The genre of The Inspector Calls is a thriller and detective as you do not know what is going to happen next. Also you are constantly discovering more about the characters to reveal more of the plot to the audience. The play is also has a detective to show that there is a sense of mystery as the audience dose not know the full story at the beginning they only know it at the end. In the olden days thriller plays were quite popular this is because they are addicting to the audience as they want to know what happens next.
Also when this play came out (which was quite some time ago) the rule was that in the family the father was always the head and whatever he said the family had to follow. As soon as the daughter was married she had to listen to their husband and not their dad. Women who were of higher class were not allowed to have sex before marriage and the only ones who did were prostitutes who were known as lower class. These lower class women were used to practise sex for men.
The uses of dramatic irony is that firstly when the doorbell rang .Writer uses the adjective sharp as he says ‘sharp door bell’. This is dramatic irony as a doorbell cannot make a sharp noise. Another use of dramatic irony is when Mr Birling comments about the titanic and saying that it is not going to sink but everyone knows that it actually does.
The writer uses the stage craft to give out subliminal messages. An example of this is the lighting at the start of the play shows that something bad was going to happen and then when the inspector comes the lighting dimmers this shows that the Inspector is bad news. Also the useful sound effects like when the bell rings it shows that it is interrupting. The effect of a new major has a big effect on the rest of the characters. As it makes the character anxious and apprehensive. Also the characters keep leaving the room it makes the audience ponder weather they are going to come back this makes them more addicted. The effects of act 1 make the audience want to know who is the main suspect.
Most of Act 1 is ironic in retrospect as what Mr Birling saying about World War 1 will not happen or about how he thinks the titanic won’t sink. However he was wrong and the Titanic actually did drown or World War 1 did happen. This shows Mr Birlings bombastic personality as he thinks he is too good for anyone.
Sheila shows that she is the most mature as she accepts her responsibility but also she has the least to do with Eva death. Also Sheila shows that everyone is to blame shows that the older generation are just as bad as the younger generation.
The dramatic effect about the inspector not showing the picture to the 2 boy could mean that the boys maybe on about the wrong girl, and also if the girl was not real form the beginning it still matters because it makes them think about their actions that they have taken. Also this still causes tension. Tension is created and maintained as firstly the inspector doesn’t show the picture to the boys and then doesn’t show it throughout the whole play and only to Mr Birling.
The play write changes the audience opinion about the Birlings. Shelia and Eric learn from their mistakes and shows that they are the bigger person. However Gerald, Mr Birling and Mrs Birling show that they do not learn from the lesson. The method which Priestly uses to find out who’s to blame made everyone think about their actions, but Gerald, Mr Birling and Mrs Birling have not learnt and thought that since the inspector was not real it okay to go back to their old ways.
