The inspector is not only a character in the play; he is a dramatic device who has several essential functions. He helps create the structure of the play, by asking questions on Eva smith. J.B Priestly also uses the inspector to create mystery and makes the story confusing at times. Furthermore, Priestly uses the inspector as a dramatic and structural device to affect the audience and help move the play along.
The inspector makes us aware of social divide as well as gender divide through out the play. At first men have more power over the women. However, as the play goes on the inspector changes all this, we start to see that the women begin to speak back to the men. An example of this is when Gerald speaks out to Sheila “no, no I didn’t mean it”
J.B Priestley uses dramatic techniques to create tension in the play. A good example of this is during Birling's speech he says the Titanic is, "absolutely unsinkable”. Also in the stage directions, it says that it is a "sharp ring" and which makes Birling stop to listen. This shows that at the stage there must be some importance because it actually stops Birling talking, which creates even more tension.
Just from hearing the term ‘Inspector’, we instantly know that this person is out to find the underlying cause of the truth. J.B priestly has cleverly used the name of inspector ‘goole’ for the inspector, because from “goole” sounds like “ghoul” which is a spirit in Arabic mythology, which preys on corpses (dead bodies). This applies mystery to the inspector’s character and makes him sound creepy. We are aware of this in the stage directions, “he creates at once an impression of massiveness, solidity and purposefulness”. Immediately we are engaged to the serious atmosphere because as he creates an impression of, why he is here in this apparently comfortable family home.
J.B Priestly has used numerous techniques to convey his message about social responsibility. He made the play a morality play this is when the characters are at a fault and wish they had done things differently from the beginning. Most of the Birling family feels this way apart from Mr. Birling and Mrs. Birling, this illustrates that they do not take responsibility for their actions. This technique is used in the play to make the audience think about their actions. The play is also structured very well as it is realistic and based on things that can happen to a person. These types of plays make the audience think about their mistakes they might have made and how they feel about it now. ‘Whodunnit’ is another technique J.B Priestly uses in the play; this slowly reveals that they all had a part to play with the death of Eva Smith.
The way in which J.B Priestley helps us to understand the Inspector's role in the play is through the Inspector’s own direct speech. For instance, during the play Inspector Goole keeps describing Eva Smith's death in an unpleasant approach, “she was in great agony”, “swallowed a lot of strong disinfectant”. I think this is to create an atmosphere of guilt for the Birlings in the hope that they might spit out what part they could have played in this tragedy.
The inspector seems to be all knowing. He knows all about Eva Smith’s past life about what the Birling’s have done. “He knows of course he knows and I hate to think how much he knows that we don't know yet, Are you sure you don't know”. J.B Priestly purposely does not use a question mark in this quote to show that the Inspector already knows the answer. This affects the characters as they are firstly surprised on how much knowledge the inspector has and the Birlings cannot give a straight answer. The Inspector knows so much about Eva smith due to finding her diary and some letters. “I had an idea from something the girl herself wrote".
At the start of the play, we are introduced to the Birlings who are no other than an upper class family. The whole family all seem to be living peacefully. Until the moment where it all begins, “It can’t be any worse for me than it has been. And it might be better” Sheila says. Gerald replies, “I see”. At this stage the relationship shatters and then from there on the worst is spoken by the inspector to the Birlings.
