The inspector is very successful with Sheila, she admitted to what she had done wrong straight away and fully regretted it, Eric was the same. Gerald did take a while to admit what he had done, but when he did, he admitted everything even in front of Sheila. Mr Birling did say he knew Eva, but he said he had nothing to do with her committing suicide because he was just doing his job. The inspector wasn’t successful with Mrs Birling though, she said she had never seen or heard of the girl before, and then when she did admit to knowing Eva Smith, she completely lied about what happened. In the end though she admitted to what she had done. In the end the inspector is very successful because he finds out they all had something to do with Eva Smith committing suicide.
I think the inspector had the biggest effect on Sheila because she admitted what she had done wrong straight away, and regretted it. This is what she says to prove this. “I behaved badly too. I know I did. I'm ashamed if it. But now your beginning all over again to pretend that nothing much has happened.” Sheila is the youngest of the family and she acts the most mature out of all of them.
I think the inspector had a big effect on Eric because like Sheila, he admitted what he had done wrong and felt guilty about. Also he is young as well like Sheila. This is what he says to prove this “its still the same rotten story whether its been told by a police inspector or someone else its what happened to the girl and what we all did to her that matters”. This also proves that Eric cares for her.
I think the Inspector didn’t have much effect on Gerald. He didn’t admit to it at first, but he didn’t really do much to the girl, he helped her but he did take advantage of her though. When he did admit to it he told them everything, with Sheila listening. This is something Gerald says to prove this “I’m sorry, Sheila. But it was all over and done with last summer. I hadn’t set eyes on the girl for at least six months. I don’t come into this suicide business.”
The Inspector did have an effect on Mr Birling, but Birling didn’t really admit to what he had done because he thought he was just doing his job, he did sack her though which started off the whole thing, but he could easily argue it was fair to sack her. This is something Birling says to prove this. “I don’t see we need to tell the inspector anything more. In fact, there’s nothing I can tell him. I told the girl to clear out, and she went. That’s the last I heard of her. Have you any idea on what happened to her after that? Get into trouble? Go on to the streets?
The inspector had no effect at all on Mrs Birling. She didn’t admit what she had done at all, and when she did admit to it she said that it wasn’t her fault, like her husband she said that she was just doing her job. She also shouts at the inspector and she isn’t ashamed of what she had done. This is something she says to prove this “If you think, you can bring any pressure to bear upon me, inspector, you’re quite mistaken. Unlike the other three I did nothing i'm ashamed of or that wont bear investigation. She seemed to me to be not a good case, and so I used my influence to have it refused, and in spite of what’s happened to the girl since, I consider I did my duty. So if I prefer not to discuss it any further, you have no power to make me change my mind.” This also proves that she thinks all the others were to blame and not her, although actually she was probably the most responsible for her death.
The inspector’s role is related to social and historical factors because during the war and the evacuation of children into the countryside meant that people were thrown together in a new way. Because of this they learnt about each other and to care for each other as an individual. This is exactly what the inspector was trying to do, teach them a lesson so that they would end up being these caring, loving people.
In a stage production the inspector would be portrayed, as when he walks in there should be a brighter light shining on the inspector so that he is noticed straight away and he should appear suddenly from nowhere. The inspector should be in his mid-40 and when he speaks, he speaks in a different way to all the others. The effects, which would be necessary to support the portrayal of his character, he should dress differently to the others and lighting should change when he speaks. He should be always sitting down and should act mysteriously.
