An Inspector Calls by J. B. Priestly: Contrasting Attitudes to Social Issues

In the play “An Inspector Calls” by J.B. Priestly, Mr. Birling and Sheila Birling have contrasting attitudes to social issues. J.B Priestly uses this difference to highlight the diversity between generations and their reactions to the situations faced. He also shows the difference in the way they act upon hearing the news and how they change throughout the play. Arthur Birling is the father to Sheila Birling and so is presented as the older, “old-fashioned” generation whereas Shelia is the younger generation, who is more aware of the responsibilities they have towards other people which is strongly shown as the play goes in by the way she changes her hierarchy attitude developed by her dad and how she wants equality for others which are lower than them. She is the only character who accepts their responsibility in the accident that has happened. Other Characters are seen to ‘shake it off’ and deny their part in all of it. Shelia thinks and takes on the most responsibility when she has the least part to play – Even though she got ‘Daisy Renton’ fired this isn’t the main reason this came about, it was an amalgamation of what others actions did, other characters more prominent than her own. The play begins with Mr. Birling and his family celebrating the engagement of Sheila to Gerald. Shelia and Mr.Birling are the two most alike characters in the room by what they say, what they think and how they act however this all changes when Shelia see’s what her dad is really like. She and Mr.Birling by the end of the play are the two most contrasting people who no longer share the same views or thing in the same way. Shelia for this is seen as society as a whole, this is because she see’s what is wrong and changes who she wants to be and what she stands for. This is the same for society at the time it wanted to break out and have equality but it hadn’t had the chance to so Shelia breaking from her dad and their family’s way of life is what is seen to be the biggest change