In an inspector calls Priestley presents Mr Birling as being a successful business man who is ruthless. He is also very proud and boasts lots to make him have more social authority. Another reason is that Priestley is very optimistic. Moreover he is very selfish and only cares about himself and his family.
Mr Birling comes across as being a successful business man who is ruthless. For example he plays golf with Chief Constable Colonel Roberts, golf is a luxury and is very expensive, he also plays with Colonel Roberts who is rich and Birling would only like to be seen with Rich high social class people “we play golf together sometimes up at the West Brumley” This shows that he is most likely a member of the club and would only be able to afford it if he is rich. We know he is ruthless because he fired Eva smith and a group of workers only because they wanted two and a half more shillings. This is a very small amount and he says himself “cheaper costs and higher prices” if he should get more for less then why can’t the workers get more for less.
He is also presented as being very proud and boastful. For example he shows off to Gerald about the port “this is the same port your father has” this shows that he wants Gerald to think he is as important as his father as to the public Gerald’s fathers company is better and Mr Birling wants to be like Gerald’s father. Another example of him being boastful is when he boast about how he was “lord mayor two years ago when Royalty visited us” he says this again only to Gerald and this shows he wants Gerald to think he is better than he is.
He is also presented and being incredibly optimistic. For example in his speech he talks about how the war will never happen and he is completely sure it will not happen “the Germans don’t want war”. This shows that he doesn’t actually know what he is talking about and two years later war