How does JB Priestly explore and present the theme of gender in the play ‘An Inspector Calls?
How does JB Priestly explore and present the theme of gender in the play ‘An Inspector Calls”?
Section 3 -
Throughout this play JB Priestly has included a range of female characters in the play, from an upper class snob, through a mature daughter and a working class girl. However Eva Smith, the working class girl, was the only character who suffered the most because of her gender, she was treated differently by all character throughout the play. She had no value in society what so ever and we’ve seen this on many different occasions, firstly when Mr.Birling talks about her and quotes, “We were paying the usual rates and if they didn’t like those rates, they could go work somewhere else”, this quote informs us about Mr.Birling views on working class women, in the quote he is indirectly suggesting that he doesn’t need those women to work for him, ‘they could go work somewhere else”, he is basically implying that those women aren’t important for him, he doesn’t need them, if they don’t like what he does they can go work somewhere else, this also shows the lack of respect he has for those women. His tone of voice also tells us that he still doesn’t care or regret the fact the he sacked Eva from her job for asking for a raise. This is just one example of how lower class women were treated, but to think of it upper class women weren’t treated any better either.
Even though they were upper class they only had a few more rights than the working class, only because they’re women, so gender does play an important part in the play ‘An Inspector Calls’. The theme of gender is just as important as social class and age as well because Sheila was upper class too just like Mr.Birling, Gerald and Eric but she was a lot more mature and open minded than all of this in terms of accepting responsibility for her actions, and also her attitude towards gender. Unlike the rest of the family Sheila doesn’t separate lower class women from herself and her family as she says, “But
Section 3 -
Throughout this play JB Priestly has included a range of female characters in the play, from an upper class snob, through a mature daughter and a working class girl. However Eva Smith, the working class girl, was the only character who suffered the most because of her gender, she was treated differently by all character throughout the play. She had no value in society what so ever and we’ve seen this on many different occasions, firstly when Mr.Birling talks about her and quotes, “We were paying the usual rates and if they didn’t like those rates, they could go work somewhere else”, this quote informs us about Mr.Birling views on working class women, in the quote he is indirectly suggesting that he doesn’t need those women to work for him, ‘they could go work somewhere else”, he is basically implying that those women aren’t important for him, he doesn’t need them, if they don’t like what he does they can go work somewhere else, this also shows the lack of respect he has for those women. His tone of voice also tells us that he still doesn’t care or regret the fact the he sacked Eva from her job for asking for a raise. This is just one example of how lower class women were treated, but to think of it upper class women weren’t treated any better either.
Even though they were upper class they only had a few more rights than the working class, only because they’re women, so gender does play an important part in the play ‘An Inspector Calls’. The theme of gender is just as important as social class and age as well because Sheila was upper class too just like Mr.Birling, Gerald and Eric but she was a lot more mature and open minded than all of this in terms of accepting responsibility for her actions, and also her attitude towards gender. Unlike the rest of the family Sheila doesn’t separate lower class women from herself and her family as she says, “But