Contrast In An Inspector Calls

There are many contrasts in the play, ‘An inspector calls’. Priestley uses contrasts to highlight key differences in groups and ideologies.
One contrast is the ‘socialist’ and ‘capitalist’ views. At the beginning of the play, page 9, Birling says, ‘a man has to make his own way- has to look after himself- and his family too, of course.’ This shows that Birling clearly has capitalist views. He believes that everyone should look after themselves and they can’t take responsibility for things that happen to other people. He won’t accept the fact that he did play a part in Eva Smith’s demise. You know this for certain by the quote, ‘Still I can’t accept any responsibility. If we were all responsible for everything that happened to everybody we’d had anything to do with, it would be very awkward, wouldn’t it?’ Priestley uses Birling to emphasise the capitalist’s selfish attitude and greed. Once Priestley has established Birling to be this way he then makes him seem foolish by using dramatic irony, he makes Birling say things that the audience will know to be false, such as, ‘The Germans don’t want war’, it is clear that the Germans do want war because later comes world war two. These small things all …show more content…
Eva Smith had nothing; the Birling's have more than they need. The Birling's house was described in the stage directions as having China plates, the finest port and port glasses to go with it. They smoked expensive cigars while Eva Smith could not afford a meal. The inspector told them she had been thrown out of two jobs and then come into trouble with a few men. Gerald took care of her for a while until he could no longer before Eric gave her a baby and stole money for her. She refused to accept it and committed suicide as she could not feed herself. Mr Birling looked down on her because she had nothing and refused to increase her salary. This definitely makes him look like an unpleasant