Why did Priestly write An Inspector Calls?

Answer 1

This is in his perpective

I am writing this to tell you why I wrote the play 'The inspector Calls'. I wrote this play to give points about things I think are wrong. I wrote the play in 1945 partially because the war had just ended and I set the play in 1912 because now compared to then was completely different.

Part of the reason I wrote this play was to teach people that their everyday actions could have a very serious impact on others' life. For example with Sheila's jealousy, Sheila did not think about what her actions and did not think about what would happen to Eva Smith afterwards. If she knew that Eva Smith would die after the following events she would not have got her fired. I am showing that inconsiderate actions and decisions people can make without thinking can have very serious after effects.

Also I was trying to show through this play that conservative people should be open to change and by demonstrating conservative people more clearly, people would realise how bad it can be. For example Sheila and Eric clearly show remorse for what they have done and are ready for change. But conservative Mr and Mrs Birling show no remorse for what has happened and are still trying to defend themselves and are more concerned about their own reputations than what happened to Eva Smith. They even laugh at the situation and think everything is fine and they should carry on as they were before. Even though Mr and Mrs Birling had just been taught a lesson. This was to teach people that being conservative can make people blind to the morals and by showing people it actually happening it creates a clearer moral that the audience can actually think about.

Finally I wrote the play to make a point about how the upper class treated the lower class people, the upper class think that they are better than lower classes of people. I was trying to express that everyone should look after each other, to prevent cases of 'Eva Smith'. Also I was trying to show that high class people should look after the lower classes instead of looking down on them.

Answer 2

Is this, by any chance English coursework?!

My friend was reading 'An Inspecter Calls' but I was reading 'the Crucible' with school so I could only tell you about Arthur Miller....

Answer 3

J.B. Priestley's intention, while writing the play, was to encourage people to seize the oppurtunity the end of the war had given them and to create a more caring society.