An Inspector Calls- How Priestly Presents Arthur Birling Essay

Arthur circumvolve is a self-centred man intent on upgrade the class ladder, even at the expense of his family and employees. He regularly uses his obsessive behaviour over lieu to invoke popularity or power within a particular crowd, which is evident in the very starting signal scenes of the play when birling says to Gerald Its exactly the same port your father gets from him, suggesting Mr Birling bought it in coiffe to imitate a more prominent societal figure as well as to promote a rapport with Croft. Similarly, Birling tries this technique with the Inspector, however this time to gain leverage over him by asking if he sees much of Chief Constable, Colonel Roberts, following up his threat with a disclosure of his transcendence Hes an old friend of mineI see him fairly. We play golf together.This was intended to make the Inspector feel belittled and impressed by Birlings alliance with the Chief Constable, however Priestly makes this decidedly lost on the Inspector, becaus e as a symbol of socialism, he wouldnt care. One thing Priestly in particular was grateful for after the World Wars was the new merging of classes, reflected her in An Inspector Calls by the Inspectors indifference towards Birlings titles and wealth. It shows that Birling, unheeding of how much money he has or who he knows, is still being investigated for neglecting his social responsibilities. This ultimately shows collectivism as uncorrupted when juxtaposed against the 1912 society where the belief was that if you were rich enough, you werent guilty of anything, which is why Birling is outraged by the Inspectors visit were respectable citizens and not criminalsDespite the first step that Mr Birling perhaps had an uneasy upbringing, occasionally indicated by his faux pars, which his wife readily berates him for ((reproachfully) Arthur, youre not supposed to say such things-), Priestly leaves no room for the audience to sympathise with Birling because in doing so, capitalist eco nomy would be accommodated for. To remedy this, Birling is presented as a fool to the modern and 1945 audience by describing the Titanic as unsinkable, absolutely unsinkable. As well as wrongly predicting that there wouldnt be war. As a result, the audiences, likely emotionally affected by these events, would be angered at Mr Birlings stupidity, making him instantly unlikeable.Coincidentally, J.B Priestly transforms the illusion of grand Capitalism to one of supreme naiveness atBirlings failure to see past his own self-importance. This sides the audience with what seems to be the exclusively opposite option that they wont condemn themselves to this 1912 attitude Socialism. In essence, Priestly shows that Birling and citizenry like him are a negative part of society because of their refusal to hold any responsibility for anyone other than themselves I cant accept responsibility. This in turn steers the audience away from Capitalism by using Mr Birlings selfishness as a warning to us all If we put one overt accept the responsibility we owe to other people, then no matter who we are, or which crack of life we come from, we will be as foolish as Mr Birling.