An_Inspector_Calls

An Inspector Calls Character Profile - Arthur Birling Regards himself as reasonable and pays the going rate to employees. Unable to grasp link between actions and consequences, or wider social/world issues. No concepts of value other than money and position (speech pg. 4 - Daughter as deal). Proud of his status and is a social climber (Daughter's marriage for status pg. 4, 8). Sees him & wife as upholding 'right' values and as guardians of 'proper' conduct. Is blind to issues of the day and has a false optimism for the future based on his inability to analyse the world around him (Future speeches pg. 6, 7). Speeches are used as a device by Priestley to show Birling's naïveté (ignorance), as all that he predicts is wrong (play written with benefit of hindsight in 1945). Mr. Birling is almost a stereotype/caricature of the capitalistic businessman its inherent callous heartlessness. Note references to capitalism (pg. 6, 7), business (pg. 6 "hard headed businessman," 10 "mind his own business") and profit (pg. 14, 15). He is proud of his status and reminds other of it (pg. 8 "knighthood" p.10 "Bench"), especially when trying to put the Inspector in his place (p.16 "golf"). He is so uneasy about these matters that he is uneasy about Gerald marrying Sheila (pg. an, inspector, calls, gerald, birling, about, sheila, play, eric, way, sybil, profile, eva, end, she, social, first, truth, status, something, society, sees, seems, says, parents, own, out, one, makes, issues, father, family, comments, clear, class, character, being, very, uneasy, through, thinks, themselves, surprised, situation, seen, revelations, renton