“We are members of one body. We are responsible for each other”
How important is this idea in “An Inspector Calls?”
Write about: what you think Priestly is saying about responsibility and society
How priestly presents these ideas by the ways he writes.

In the thought-provoking play of “An Inspector Calls”, we are invited to explore how far the idea of “We are members of one body. We are responsible for each other” have played an important role in the play. By using the organ analogy by Durkheim, Priestly warns society that the ignorance attitude needs to be changed for collective responsibility. Arguably, Priestly is using the play as an instrument to criticize the upper class for their intolerant views of lower classes, exploiting them for their own gain, and see them as ‘cheap labour’.
Firstly, Priestly implies the character of Mr Birling as a symbol of the capitalist and laissez-faire upper class. When Birling was making on the dinner at the beginning, he stated’ ‘And I’m talking as a hard-headed, practical man of business. And I say there isn’t a chance of war, The world’s developing so fast that it’ll make war impossible.’ This depicts Mr Birling’s arrogance as he stated some facts that the audience knew it is wrong, as the play was set in 1912 but performed in 1945. By saying’ there isn’t chance of war’, Priestly uses his false statements to make the audience loses trust in him, realising his arrogance in his personality, as well as criticising the arrogance of the upper class. Moreover, he also stated ‘Well, it’s my duty to keep labour costs down… It’s a free country, I told them.’ The use of the word ‘duty’ indicates the theme of responsibility, but in context it is capitalist and cold-hearted, as Mr Birling sees putting pressure on the lower classes for profit and gain is inevitable and justified. The phrase ‘It’s a free country, I told them.’ suggests a frivolous and sarcastic tone, as it is hard for the working class like Eva Smith to find a job, and Mr Birling simply do not care. Additionally, Priestly uses ‘free country’ as an ironic critique to the country, that it is free, yet people suffer from poverty due to the upper class’s ignorance, which provokes us to consider and reflect on the true meaning of free and not to be chained with economic struggle. Furthermore, Mr Birling’s capitalist attitude further challenges the idea of organic analogy, as he stated “…we may look forward to the time when Crofts and Birlings are no longer competing but are working together- for lower costs and higher prices.’ It is clear that he is driven by money, a capitalist. The fact that he sees his daughter’s engagement as a chance to push ‘lower costs and higher prices’ depicted the reality of greed in the upper class. Not considering the impact of the ‘higher prices’, he values profits and gains over anything else.

Another character that both support and challenges the idea of ‘members of one body’ is Gerlad Croft. As the son of the Crofts family- a respected upper-class family, he found himself in affairs with a working-class woman-Daisy Renton, or Eva Smith who died from suicide due to the Birlings and the Croft’s actions. His sympathy towards the working class is shown by the line ‘The girl saw me looking at her and then gave me a glance that was nothing less than a cry for help.’ His use of ‘cry for help’ have an impact to the audience that he has a sympathy to feel sorry for Daisy Renton and willing to offer help, as he ‘insisted on Daisy moving into those rooms and I made her take some money to keep her going there.’ This is evidence to Gerald Corft’s generosity and his willingness to use his wealth to help others in need. He also stated, ‘I didn’t ask for anything in return.’ As he didn’t expect anything off Diasy Renton. This collective responsibility behaviour helps the audience see Gerald in a more positive light. However, upper-class’s stereotypic views of the lower-class remains within him despite from his sympathy. During his time in the palace bar, he stated ‘I hate those hard eye dough-faced women’-indicating prostitutes. His exploitation of woman based on looks further depicts his materialistic views-not only on money but also people.
Overall, Priestly employs the Birlings and the Crofts as an instrument to depict the ignorance of the upper-class, criticising their actions and suggests that the everybody have to look after for each other to finish the organ analogy of a peaceful, caring society.