J.B. Priestley tries to influence the audience in a number of ways and does this, to a degree, in a very convincing manner by incorporating dramatic devices into the play. He uses these devices almost immediately, with dramatic irony being used to show the arrogance of Mr. Birling, a capitalist who is self-centred and governed by money. He talks of Titanic and the War.
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This is an extremely significant quote from Arthur Birling as it is very typical of something that Birling or any other capitalist would say. He can be very arrogant and stubborn, especially when he is being interrogated as he is used to having a high authority such as within his household or business. He can be overly confident in what he says and believes, such as when he talks about the “unsinkable” Titanic and when he says “That’s what you’ve got to keep your eye on, facts like that”. This is a very strong quote and Priestley uses the word “fact” to signify just how wrong Birling was. The use of dramatic irony is important for the playwright to convey his concerns as the audience knows that all of these events turn out to be horrendous such as the war. ******* Priestley does this to make the audience wonder exactly what is going to happen next as the characters do not even know themselves. This is why the dates 1912 and 1945 are important so the contrast can be seen. A sense of uneasiness is built up as Priestley does this very subtlety; enticing the audience as the story progresses. This was quite typical for people within this time period of which the book is based; they were sometimes too confident that they would not be prepared for when something does go wrong, and when it does they are unsure of what to do. This is one of Priestley’s concerns about capitalists. This is presented through Birling and the way he gets angry at the Inspector, his aggressiveness is a form of defence. All of this makes a mockery out of those who support capitalism and Priestley is portraying his own views and opinions about them which are clearly negative.
Another dramatic device is lighting and Priestley used it very well. At the beginning of the play it is “pink and intimate” suggesting a perhaps calm, home-like feel. In comparison, it becomes “brighter and harder” when the Inspector is present and this shows the tense atmosphere that is in place. The “brighter and harder” part could represent the Inspector in a number of ways, one in which he stands out from the Birling family, being “bright” and different with his views clearly seen and distinguished from the others. Also, the way he interrogates the family is extremely aggressive, or “hard”. This shows how important realisations and revelations can be; they can change a person completely such as when Birling laughs off what the Inspector has told him after his disappears and Birling’s attitude is that it had not been real so he can go back to his old, capitalist ways. However, just minutes later, Birling receives a phone call telling him of a young girl called that has died and he realises that what the Inspector has said was in fact true, and the revelations that take place scare Birling and it is perhaps at this time where he finally takes some sort of responsibility for the girls death.
Priestley continues to show his negative views on capitalists and the use of character entrances and exits allows him to display these views in a very strong manner. Shortly after birling talks to Gerald about “his possible knighthood”, the Inspector enters the house. Birling’s attitude changes significantly and he, in a way, contradicts himself as he says,
“A man has to look after himself and his own.”
This is exactly what the mood is like when the Inspector is interrogating the Birling family as they are no longer a unit and must answer for themselves and no-one else. This is ironic as Birling struggles to do what he has, just minutes previously, told Gerald. This is also satirising capitalists as Priestley yet again displays them as self-centred and big-headed, not being able to cope with a situation that they would punish others for.
Overall, I think that Priestley used dramatic devices very well to convey his concerns to the audience and that his message is still relevant today. In order for people to succeed, they must work together for a better quality of life instead of working solely for themselves. However, a socialist world would not work as there would always be people wanting to make money for themselves and perhaps, in an ideal world, socialism would be the path that everyone follows, but in reality, this would not happen as people would not be willing to give up what they have earned and would feel as though they are losing their individuality by sharing everything with everyone, being in different classes to what they currently are. So in all, even though Priestley is right in many of his views such as against capitalism, in the real world, socialism would not succeed.