Structure – Priestley saw class as a biased system of social hierarchy that unfairly treated some people as socially, morally, and intellectually superior to others who had no other merit than the luck of their birth. He believed that any system of society that valued some people more than others would automatically cause unnecessary friction and lead to stereotyping and prejudice. He mainly uses the characters of Mrs. Birling and Gerald Croft to illustrate how people who have been awarded higher status in society due to their family name can abuse their powerful positions and exploit others to suit their own purposes.
3. Gender Inequality – Preistley used the time difference in the setting and the performance of the play to highlight the senselessness of treating women as less capable and less important than men. The need for women to take traditionally male roles in the workplace in the two world wars had shown many women that previous prejudice and belittlement of women was no longer acceptable. He mainly uses the characters of Eric Birling and Gerald Croft to highlight the dangers of allowing society to treat women's rights and needs as inferior to men's.
Priestley felt that if these three problems were overcome, then society would become much fairer and less fractious, leading to a more peaceful world. His exploration of these problems takes place in the form of the interrogation of different characters by Inspector Goole. Their responses to his questions and their role in the downfall, and eventual death, of Eva Smith serves as an allegory, exploring the ills of society caused by political, social and gender conflict.
As you analyse the scenes and characters in the play, you must evaluate their words and actions through the lens of the three main themes being explored by Priestley. Ask yourself – which theme is being explored in this interaction and what does Priestley want me to learn about the causes of conflict in society?
Why not join one of our online tuition groups or booster sessions to learn more about ‘An Inspector Calls' and many other books and poetry for English GCSE?
We are running a Booster Session on ‘An Inspector Calls' on Friday 1st November. You can find out more here.
Or you can find out about our other courses at: Tutors for Excellence.
