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An Inspector Calls, Themes - Responsibility - Notes II - Coggle Diagram
An Inspector Calls, Themes - Responsibility - Notes II
The Inspector
Priestley uses the Inspector to propose that people should show the values of Socialism like sharing, equality and cooperation in all their actions
Priestley's mouthpiece, used to show the importance of universal responsibility in protecting the vulnerable and benefiting everyone
Teacher
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'We have to share something, if there's nothing else, we'll have to share out guilt' shows how responsiblity brings commuities together
Priestley presents the Inspector as compassionate and understanding, encouraging his audience to side with him
Taking Responsibility
'But each of you helped to kill her' - this contradicts the Birling's culture of scapegoating, and blaming the lower classes for their own suffering
Priestley wants the authorities to confront their own culpability in their poverty and suffering of the lower classes
Sense of duty
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Mr Birling feels a duty to himself and his business, and Mrs Birling is hypoctritical, Priestley implies their sense of duty is empty of meaning
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'Apologise for what? doing my duty' Priestley shows the audience that people should be loyal to otehrs and do what is right, even if means going against authority
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Sheila
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Represents the way society can improve, and is a symbol of the compassionate, Socialist younger generation
She is shaped by the Inspector, similarly to how Priesltey hopes to shape us an the audience
The Beginning
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'How could I know what would happen afterwards' - showing people are unable to predict the significane of their cations, and to act responsibly, they need to be mindful of what they do
Priestley illustrates how the upper class can behave however they want, and live in ignorance of the consequences
Transformation
Sheila shows that though accepting the blame is difficult, it must be done
Initially is 'miserable' becasue of Eva's death, she still owns up to her wrongs 'It was my fault'
She pledes to change her ways, 'Ill never, never do it again'
'Between us we killed her' - direct confession of guilt, statement of honesty and bluntness is a refreshing change from her parens
'He's giving us the rope - so we can hang ourselves' - acknowledges the Inspector's role in bringing ustice and the Birling's part in causing their own fall from grace
Eva'd death
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Symbol
Eva's death is used to demonstrate how impactful one person's actions can be, and how destructive the upper class are
'The girls still dead, isnt she' showing that actions and their consequences can't be reversed, meaning it's important ro be thoughtful and responsible
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Gerald
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The straightforward phrase 'or there isnt' suggests that if she isn't dead, then everything's fine
No one died
When he reveals no one died, Priestley challenges the audeince to consider whether it makes any different to the Birlings guilt
The older generation are thrilled, they learnt nothing
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Older generation think 'everything's alright now' showing that tradgedy is required for the authorities to pay attention
Development of the Theme
Before the Inspectr arrives, Priestley exposes us to Mr Birlning's attitude, he rejects Socialists ideology and mocks the idea of community
Once the inspector arrives, the dialogue revolves around social responsibility
Priestley makes it clear who is in the right, even when he leaves the conflict continues, bu the children take his place
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At the start of the play, only the Inspector acts as Priestley's mouthpies, but by the end, Eric and Sheila side with him
This shows the ounger generation can be educated, change is possible
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