The Inspector makes a big impression when he enters. A line that describes him is “…he creates at once an impression of massiveness, solidity and purposefulness…” This means that he gives the impression of being prodigious, important and business like. The audiences’ first impression of the Inspector is that he will be strict and be in charge. Also he will say what he has to say before he will let anyone else speak.
When the Inspector talks to people he has the habit of looking at the person before actually speaking, “He speaks carefully, weightily, and has a disconcerting habit of looking hard at the person he addresses before actually speaking”. This gives the effect on the audience and the characters that he will not change his mind very easily. He likes to make the characters feel guilty and nervous to try and make them confess to what they have done. It is important the characters realise their mistakes so that they can change their way of life before it is too late and before another war starts.
The Inspector interrupts Birling and other characters lots of times, “cutting in, massively”. The interruption by the Inspector shows the audience that he does not want to hear the excuses they have to say. He only wants to hear what he needs and he wants to get straight to the point, be in control and be powerful. Mr Birling does not like the Inspector being in control, as he wants to be in control of everyone himself because he is not used to other people taking charge.
A sentence the Inspector says which describes Eva’s death is “…she’d swallowed a lot of strong disinfectant. Burnt her insides out…” The Inspector describes Eva’s injuries in such horrible detail to make her injuries seem worst than they are. Also it makes the characters feel guilty to try and make them confess what they have done. The effect on the audience is that it makes them dislike the Birlings and to feel sorry for Eva because of what has happened to her. The audience are siding with the victim, Eva Smith which is what J.B. Priestley was trying to achieve, as he puts his view out by using Eva as an example of what can happen if the characters do not change and you do not listen to his view. He is trying to teach the characters to change by threatening them.
The Inspector leaves the play near the end of Act One with Eric. When he re-enters at the end of Act one the Inspector says “Well?” just after Sheila had said “Why – you fool – he knows…” This shows that she knows that nothing can be kept hidden from the Inspector, and that there is something peculiar about the Inspector. This shows the audience that Sheila is sensitive and insightful which is why she admits to everything she has done, as she knows the Inspector knows everything so it is no point lying.
Sheila and Gerald had been talking about Gerald’s short affair with Eva Smith, but when the Inspector re-enters and says “Well?”, it shocks and surprises Gerald and Sheila, as they did not know he was there. Also like the characters when the Inspector re-enters it shocks and surprises the audience as they wonder what he has heard and what will happen next.
The Inspector talks to each character differently. The Inspector talks rough and in a harsh manner to Mr and Mrs Birling as they are arguing with him. An example of this is when Mr Birling argues with the Inspector and the Inspector replies with “It might be, you know”. But he is kinder to Sheila and Eric as they are admitting to what they have done to Eva. As well they are willing to change for the better to the Inspector’s point of view as they realise what they have done wrong. This also shows to the audience that the younger generations are more easily changed than the older generations. The Inspector talks harshly to Sheila when she says that if she could help she would, the Inspector angrily replies with “Yes, but you can’t. It’s too late. She’s dead.”
The Inspector says “If you’re easy with me, I’m easy with you”. By this he means that he will treat them how they treat him. This is demonstrated when Mr Birling was angry and cross at the Inspector, the Inspector was mean and harsh to Mr Birling. Mr Birling says angrily “I really must protest –“, the Inspector turning on him sharply replies with “Why should you do any protesting?”
