The lighting in the first scene is very important. The stage directions show the colour and brightness of the light. Priestly uses this as a dramatic device very dexterously. The lightening which is first used is described as ‘pink and intimate’ showing a ‘warm’ and ‘joyful’ atmosphere. Somehow the audience gets the sense that it is just a screen covering up many of the secrets and that they are in fact looking through ‘rose-tinted glasses’ and that it is not really what it seems. This is confirmed when the Inspector appears and the lighting changes to a ‘brighter and harder’ light where it gives the feeling of exposure and the revelation of the actual truth. The lighting has many dramatic devices that surround it. One that is used well is the way the stage directions say ‘The lighting is pink and intimate’ it suggests a rather happy almost anxious family. The atmosphere around them almost is too perfect; this shows how it is usually for wealthy families.
When we hear the doorbell ring it opens a set a number of emotions on the characters, some of which are: – interest, curiosity and anxiety. After reading through some of the text the line that is before the sound “that a man has to mind his own business and look after himself and his own land”, is a record of the overall statement of capitalism. We can tell that the introduction of the Inspector allows the audience to become part of the play; it interests them to a great level. He puts the Birlings in an awkward situation and uncovers there true identities. Before his introduction the sound of the doorbell would suggest something symbolic as the Birlings will be asked a mixture of questions from the so called ‘police officer’. When the Inspector first talks, Birling appears as a defensive character, “Incidentally we have been modestly celebrating his engagement to my daughter”. Priestly also uses the doorbell to create an atmosphere of confusion and tension. Whilst Mr.Birling is concluding one of his speeches the doorbell rings and everything turns to complete silence, they know something is about to happen, and underneath they are extremely worried. ‘We hear the sharp ring of a front door bell. Birling stops to listen.’ ‘As he hesitates there is a ring at the front door. They look at each other in alarm.’ This is the only time we ever hear the doorbell in the story, we can clearly see that from now onwards the story is not going to be easy for the Birling’s. There is also the effect of Edna answering the door for the Birling’s as she is lower class.
The introduction of a new major character creates a high amount of tension between the Birling family and the inspector. An example of this is when Sheila asks where Gerald was last summer and Gerald covers this up. The secrets within the family create a huge amount of tension. Priestly also uses continuous repetition in order to build up tension, even before the Inspector arrives Mr.Birling keeps hinting that they might have done
something wrong, he says ‘so long as we behave ourselves’. One other example which is used is when Arthur tells Gerald about his possible knighthood, as soon as Gerald asks
him when this is taking place Mr.Birling refuses to tell his son when he enters the room. It could be true that J.B.Priestly also uses accusations between the members of the family
to create tension; an example of this is ‘unless Eric has done something’. Overall, Priestly uses tension as a dramatic device in order to keep the audience awake, anxious and alert, and so that they are aware to his socialist message.
Priestly makes use of the characters by furthering the plot with solid exits. As the scene is always in the Dining Room it takes a toll on the characters and basically tears them out of the room. The inspector shows a single photograph to Sheila, who recognizes the girl and runs away desperately. Drama is being created at this point in the story, which leaves the audiences’ heads conjecturing for a brief moment. The reaction from the Inspector can also be shown as a dramatic device, “the inspector puts the photograph back into his pocket and stares speculatively after her”. The sentence after reads “the other three stare in amazement for a moment”, which makes them feel anxious and they don’t know what’s going to happen next. Edna who is invisible is one of the last characters to leave because she brings The Inspector to the house and she is the only one who can take him back and she does. Eric is one of the first to leave the stage with others like Sybil and Sheila. So many questions are asked after this like: where is Eric going and what is going to do? Why is he drunk? Nearer the end of the first act we see Sheila confessing to some of her previous actions. An instance of this is when Sheila breaks down after telling her part of the story. She utters “How could I know what would happen afterwards?” This quotation shows that if she knew what had happened she would never have done it. She also speaks “Don’t you understand? And if I could help her now, I would –“this is showing how she is reflecting on her previous events.
Priestley also emphasises the difference between the upper and lower classes very strongly throughout the play. He uses the Birling family as a representative of the Upper Class and Eva Smith as a representative of the working class. Priestley shows how in 1912, Upper Class citizens, such as the Birlings had no respect for Lower Class citizens. He uses this class divide to convey his message and to show that the inflexibility of the class system is mismatched with his views on community and responsibility.
Priestly also uses cliff-hangers to create tension within the audience. At the end of Act One we hear that Gerald admits to having an affair with a girl named Eva Smith. The Inspector then enters an simply says ‘Well?’ this hooks the audience, as they want to find out what happens next in the play, keeping them on the edge of their seats. Act One leaves the audience wondering how Gerald has met Eva, and how he is involved with her murder. Everyone is suspected at this pivotal moment in the story, and it is also a chance for the audience to get involved. When the Inspector first talks
Act One is ironic in retrospect because it is recapping the time change, these things have already happened. Much like the Titanic, when Mr.Birling says “the Titanic is absolutely unsinkable”; we all know this incident has already happened. Mr.Birling also states that another war will not occur, in fact as we all have gathered he is very wrong. The Balkan War had commenced shortly after the story, killing thousand of soldiers protecting their country. Overall, Act One suggests the time differentiations and the different things that happened around the time period of 1912 to 1945.
The playwright changes my opinion of the Birlings in Act One in many diverse ways. The first change is an instance when we are first familiarized to the ‘pink and intimate’ lighting. The family are cheerfully talking and dramatising as if everything is ok between themselves, and then all of a sudden the inspector calls. He then alters the atmosphere (a brighter and harder light) revealing the true identity of the Birling family. My next point is when Sheila repetitively calls her Mother ‘Mummy’ and her Father ‘Daddy’. This is a more aristocratic version suited for the richer family which is still used in the present day. It has transformed my opinion about the Birlings because Sheila has the capability to use such words. These words show an affluent and more or less stuck up family. My last conclusion is when we are told that Sheila wanted Eva out of Milwards because of pure jealously; it can be said that this is one of the seven deadly sins. Only because of Sheila’s family name was Eva sued; it shows the families importance at this moment.
Priestly maintains the interest of the audience throughout the play by progressive eye-openers. One example of this is would include Sheila’s story; how she met this girl and what she eventually did to her are key elements. Another interest which perplexes the audience is ‘who is actually responsible?’ Throughout the story we hear many different sides of the family’s story and we never clearly find out who is directly responsible for Eva Smiths death. This keeps the audience in a state of suspense, which can also be used as a dramatic device. My last point is the climaxes at the end of each act. Sheila’s dramatic exit and the Inspector waiting for his answer are two things that keep the audience engaged.
I conclude that the playwright’s message was to show the audience how not to live their lives and he uses dramatic devices to demonstrate this. As the story progresses we get told many things by Priestly, some of the things he does include grabbing emotions from a person. One example of this is the suicide of Eva, it reaches into the bottom of our heart. The happy family act put on by the Birlings is soon uncovered by the Inspector as the lighting shows this He makes the audience reflect over the fact that they are actually ‘members of one body’ and that they are all ‘responsible for one another’ and has made them realise that socialism is the way forward instead of capitalism. In this way, An Inspector Calls is very relevant today's society where people still do need to work together and help others in need. Priestly effectively uses many dramatic devices in An Inspector Calls, such as symbolism, timings, tension and cliffhangers. He applies them in order to portray his political views, using an upper class, Edwardian family to do so.
