Priestley presents the Inspector as a strong believer in socialism, meaning that he cares greatly for his fellow citizens and believes that everyone should be looked after by the government and treated fairly and equally. At the time the play was set, the Titanic was about to make its maiden voyage, representing the fact that modernisation was at its prime. The play was set when England was on the brink of World War One and women were campaigning for the right to vote. This means that at this particular time, people were very tense and anxious about the war and this may have caused them to forget any type of social morals. Priestley uses the Inspector to present his own views and outline the lack of social conduct.
The audience are also aware that during this time, the world was on the verge of war. This allows Priestley to show how socialism will lead to a brighter future, as he cleverly uses the difference in the time the play was written in 1945 and the time when it was set to use dramatic irony to his advantage. He is able to express the ignorance of the higher classes, and the audience can soon relate this problem to the capitalist state, '… it'll make war impossible... the Titanic... unsinkable, absolutely unsinkable...' (Birling, Act1, Page 7) through this, the audience know that this is ironic, as they would remember the Titanic sinking. As the audience would be watching the play after World War Two, they also know that the Germans will attack, so there will be a war. This means that Mr Birling is automatically viewed as a liar with far less
Everyone is a part of 'one body', the Inspector sees society as more important than individual interests. The views he is propounding are again like those of Priestley who wanted his socialist views put across to the audience. He adds a warning about what could happen op if, like some members of the family, we ignore our responsibility: 'and I tell you that the time will soon come when, if men will not learn that lesson,when the will be taught it in fire and blood and anguish.' Probably he is thinking partly about the world war which they had just lived through, the result of the governments blindly pursuing 'national interest' at all cost. No doubt he was thinking too about the Russian revolution in which poor workers and peasants took over the state and exacted a bloody revenge against the aristocrats who had treated them so
He was a supporter of socialism - his play promotes social responsibility and criticises the problems caused by the class divide. The play 'An Inspector Calls' is used by J.B. Priestley as a door to open the minds of his 1945 audiences to the faults that he saw in society; the lack of responsibility people felt towards each other. The play is set in 1912 when a quarter of the globe was coloured red, denoting the vast and powerful empire that was Britain. The upper and middle classes led such a lavish life of luxury that the Edwardian era is now infamous for its elegance, ostentation and extravagance. Men such as Arthur Birling, who is portrayed by Priestley as the stereotypical
First Argument point – aimed to fix the problems in society that resulted from the industrial movement, such as long working hours, little pay, dangerous working conditions, and child labor. b. Doc that supports your argument – E c. Statement to link back to thesis – Social progressives of the era realized the harsh injustices and problems in the labor system and aimed to change them, in turn defining the labor system in the way that it exists today, which proves that the work of the progressives influenced the nation forever. d. Second Argument point – factory investigating commission took note of the disregard for rights, safety, and health of workers e. Doc that supports your argument - F f. Statement to link back to thesis – Due to the movements of the Progressive Era concerning the rights, health and safety of workers, such as factory investigations, the government was forced to acknowledge this, which changed the lives of laborers in the U.S. forever. III. Body Paragraph #2—WOMEN’S RIGHTS a.
During the occurence of numerous events, in particular WW1, the privilages of wowen were altered drstically during and following the war. Prior to WW1 women typically played the position of the homemaker; women were rather foucused on their beauty rather than their ability to perform. Their status was directed at maintaining the annual duties of the family and children, consisting of cleaning and caring for the house. As men left for service, logically the voyge was filled by a percentasge of women; which resulted in the percentage of women of women employ increasing. There was an sudded influxo f women to take on each untradational occupation.
“Respect should be something earned and not demanded.” How do the writers of “Mice and Men” and “An Inspector Calls” explore this idea through their presentation of characters? At the beginning of the play, Priestley makes it clear that Birling is a show-off and thinks he is superior with his stage directions and his first spoken lines. Birling is described as PORTENTOUS, PORT Even Mrs Birling, his wife reveals that he is trying too hard to be upper class, something that you are born into rather than can buy. When Birling says” Tell the cook from me”, Mrs Birling’s reply is “Arthur, you’re not supposed to say such things”. The phrase ‘not supposed to’ really links to the idea that in 1914, there are things that are expected of the Lower, Middle and Upper classes and you can’t build your way up to the higher class you have to be born into it .
These policies were an early attempt to end child labor, reform the banking system, and protect business’ interests. However, these positive attempts were overshadowed by continued corruption as seen through the power hungry politicians. This was the time when the development of railroads began. It was a vital requirement for the whole industrialization process to be complete. This is one of the reasons why the railroads were really important.
The Great Gatsby The American Dream is wanted and pursued by everyone, but will it truly make a person happy? In the novel The Great Gatsby, by F. Scott Fitzgerald, Fitzgerald critics the American Dream through Gatsby and the Buchenaus who are struggling to find happiness. Gatsby’s approach to how he attempted to achieve his fantasy reinstates how Fitzgerald believes that the American Dream will not lead to happiness and cause them to fail in the end. For Example, when at the hotel Gatsby and Tom are arguing over Daisy, Tom exclaims “He and that Wolfshien bought up a lot of side-street drug stories here in Chicago and sold grain alcohol over the counter” (pg. 141).
“An inspector calls” J.B Priestley’s play ‘’an inspector calls’’ leaves the impression on the audience, no matter what their political views are, that everyone should take responsibility for their own actions. The play was set in 1912 and it leaves a cliff-hanger for the audience as they make their own opinion on who is responsible for ‘Eva smiths’ death as the phone rings, announcing an inspector is on his way!. J.B Priestley crafts a character with selfishness and self centered emotions through the character ‘Mr Birling’. The audience first see this in act one when he says,” a man has to make his own way” but when ‘Eva Smith’ asked for the wage rates to be raised to ‘twenty-five shillings’ a week he refused: ’ I refused of-course’. I think this was wrong of him because Mr Birling has made it in life and had it easy, he does not have to earn a living of a low wage so he doesn’t know what it is like for poor people.