Student Question
What are the main points of J.B. Priestley's play An Inspector Calls?
Quick answer:
The main points of J.B. Priestley's play include the theme of social responsibility and the hypocrisy of those who are quick to judge others while being guilty themselves. The plot reveals how each member of a respectable family contributed to the downfall of a young woman who committed suicide. The inspector's investigation exposes social issues such as exploitation, indifference, greed, and hypocrisy, highlighting the need for moral accountability and empathy.
Do you mean themes? The main idea Priestley is focusing on is the observation that the people most likely to criticize or even condemn are those who are "guilty" themselves....
In this story, members of a respectable family are informed about the suicide of a young girl who found herself pregnant and without resources to look after herself or her future baby. As the plot unfolds, the reader learns that each member had been involved in some way or another in her life but nobody helped when the opportunity arose. Furthermore, their choices (both individual and collective) paved the way to her downfall.
As the inspector in the story delves into the sinister side of the Birlings' past, Priestly "shines the light" on certaiin social blights such as exploitation of the poor, indifference, greed, hypocrisy, etc.
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