Robot Says…

The Titanic is a key symbol in An Inspector Calls, representing human arrogance and the dangers of overconfidence in progress and technology.
Mr Birling uses the Titanic as an example of human achievement during his speech: "unsinkable, absolutely unsinkable." This dramatic irony underscores Priestley’s critique of capitalist complacency and arrogance, as the audience knows the Titanic tragically sank in 1912.
Priestley sets the play in 1912, before both World War I and the sinking of the Titanic, to highlight the ignorance and hubris of characters like Mr Birling, who confidently predicts a future of stability and progress: "The Germans don't want war."
The Titanic serves as a microcosm of Edwardian society, with its rigid class divisions mirrored in the play. The upper classes, like the Birlings, are depicted as secure and entitled, while the lower classes are more vulnerable and expendable.
The disaster of the Titanic can be linked to Priestley’s broader socialist message. The ship's fate demonstrates the consequences of ignoring collective responsibility, a theme reinforced by Inspector Goole when he warns: "We are members of one body. We are responsible for each other."
The Titanic also symbolises the fragility of human constructs, both physical and societal. Priestley uses this to challenge the audience’s faith in unchecked industrial and social progress, urging a more cautious and community-focused approach to the future.
The historical context of the Titanic amplifies the play’s themes of accountability and foresight. Priestley uses the hindsight of his 1945 audience to expose the failures of the pre-war generation and advocate for societal change. </aside>

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