Describe and discuss the role of the Inspector In

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Bethany Levine

G.C.S.E- English Literature assignment 20th century Drama – Describe and discuss the role of the Inspector In “An Inspector Calls.” By J.B Priestley

John Boynton Priestley was born in Bradford, Yorkshire on the 13th September 1894. Shortly after his birth his mother died .He was brought up by his father, a schoolmaster in a middle class family. At the age of sixteen, Priestley decided to leave school and find a job rather than work towards a university scholarship. He wanted to gain experience and familiarize himself with the way the lower and working classes lived. This working environment is where he gained his strong ethos on how people should be treated. He felt that “ the world outside the classrooms and labs would help me to become a better writer.” “ It was the years 1911-1914 that set their stamp upon me.” While gaining the practical working experience, which would later be of use, Priestley found himself surrounded by people who read a lot and preferred real conversation, rather than insignificant social chitchat. Priestley, who had grown up into his father’s circle of socialist left-wing friends, now found himself joining in with their political arguments. These discussions also influenced and framed the values which were later to predominate in Priestley writing. With the outbreak of war in 1914, Priestley at the age of twenty joined the infantry. He fought in both World Wars these experiences profoundly affected his writing. He felt that there would be no need for violence, if people treated each other better.

J.B Priestly wrote the play “An Inspector Calls” in 1945 within a week of World War Two ending and set it in 1912 two years before the start of the First World War. Priestley felt this was a good time to write the play and influence the audience, as the upper classes had been deeply affected and deprived by the war and felt now, more than ever, what it was like to live like the poor. J B Priestley wrote this play intentionally as he saw an urgent need for social change and used the play to express his desire for social equality. The time span between the dates used (1945-1912) is to make us aware of what has happened and learn from mistakes made. Priestley hoped his play would give society the chance, with hindsight, to look back on the past and not just carry on life in the same way as before. He took full advantage of writing in retrospect, to making sure that the audience realise how wrong people have been in assuming future events, he emphasizes this point by showing Mr Birling as ignorant to the facts that faced him “I say there isn’t a chance of war” “ the Titanic –she sails next week – forty six thousand eight hundred tons– forty six thousand eight hundred tons  -and unsinkable absolutely unsinkable.” Writing this after the events have happened enforces Priestley’s point of view .The play is set in an industrial city in the Midlands in 1912 and concerns a wealthy industrial Arthur Birling, his family, Sheila Birlings fiancé Gerald Croft and an Inspector. It shows how the family each help to destroy a young woman’s life-Eva Smith through their selfish and callous attitudes and behaviour, which results in her death. The play runs parallel to what was happening to society at the time. Each uncaring action/statement is backed up with ensuing consequences.    

Priestly uses the three Greek Unities, unity of time, unity of place and unity of action in this play in order to create suspense and tension for the audience. The whole play takes place in one room, the Birlings dining room, this is unity of place which creates tension as it restricts the movement of the characters and it keeps them all together with nowhere to escape leaving them no choice but to confess. Unity of time is used as the play takes place on one evening, this makes the audience tense as the entire life of Eva Smith and the history of the Birling family are compressed into a very short period of only a couple of hours. The same theme runs through the play, that of social equality; throughout the entire play this makes sure the audience is constantly focusing and thinking about it and allows Priestley to get his message across more obviously.  

Lighting is used very cleverly at the beginning of the play. “The lighting should be pink and intimate until the inspector arrives and then it should be brighter and harder.” The play opens with soft subdued rose coloured lighting to create an unrealistic dreamy effect. Priestly wants the audience to see that the Birlings are living a lie and that they are looking at life through rose coloured glasses. As the Inspector enters the lighting becomes bright and harsh; this helps to show the Draconian treatment that the Inspector will employ during the play. The brightness also emphasises the way the Inspector will discover the truth about the Birlings; no one can hide from its harshness. The light hits all corners of the room as the Birlings are encouraged to look at themselves more deeply.

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 The play opens with a conversation between Mr Birling, his family and Gerald Croft. The family are sitting in their dining room celebrating the success of their daughter’s engagement to the son of a businessman of higher status than the Birling family. Mr Birling appears to be a hardheaded businessman who is more concerned with high profits then the welfare of his employees. He obviously thinks very highly of himself hoping he might find his way into the next honours list but regards with contempt the cranks that say that everybody should look after everybody else. I think that Priestley ...

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