An Inspector Calls

Question 1

Form, Genre, Structure

Answer 1

• Priestley choses to use the form of a play. Perhaps this was because the form of a play doesn’t allow for an individual response - those watching are responding collectively. This links to the message of the play - that we’re all one body and must take collective responsibility.
• This is a morality play. This highlights the sins which the characters are guilty of.
• The structure is cyclical, the family being together and end together.

Question 2

“All mixed up like bees in a hive - community and all that nonsense.”

Answer 2

Mr Birling to Gerald and Eric at the beginning of the play

• Mr Birling’s speech here is a polemic on why capitalism is preferable to socialism
• Priestley uses dramatic irony to signal to the audience that his views - including his views on society and socialism - are short-sighted and wrong (e.g. the post-war audience know that his statements on the Titanic being “unsinkable” are incorrect)
• The image of the “hive” symbolises society - Mr Birling believes that society is not supposed to be equal. The phrase “all that” highlights his arrogance: he brushes aside the notion that a fairer society is preferable.
• However, The self-assuredness of Mr Birling is shown by Priestley to be foolish here. The irony is that bees work collaboratively to the benefit of all, creating life-sustaining honey. This simile therefore implicitly highlights that a socialist system would indeed be better
• In this speech, Mr B calls himself a “hard-headed businessman” - this suggests his lack of empathy, which he considers as antithetical to success in business. However, again, Priestley uses implicit connotations to highlight how his outlook is wrong: “hard-headed” can suggest practicality, but it can also suggest stupidity (his view is actually the “nonsense” referred to in this quote).