Compare and contrast Mr. Birling and Sheila Birling Essay -- English L

Compare and contrast the characters of Mr. Birling and Sheila Birling in their attitudes to social issues. In the play â€Å"An Inspector Calls† by J.B. Priestly, Mr. Birling and Sheila Birling have contrasting attitudes to social issues. The author uses this difference to highlight the diversity between generations and their reactions to situations faced. Arthur Birling is the father to Sheila Birling and so is presented as the older, â€Å"old-fashioned† generation whereas Shelia is the younger generation, who is more aware of the responsibilities they have towards other people. (?) The play begins with Mr. Birling and his family celebrating the engagement of Sheila to Gerald. The atmosphere is happy and light-hearted. Before the Inspector arrives, Birling is happy with life and himself. He says, â€Å"It’s one of the happiest nights of my life†. This shows that he is quite selfish because he only thinks that it is one of the happiest nights of his life, not of Sheila and Gerald’s. He also shows that he can accept economic change in business but not social and personal change, as we see later in the play. He says, â€Å"There’ll be peace and prosperity and rapid progress everywhere – except of course in Russia, which will always be behindhand naturally.† Mr. Birling’s tone of voice at the beginning of this quotation is boastful which changes to scorn when he talks about Russia. His scornful attitude towards Russia emphasises Mr. Birling’s lack of attitude towards others. Sheila, too, is in a happy and playful mood at the beginning of the play. The stage directions say â€Å"half playful, half serious† which emphasises her good mood. Sheila doesn’t say much at the beginning as it is Mr. Birling doing most of the talking. Bot... ... still affected by what has happened even though it may not be true. She doesn’t understand how her father can go back to normal. Mr. Birling emphasises the differences between the older and younger generations and refuses to accept social change. Sheila gets stronger throughout the play and she symbolises the new generation and society. Sheila accepts change and knows what they did was wrong. She understands that if it had happened, there would have been consequences. The message that J.B Priestly is putting across is that people have a responsibility towards others. The Inspector says, â€Å"We don’t live alone. We are members of one body. We are responsible for each other†¦if men will not learn that lesson, then they will be taught it in fire and blood and anguish.† The party at the beginning represents society but underneath the happiness, society is rotten.