How does JB Priestly use dramatic devices in an inspector calls to have an effect on the audience

capitalist people is the set that he has the family based in. Furthermore, the play takes places for the most part in the Birling's living room; a room that despite being vast and expensive, didn't give you the impression of a relaxed atmosphere; they were in a house, not a home. The living room was described in the text as, 'Substantial and heavily comfortable but not cosy and homelike'. Relating this to Priestley's themes, it is clear that this shows pride and wealth. Theses are shown to be meaningless by the end of the play and the events that follow - such as the war. Next, the structure, or where the play takes place, is a dramatic device that Priestley uses in his play. The play takes place in a very realistic setting at the same time as events would unfold in real life. Due to the fact that Priestley's play was based on something which had already happened, rather than something which could potentially happen, but not be certain to do so in the future, he able to take his own experiences and relate them into his play. Props are used by J.B Priestley as another dramatic device. He uses the props very well to add different types of tension and to show and relate back to some his different themes. Tension is involved when the prop of the doorbell is used. Edna says to Mr Birling, 'Please sir, an inspector's called'. This adds dramatic tension by providing a new character that is original to the characters and the audience. A way that props are also used in a similar way to this is where Gerald takes the telephone call, to be informed that an inspector will be arriving at the house, there is a large amount of dramatic tension. Showing the wealth and pride of the Birling family, the male members have glasses of port and smoke cigars; port is an expensive drink, typical of what capitalist people would drink and cigars are smoked by wealthy people. This gives the play a realist , naturalistic tone - shows that they have pride, which will eventually bring them down. Priestley uses stage directions as another dramatic device which helps to establish the characters and the way that they speak to each other. It ascertains how the characters must act - directs emotion and creates tension - the mood is often divided in the way characters speak. Lies and pride which the characters tell and have at the start and which are principally destroyed by the end. Sheila (gaily, possessively), 'I should jolly well think not', this shows that her character is all happy on the outside, but deep inside and under the surface, there is a lot of trouble going on in her mind! Mrs Birling (reproachfully), 'Arthur, you're not supposed to say such things -'. This shows that Mrs Birling is insecure and doesn't want such subjects discussed in front of her children. Finally, on page nine, stage directions are used by Priestley as a way of building up tension: Eric (sitting down) Yes, please. (take decanter and helps himself.) Mother says we mustn't stay too long. But I don't think it matters. I left 'em talking about clothes again. Further down the page, after Birling has spoken to Eric about the representation of women's clothes, Eric gets interested and, (eagerly) Yes, I remember - (but he checks himself). This shows that the stage directions can be used to build up tension, to lead up to something. Moving on, dramatic irony is used by J.B. Priestley, as another dramatic device to further express his interpretation on capitalist people. The obvious place where this is used, in a very extreme amount is when Birling is making his speech on pages six and seven. The speech shows the Birling's anti-community feelings. The speech is so pride, that the only way to go is down; it setting up a jump, ready for a fall. Birlings speaks about how the Titanic is unsinkable, 'the Titanic - she sails next week - forty six thousand eight hundred tons - forty six thousand eight hundred tons - New York in five days time - and every luxury - and unsinkable'. As I alluded to previously, this statement can only be proved wrong to be acknowledged, if he is correct, the statement simply pales into insignificance - it sets Birling up to be overshadowed. He also states, 'I say there isn't a chance of war'. Both of these statements prove to be wrong and Birling is made to look a fool. This is the kind of reaction or impression that J.B. Priestley will have wanted to make on his audience; one whereby they look at Arthur Birling as a stereotypical capitalist person, and think that he has a lack of responsibility and is immature in his actions and what he says. Possibly the dramatic device that Priestley incorporates most into his play is dramatic tension. He uses it with a very naturalistic structure, making the device very realistic and plausible. As the inspector slowly reveals the characters have all been telling lies; not been straightforward, friction, agro and a sense of an argumentative atmosphere begin to build up amongst the characters. There is tension as each blunder, contributing to Eva Smith's suicide is revealed. Another type of dramatic tension used by Priestley is that of climax. This is often called or known as a cliff-hanger, and as a reader, it makes you want to read on, or watching the play, it makes you want to see what happens. It is a very effective technique. J.B. Priestley uses this technique right at the end of act one, where it is left with the inspector saying, 'Well?'. The tension comes because it is about to be revealed, how Gerald contributed to Eva Smith's suicide. This is a very effectual to be used for plays, because when it is being acted there will be breaks between each act and therefore the audience are left wanting to know what will happen at the start of the next act. Finally, the last dramatic device that Priestley uses is style. He uses two styles throughout his play and they both create a different impression on the audience and he includes both of them for different purposes. Firstly, a detective thriller style: this is to do with revelations of how characters are involved in Eva Smith's death and the other, known as morality play. This relates to how much the characters are responsible for their actions and how much guilt and regret they express when the Inspector points it out to them. The style device relates directly with dramatic tension.