Mr Birling, and the older generation as a whole, intend to live in the same fashion as they did
before the arrival of the Inspector.
This continuous attitude of not caring about the impact of his actions is demonstrated by Priestley.
The cycle of immorality is implied by the ending of the play, which finishes as it began: with Mr Birling offering Gerald a drink.
The lack of change in attitude is reflected by the lack of visual change in the play. Here, Priestley conveys the underlying message that the flaws of the current society are caused by the upper-classes’ resistance to change.
The cyclical structure of Mr Birling’s outlook creates a static character, who cannot change.
Priestley, through the character of Mr Birling, critiques how these societal flaws and capitalism
allow the upper-classes to be supported and their unfair privileges maintained.
In a way, Priestley manipulates the audience into siding with his personal preference of socialism, as they turn to this alternative in disgust of Priestley’s presentation of Mr Birling as uncaring, self-absorbed and manipulative, all traits we come to associate with capitalism.
Priestley ends the play, also, with another phone call - perhaps this time from a ‘real’ Inspector.
This cyclical device is used to
warn the audience of not taking on board social responsibility themselves.
