A Thematic Analysis of An Inspector Calls

王晨溪

【摘要】《罪惡之家》是普里斯特利的著名三幕劇。本劇通過一位年輕女工的自殺案件，探長古爾步步緊逼，證明柏林一家的每一個人都要為女工的死負責。此劇體現了資本主義和社會主義的沖突，揭露了資本家迫害工人的罪惡，同時也體現了劇本深刻的社會寓意，即每個人都應承擔整體的社會責任，共建和諧社會。

【關鍵詞】罪惡之家 沖突 社會責任

【Abstract】An Inspector Calls is a three-act drama of J. B. Priestley. Under the interrogation of inspector Goole， this paly reveals that everyone in the Birling family should be responsible for the young womans suiside. An Inspector Calls is the embodiment of confrontations between the capitalism and the working class， exposing the evil nature of the capitalism. The play also shows the hope of Priestley that everyone needs to take joint social responsibility and make efforts to build a hamonious society.

【Key words】An Inspector Calls； confrontations； social responsibility

1. Humanity Interpretation of the Capitalism

1.1 Vanity and Arrogance

At the beginning of the play， standing there in front of the readers is a description of the Birlings house， which says： “The dining room of a fairly large suburban house， belonging to a prosperous manufacturer. It has good solid furniture of the period. The general effect is substantial and heavily comfortable， but not cosy and homelike.” （Priestley， 1945： 1） The luxury decoration of the house is a status showing of the upper class. As for women， their dresses also present more meanig.

They take use of their ststus to enjoy the privilege. On the one hand， they show rudeness and scorn to those ordinary people； on the other hand， they could hardly stand any disrespect.

1.2 Utilitarianism

Utilitarianism is the nature of capitalists， who set great store on their intersts unscrupulously. Mr. Birling fairly contributes to his daughter's marriage with Gerald. In his eyes， he could get considerable interests from their marriage and he says that “your engagement means a tremendous lot to me.” （Priestley， 1945： 4）

Whats more， he is even unwilling to leak any information to Gerald. As is shown in this sentence， “We neednt bother him with all that stuff.” （Priestley， 1945： 61）

1.3 Moral hypocrisy

Mrs. Birling is a prominent member of the Brumley Womans Charity Organization， to which women in distress could appeal for help in various forms. （Priestley， 1945： 42） However， when Eva Smith comes to seek help， she is refused under the influence of Mrs. Birling and what to be blame is the childs father. As a mother， Mrs. Birling could not be touched by the poor mother with a child. （Hu 2010）

In order to win Sheilas heart， Gerald behaves gentally in front of the Birling family. However， underneath his politeness， there conceal deceit and cunning in him. Gerald keeps Eva Smith his mistress in the name of helping her and do not come to see Sheila on the pretext of busy work. When his scandal is exposed， he pretends to be honest and penitent.

2. Social responsbility and Harmonious Society

Everyone in the Birling family adds fuel to the fire. No single person in the Birling family is solely responsible for Eva Smiths death. It is their composition of forces as a hermetic capitalism that pushes the vulnerable women to death.

Eva Smith is one the victims of capitalism， and she is the representative of the working class being oppressed and discriminated by the capitalism. As what the Inspector maintains in the play： “One Eva Smith has gone – but there are millions and millions and millions of Eva Smiths and John Smiths still left with us， with their lives， their hopes and fears， their sufferings and chance of happiness … We are members of one body. We are responsible for each other.” （Priestley， 1945： 56） It is obvious that J. B. Priestley puts forward his proposition through the voice of the Inspector Goole， which raise a call for the shared responsbility and a harmonious society.

Conclusion

As what the Inspector Goole says in the play， “If men will not learn to be responsible for each other， then they will be taught this lesson in fire and blood and anguish.” （Priestley， 1945： 70） We can also feel the expectation of Priestley that everyone needs to take joint social responsibility and construct a hamonious society.

References：

[1]Hu ting.J.B.2010.Priestley's Advocacy on Consructing a Harmonious Society in An Inspector Calls.Overseas English.

[2]Priestley J.B.1945.An Inspector Calls.In the Heinnemann Palys Series.Heinnemann Editional Publishers.

[3]劉平.“丑事仍然還是丑事”——話劇《探長來訪》觀后[J].中國戲劇，1990.

[4]呂舒婷.二十，三十，五十——年齡增，道德減——對《罪惡之家》中三個年齡段人物的道德解讀[J].安徽文學，2010.