An Inspector Calls: Social Class
- Created by: A_Levels_JM
- Created on: 09-10-18 23:01
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- Social Class In An Inspector Calls
- Priestly is presenting that the Upper Class in 1912 are unaware that the easy lives that they lead are rested upon the hard work of the Lower Class
- Priestly is showing the 1942 audience that the Class System determined how the people in different classes, especially Higher Class, thinks.
- Priestly wanted to highlight the issues between the classes in 1912.
- Before WW2, Britain was divided by class (Higher, middle and Lower.). After the war, it had brought the classes closer together.
- Eva Smith presents the Lower class. She had went through a lot due to the actions of the Birling Family and Gerald (They are all Middle and Upper Class.).
- Mr Birling: He treats Eva as one of 'Several Hundred Young women'. He uses her as Cheap Labour
- "If you don’t come down sharply on some of these people, they’d soon be asking for the earth." They are suggesting that Mr Birling feels that it is his responsibility to justify and come down 'sharply' on 'these people.'
- He is much more concern about not getting his title of 'Knighthood' as Eric had stole from.
- He uses Gerald to go up the social status as his father is a lord.
- He sees himself more superior than others due to being in the authority
- Sheila: She used her status to sack Eva from Milwards. This is because she was furious that Eva looked better than her in the dress. So she her Social Status to get her fired.
- Gerald: He helped Eva but not in a good way. Gerald made her as his Mistress and disposed her because he knew that he's marrying Sheila. He believed that this will not affect his relation ship with Sheila. He took advantage of Eva's Class status.
- Mrs Birling: Being Socially superior than her husband. She is disgusted by the fact that Eva is from the working class and that she had used her name. Mrs Birling did not see her case to be 'worthy' to take. So she used her status as Chair of the Charity to deny Eva's request.
- "As if a girl of that sort would ever refuse money!" This implies that Mrs Birling perspective on Lower Class Women, lacking morals and always take money.
- She does not recognised Eva on the picture, indicating the idea that Eva has no identity and that she doesn't deserved it.
- "Girls of that Class" Implies that she is referring to every women in the lower class and referred them as 'Girls'. She sees them to be much superior than her
- Eric: He lacks confident and and drinker. He had used Eva at the end of a drunk night. Even though he tried to help her, she denied his proposal to get married because 'he didn't love her'. Eric used her as a plaything because he saw her to be powerless against him due to Class.
- Priestly used Sheila and Eric to show his opinion on youth. He felt that there is hope in the younger generation post-war. He saw them as the ones who can help solve the problems that the country had faced due to Social Class
- They both had challenge their father's opinion on firing Eva.
- "They're not Cheap Labour, they're people." -Sheila
- "Why shouldn't they try for higher wages? We try for the highest prices possible" - Eric
- They both had challenge their father's opinion on firing Eva.
- Priestly wanted to address the idea of Collective Responsibility, therefore helping the quality of life for all. So breaking the Class boundary can bring the classes much closer. This is his view as a Socialist.
- "He's a notorious womaniser as well as being one of the worst sots and rogues in Brumley." This implies that Higher Class people acts badly towards others.
- Showed how they overlooked the idea of Womanising and alcoholism because of their class being more superior
- Inspector Goole: He shines a light over the problems of Social Class, acting as the mouthpiece for Priestly to show his idea that people in different class should help each other. He reminds the audience about their behaviour and morality and that they should learn from their mistakes, just the Birling Family
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