Exploring the role of the Inspector in "An Inspector Calls" by J B Priestley

Exploring the role of the Inspector in “An Inspector Calls” by J B Priestley

The Inspector can be seen as a dramatic device (i.e. he’s got a function in the drama to disorientate everything). He can also be seen as J B Priestley’s mouthpiece. He speaks the author’s view and in a sense is a symbolic figure of Priestley’s socialism. He is a very “moral” figure in the play and represents the complete opposite view of Mr. Birling, that people should only look after themselves.

Through his questioning and examination he allows each character to reveal their connection and history with Eva Smith. The Inspector controls the whole movement of the play and makes the Birling family ‘reveal what they are thinking’ as Sheila says, one by one. No one is willing to open up to each other but, they all open up to Inspector. Although the Inspector may look like an Inspector, he doesn’t sound like one. His language is not always that of an Inspector, and at times can sound like a priest, or an Old Testament Prophet! The Inspector says, “We don’t live alone. We are members of one body. We are responsible for each other. And I tell you that the time will soon come when, if men will not learn that lesson, then they will be taught it in fire and I blood and anguish”, just before he leaves. He sounds like a guardian angel sent by God, telling them that what they have done is wrong and that if they haven’t already learnt their lesson, then they will be taught it in a rather punishing way. He’s there to warn them not punish them.

The atmosphere in the room before the Inspector arrives is rather joyous. The Birlings’ give the audience a hint that they are celebrating, by the way they’re talking and by the way they’re drinking. For example, Mr. Birling says to his wife Sybil, “Now then, Sybil, you must take a little tonight. Special occasion y’know, eh?” (“Little” meaning some port). But there seems to be a small amount of tension in the room. This is acknowledged when Eric and Sheila have an argument:

SHEILA You’re squiffy.

ERIC I’m not.

MRS B. Now stop it, you two. Arthur, what about this famous toast of yours?

A few moments later they have another argument:

MRS B (raising her glass, smiling) Yes, Gerald. Yes, Sheila darling. Our congratulations and very best wishes!

GERALD Thank you.

MRS B Eric!

ERIC (rather noisily) All the best! She’s got a nasty temper sometimes – but she’s not bad really. Good old Sheila!

SHEILA Chump! I can’t drink to this, can ...

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SHEILA You’re squiffy.

ERIC I’m not.

MRS B. Now stop it, you two. Arthur, what about this famous toast of yours?

A few moments later they have another argument:

MRS B (raising her glass, smiling) Yes, Gerald. Yes, Sheila darling. Our congratulations and very best wishes!

GERALD Thank you.

MRS B Eric!

ERIC (rather noisily) All the best! She’s got a nasty temper sometimes – but she’s not bad really. Good old Sheila!

SHEILA Chump! I can’t drink to this, can I? When do I drink?

Mr. Birling is slightly worried about his chance of getting a knighthood. He is a selfish and a self-centered man and doesn’t really care about anyone else. It is the Inspectors role to focus on this tension, and make each character break. On stage, pink lights are used to show the calmness in the atmosphere during the party, which change to ‘brighter and harder’ lights when the inspection begins to give the feeling of tension and suspicion, for this introductory scene.

When the Inspector informs the family about the death of the girl, they all react in different ways. It is the Inspectors role to analyse these reactions, so he can question them accordingly to extract information from them. When Mr. Birling is questioned, he doesn’t seem to recall anything until the Inspector has to really push him to remember who Eva Smith was and what connection he had with her:

INSPECTOR … But her original name – her real name – was Eva Smith.

BIRLING (thoughtfully) Eva Smith?

INSPECTOR Do you remember her, Mr. Birling?

BIRLING (slowly) No- I seem to remember hearing that name – Eva Smith – somewhere. But it doesn’t convey anything to me. And I don’t see where I come into this.

INSPECTOR She was employed in your works at one time.

BIRLING Oh - that’s it, is it? Well, we’ve several hundred young women there, y’know, and they keep changing.

Realising that Mr. Birling knows Eva Smith, the Inspector attempts to jog his memory, buy showing him a picture of Eva Smith, which he prevents Gerald and Eric from seeing. They both question the Inspector as to why they cannot see the image with Mr. Birling backing them up. Then Mr. Birling sneakily tries to divert the topic by saying, “I see. Sensible really. You’ve had enough of that port, Eric.” The Inspector notices this but he keeps eye contact with Mr. Birling, sending a message across to him that he can’t escape from him. Mr. Birling doesn’t care a tiny bit about what he did to Eva Smith, but the Inspector attempts to change his view and tries to make him understand that he IS responsible for his actions, and that he can be the cause of Eva Smith’s death. The Inspector questions Mr. Birling sternly and the words he chooses are hard hitting. For example, when they discuss Eva Smith’s raise:

INSPECTOR Why?

BIRLING (surprised) Did you say ‘Why?’?

INSPECTOR Yes. Why did you refuse?

BIRLING Well, Inspector, I don’t see that it’s any concern of yours how I choose to run my business. Is it now?

INSPECTOR It might be, you know.

The Inspector is probably trying to indicate that he is not a man to be played around with and that he can get any information he wants out of anyone, when he wants it, by saying, “It might be, you know.” This gives the audience a slightly positive image of the Inspector and a negative image of Mr. Birling. Mrs. Birling has the same attitude towards the situation as Mr. Birling, but she isn’t as resistant as Mr. Birling. She comes out with the truth but feels no remorse for Eva Smith. She says, “…Simply because I’ve done nothing wrong - and you know it.” The Inspector then tries to change her mind by saying, “I think you did something terribly wrong – and that you’re going to spend the rest of your life regretting it. I wish…”. The Inspector was trying to change their view about their actions but never managed to succeed.

The Inspector has the most effect on Sheila, and partly Eric. The Inspector manages to get Sheila to spill everything out and analyses her reaction towards the death of Eva Smith very carefully. When the Inspector brings up the death of Eva Smith, Sheila bursts in with, “No, no, please! Not that again. I’ve imagined it enough already.”. He keeps on bringing this topic up, hoping that her reactions may have an effect on some of the other members of the family, and point out to them that they are responsible in some way for this girl’s death. The Inspector has managed to convince Sheila that she was the cause of the girl’s death. She says’ “Yes, that’s it. And I know I’m to blame – and I’m desperately sorry – but I can’t believe – I won’t believe – it’s simply my fault that in the end she – she committed suicide. That would be too horrible - ”. This is an advantage for the Inspector, because he has one less person to argue against. This may give the audience the impression that the Inspector is in some way cunning and tactical. The tone of his voice, the words he uses and the amount of pressure he puts on an individual, to get some information about the girl’s death.

PTO

When the Inspector has finished interrogating everyone and their secrets have been revealed, Mr. Birling starts to get nervous. He doesn’t want the media to find out about the whole story, which the Inspector has just heard, because it may effect his chances of receiving a knighthood and it may ruin his public reputation and his business. J B Priestley wanted to show through the Inspector, that we should be responsible for one another and recognise that our actions can have impact on others. However, although the Inspector is helping them to see their responsibilities he points out that they must want to change their behaviour and that they all have a personal responsibility. Mr. Birling never realises that he is in some way responsible for the girl’s death, and is not prepared to accept that he partly drove the girl to suicide.

The atmosphere at the end of the play, is completely the opposite to the atmosphere at the beginning of the play. In the introduction of the play, the family is happy and full of joy, celebrating Sheila’s engagement to Gerald. When the Inspector arrives the tension in the room starts to build and the family starts to get more and more worried. However, at the end of the play, the tension in the room has reached its climax, and when the Inspector leaves it slowly seems to drop. When the family finds out that Inspector Goole was in fact a fake, a sense of relief overcomes the room, and Mr. and Mrs. Birling and Gerald, who is slightly ashamed of his actions, are happy and carry on with their life as if nothing happened. Nevertheless, the Inspector, as well as breaking a relationship, has left Sheila and Eric feeling guilty about their actions, who seem to have learnt their lesson, whereas Gerald, Mr. and Mrs. Birling don’t really care about what they did to the girl. The role of the Inspector was to make the family realise what they did wrong and help them change before it was too late. But as we see… some learnt their lesson, while others were about to face the consequences.