The Generational Divide in ‘An Inspector Calls’
I feel that the younger generation in ‘An Inspector Calls’ are ‘more impressionable’ as they are still growing and being shaped by daily events that happen in their lives, whereas the older generation are dismissive as they are unwilling to change the ways that they have grown to live by.
The Inspector, as well as investigating their actions contributing to the death of Eva Smith, is examining their morality and appealing to their sense of responsibility. This is where I feel that the two generations contrast the most, in their ability to accept responsibility. For example, Sheila admits ‘between us, we killed her’ and is willing to accept some responsibility for her part in the death of Eva. Sheila and Eric both understand the Inspector’s lesson even though it may not have been a real case but their parents believe that there is no lesson because his example has no proof of being real. Their parents are totally unwilling to admit any responsibility towards the death. The stage directions show their hostility towards the Inspector and their impatience with the Inspector and Arthur Birling is annoyed at his intrusion on their celebration and he tries to exert his influence on the Inspector to intimidate him. Mr Birling summarises his views perfectly when he says ‘If we were all responsible for everything that happened to everybody we’d had anything to do with, it would be very awkward’. He is interested in his own well-being and his priorities are ‘his own business and looking after himself and his own’. He also voices some frustration when he says ‘community and all that nonsense’. The time period when the play was first performed was just after a second World War where the community was extremely close-knit, so this statement makes Birling look nonsensical and not very credible, so that Priestley can convey to the audience that this is how a man showing no responsibility talks and possibly discourage...