Themes: Responsibility

Throughout the play, Priestly highlights the different roles the Birling family played in the fall of Eva Smith.  Although he highlights that each had some hand in her ultimate suicide, he does not lay the responsibility of it at any sole person.  Instead, he comments that responsibility is shared.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kFDPDh8z3zw

Most characters in the play have a narrow view of responsibility and therefore don't believe that they should be blamed for Eva Smith's suicide.  They believe they are only responsible for themselves and providing what they believe is right.

For example, Mr. Birling believes that his only responsibility is to make money and to provide for his family, regardless of how that could impact on others.  This is also Priestly making a comment on capitalist ideals - the fact that Mr Birling will not accept that he played some small part in the downfall of Eva Smith shows him to be slightly selfish.  Which, in turn, is putting down capitalist ideals.

Mrs Birling also has a narrow-minded view of responsibility.  She does take her responsibility to help those in need with her role as chair of the Women's Charity Organisation, however she only deems it necessary to help those that she thinks are deserving of help.  She feels that when she turned Eva Smith away, she was right in doing do and says that she'd do it again in the same way, if she had to.  This again is highlighting Priestly's negative views of an un-Socialist society, as people are all for themselves, damm the consequences.

The only person who appears to accept some responsibility is Sheila, who, towards the end of the play, seems to change her perceptions and accept that she may have had some part in Eva Smith's downfall.

TASK: Find examples that Sheila has changed her opinions and now feels some responsibility to the events that have unfolded.