The main plot of the play is how the family triggers a chain of events at different points leading up to a young girl’s, Eva Smith, death. This is established in Act one where Mr.Birling, his daughter Shelia and her fiancé Gerald are proved to be involved in the case.
In the Stage directions, the lighting is “pink” which suggests the mood in the house is light and comfortable. This is because the mood of the Birlings and Gerald is also happy, light and comfortable, as if they are pleased with themselves. J B Priestly cleverly changed the lighting as the Inspector enters to tell the audience the mood is changed. In the stage directions, it says that the lighting should be ‘pink and intimate until the Inspector arrives and then it should be brighter and harder’. This symbolizes that the Inspectors visit is going to disturb the mood and that he is going to interrogate the family.
The stage directions in ‘An Inspector Calls’ describe Shelia, Mr. Birlings daughter who is at that moment celebrating her engagement to Gerald, as a ‘pretty girl in her twenties, who is very pleased with life.’ Priestly uses the character of Shelia to represent all of the impressionable young girls in 1912. Whereas Gerald Croft is ‘an attractive chap of about 30.’ Mr. and Mrs. Birling are ‘well off business people’ and Eric, their youngest boy, is ‘a young man in his early twenties, not quite at ease, half shy, half assertive.’ The group are all very pleased with themselves and are happily celebrating Shelia and Gerald’s engagement, not knowing that everything was about to change.
The Birlings and Gerald’s celebration was interrupted by the dramatic device of the sound of the doorbell. Mr. Birling was in full flow of one of his many capitalist speeches in act one, when the sound of the doorbell pierces through the house, and the Inspector has arrived. The stage directions say, ‘we hear the sharp ring of the front doorbell. Birling stops to listen.’ Eric then continues, “Somebody’s at the front door”. After a few moments of talking Edna, the housekeeper, enters with the Inspector, saying “Please sir, an Inspectors called”. The arrival of the inspector is of course significant, because firstly, the Inspector breaks off Mr. Birling’s speech about how “you are only responsible for yours, your own and your business” and about “… community and all that nonsense.” When the Inspectors sole purpose in the play is to show the Birlings and Gerald the error of their ways, and prove that every action has a consequence that leads to others. Inspector Goole’s entrance is ironic in the sense that as he breaks off Mr. Birling’s speech, he’s already started to penetrate the family and their beliefs. The Birlings from there on have to start reflecting on themselves and their actions and accept the responsibilities of them. In the final speech made by the Inspector, he says “But just remember this. One Eva Smith has gone- but there are millions and millions of Eva Smiths and John Smiths still left with us, with their lives, their hopes and fears…” This is showing that the Inspectors point is that, although they’ve hurt one person by their actions and mistakes, there will always be others, and they have a chance to make sure they don’t make the same mistakes again.
Inspector Goole is a very mysterious character from when he enters in act one to when he leaves. Mr. Birling is from the arrival of the inspector, very wary of his character. The audience is at all times aware that the Inspector knows something yourself and the other characters don’t, as if the audience are waiting for the mystery to unravel further and the plot to thicken. The Inspectors name is ‘Goole’ which is another term for ‘Ghost’ or something supernatural. This raises the question of who exactly is Inspector Goole. The Birlings later in the play discover that the Inspector is after all, not a real police Inspector. On Gerald’s return to the house he says slowly “That man wasn’t a police officer.” The Birlings are all shocked and Mr. And Mrs. Birling are very pleased. “…Oh- lets admit that. He had the laugh of us alright.” Eric continues, “ He could laugh his head off…if I knew it was really a hoax.” Mr. Birling shakes his head, “I’m convinced it is. No police inquiry. No one girl that all of this happened to. No scandal…” Shelia then interrupts her father. “And no suicide??” When they found out about the inspector being a hoax it was Shelia and Eric who where sorry and wanted forgiveness for their sins, unlike Mr. And Mrs. Birling who were only to happy to forget all about it as long as there was no scandal. Though not many of its audience seemed happy with the character of the Inspector and it was sourly received when the play was published and screened in 1940. The public wanted to know if he, the inspector, was a realistic straight forward police inspector, was he a hoaxer, or was he something more and if so, what? The play is quite open-ended and leaves much to the imagination and presumption towards Inspector Goole’s character.
There are many examples of exits that are used to further the plot. For instance, the inspectors departure in act one. The Inspector leaves Gerald and Shelia alone together after startling Gerald by bringing up the name ‘Daisy Renton’ which Gerald obviously recognizes. Gerald later confesses to Shelia his involvements with Daisy. Inspector Goole then re-enters and demands an explanation from Gerald with a sharp “well?” This is a rhetorical question as we, the audience, have just heard the confession. However we as the audience want to know what happens next. The play is structured for dramatic effect with the entire action taking place in the Birling’s dining room. All the events happening off stage e.g. the strike, sacking of Eva Smith and the interview of Eva with Mrs. Birling.
In conclusion, J B Priestly uses many dramatic devices to express his socialist point of view. He clearly changes our opinion of the Birling’s from act one. In the stage directions in act one; it states that the Birlings have good solid furniture and a three-course meal, which indicates that they are a respectable family. By the end of act one the Birlings high-class reputation to the audience has dissolved. Priestly withholds information from you which makes you want to read on, as you are aware there is more to come. Priestly’s message of cause and effect, how one person’s actions affect another’s, is the moral of the play. Priestly wanted to demonstrate the values of life to the people the Birling family represent.
