Focus on the passage beginning (Gerald: Anyway we'll see) to the end of the play, "An Inspector Calls". How does Priestley create dramatic tension in this final scene?

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Focus on the passage beginning (Gerald: Anyway we’ll see) to the end of the play, “An Inspector Calls”.

How does Priestley create dramatic tension in this final scene?

Consider its significance in terms of:

  • Priestley’s presentation of characters.
  • General themes of the play
  • The audience’s response
  • Priestley’s use of language and dramatic devices        

        Priestley cleverly entwines many devices in order to create tension in the final scene of ‘An Inspector Calls.’ These devices help promote Priestley’s didactic message of the need for unity in the community and the importance of accepting responsibility for our actions. Priestley’s play concludes with an unexpected devised twist. The final scene is significant as it completes the story and indicates any change of behaviour in the characters.

        The Birling family has previously been disturbed and reminded of their dealings with Eva Smith. They are individually questioned by the Inspector and forced to explain their dealings with Eva Smith. In the last scene, Gerald phones the infirmary to confirm the tale of Eva Smith and to conclude the speculation of the Inspector being a fraud. They assume that they have not admitted to the exact same crime. The family cannot be sure that the picture privately shown to each individual, of Eva Smith, was of the same person. The characters and audience are awaiting a response indicating Eva Smith’s fate.

        Immediately Priestley creates dramatic tension by the use of veiled conversation. It is designed to illustrate the truth surrounding Eva Smith’s fate. Priestley cleverly conceals one side of the conversation from the Birlings and the audience. Therefore, the audience alongside the Birlings await an outcome;

‘Or any like suicide? Yes I’ll wait. As he waits, the others show their nervous tension Birling wipes his brow, Shiela shivers, Eric clasps his hand etc.

        Yes...You’re certain of that...I see. Well thank you very much. Good night.’

        Here, the truth is obscured and the audience has an inability to hear the infirmary and their outcome. The language is broken and the punctuation is disjointed, allowing more time to pass as we are waiting, thereby increasing tension. The use of fractured language shows Gerald’s apprehension and anxiety. It proves his uncertain sense of panic and fear. Gerald is concerned about Eva Smith as during the summer he had an affair with her, whilst being engaged to Sheila Birling. If Eva Smith is found out to be alive then Gerald could pretend that all he has previously admitted to was fallacious.  Gerald is told to wait on the phone; we are also made to wait apprehensively, anticipating an outcome. The use of stage directions makes the scene clearer and proves Mr.Birling’s and the family’s concern.

        Mr.Birling appears to be worried as he is afraid of ‘public scandal.’ If Eva Smith is dead and people were to discover this, he would not receive his forthcoming ‘knighthood.’ Mr.Birling denied Eva Smith of her job as she protested for fairer pay. He mistreated all workers and Eva Smith was just a mouth piece for them all. The middle classes lacked respect for the lower classes. This shows social inequality which Priestley is trying to abolish through his message. This is another demonstration of his self-interested philosophy described in past scenes;

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MR.BIRLING: We employers at last are coming together to see that our interests- and the interests of Capital- are properly protected. And we’re in for a time of steadily increasing prosperity.’

Mr.Birling is only concerned about his family’s loving and respectable façade breaking. He is purely concerned about his business and the increase in material profit. This also shows us just how reluctant the older generation are to change in relation to a communist society. They are too entrenched in their own traditional ways to modify how they treat others and their views towards others. It demonstrates how egotistical the older ...

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