Answer:
In "An Inspector Calls," Mr. Birling is presented as a pompous and self-important businessman who is more concerned with his social status and reputation than with the welfare of others. He is shown to be arrogant and dismissive of those who he perceives to be beneath him, including his own family. For example, he refers to the working class as "lower costs and higher prices" and claims that "a man has to look after himself." He is also portrayed as being out of touch with reality and insensitive to the concerns of others. For instance, he dismisses the idea of war and the possibility of social unrest as being unlikely, despite the fact that World War I has already occurred and the play is set in 1912. Overall, Mr. Birling is presented as a symbol of the capitalist class, which is more concerned with profit and prestige than with social justice and equality.
Step-by-step explanation:
Mr. Birling is presented as a character who is obsessed with his own wealth and status. He is proud of his achievements and is eager to show off his wealth to others. For example, he boasts about his knighthood and his connections to important people in the community.
Another way in which Mr. Birling is presented is as a character who is out of touch with reality. He is convinced that the world is stable and that nothing can threaten his position of power. He dismisses the idea of war and the possibility of social unrest as being unlikely, despite the fact that World War I has already occurred and the play is set in 1912, just two years before the outbreak of World War I. This shows that Mr. Birling is ignorant of the larger forces that shape society and is unable to see beyond his own narrow perspective.
Finally, Mr. Birling is presented as a symbol of the capitalist class. He is more concerned with profit and prestige than with social justice and equality. He is dismissive of the working class and believes that they exist solely to serve the interests of the wealthy. This is shown in his statement that "a man has to look after himself," which suggests that he believes that everyone is responsible for their own fate and that the poor should not expect any help from the rich. Overall, Mr. Birling is presented as a character who is selfish, arrogant, and out of touch with reality, and who embodies the worst aspects of the capitalist system.