“An Inspector Calls” exam question (30 marks)

“An Inspector Calls” has been called a play of contrasts. Write about how Priestly presents some of the contrasts in the play (30 marks)

In the play “An Inspector Calls”, J.B. Priestly presents many contrasts to help the audience better understand the different types of people and the different attitudes of the time.

One of the most prominent contrasts in the play is that between the two generations present in the Birling house.

The younger generation, including Sheila Birling, are open to change and are accepting of what they have done is wrong “you’re pretending everything’s just as it was before”, whereas the older, seemingly more wise, generation of Mr and Mrs Birling are full of self-satisfaction and are completely  unwilling to accept responsibility for Eva Smith’s death “I’ve done nothing wrong”.

Priestly includes this particular difference in the play to make the audience see that is it not always the older, more mature people that make the right decisions in life. This is of significance to the Birling’s as both Mr and Mrs Birling hold respectable positions of responsibility within the community “I’m still on the bench”.

Another major contrast in the play is between the upper and lower classes; In particular,…