coursework: the Inspector calls

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Coursework: The Inspector calls

In J.B. Priestley’s play `An Inspector Calls`  Priestly uses many minor details such as setting, lighting and stage directions to create details of the characters personality especially Inspector Goole’s.

Firstly, at the start of the play the family is sitting around a table filled with left over food and the family chatting after their large meal. This is made clear in the original stage directions written by Priestly `the parlour maid is just clearing the table of … desert plates, champagne glasses etc.`. When the play was first opened it was just after the Second World War and the public watching the play were still on rations. This meant that as soon as the curtain came up the public was already making assumptions of the family’s wealth and greed. This is a good example of a subtle message that the writer is trying to send out to show the differences in the characters personality at the beginning of the play compared to the end when the Inspector arrives.

Secondly, at the start of the play the lighting is described as `pink and intimate` by the playwright in his stage directions. This gives a warm, secluded and unreal feeling to the stage. In contrast when the Inspector arrives in the play the lighting changes to become `brighter and harder`. This gives the effect of a reality but a harsh one. Also the Inspector brings the light with him, this is similar to the saying `Jesus is the light of the world`. So Priestly could be showing religious undertones figures as well as commenting on the family.

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Thirdly, during the play the Inspector shows a sort of omniscience. In the play there are many instances in which the Inspector seems to know the future. One such time is when he says `“I’m waiting” “Waiting for what” (Mrs. Birling) “To do my duty”` just after he says this Eric walks in. Also the Inspector seems to know the whole story before talking to the secondary characters. This suggests that the Inspector has some sort of Omniscience again the writer could be seen as comparing Goole to an all powerful being.

Furthermore, `An Inspector calls` shares some aspects with ...

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