How does the dramatic tension mount in 'An Inspector Calls'? Examine the changes in the internal dynamic of the Birling family.

How does the dramatic tension mount in ‘An Inspector Calls’? Examine the changes in the internal dynamic of the Birling family.

The play, An Inspector Calls, by J.B Priestley is full of dramatic tension that changes throughout the play depending on the characters involved. This tension that has been created by the arrival of the Inspector has affected the relationships within the family and Gerald Croft, a person soon to be married to Sheila Birling. Not only have the relationships changed but the attitudes of certain characters have also altered, almost completely, as their perspectives of the society and position seems to matter no more. This is in relevance to Sheila and Eric Birling especially. The tension mounts as each revelation is revealed through the intense questioning by the Inspector that brings about attitude changes within the members of the family, nervousness, and anxiety to what happens next that leads to Eva Smith’s devastating consequences. Individual responsibilities have been laid out by the Inspector that the members did not know they had. Although, most important of all, the family members knows what tragedies had been placed inside the family structure that will destroy the dynamic and external family view.

Through the analysis of the family members, Mr and Mrs. Birling have remained unchanged but they have faced the facts in the end that their children were not the children they thought they knew. The time of speech and dignity of the Birling family have changed dramatically over the acts of the play through the demands placed on them by the Inspector. They did not know that something sinister existed beneath their ‘upper crust appearance’. It was only brought to life by the Inspector’s interrogation. As the play progresses, each member of the family, including Gerald Croft, see that each person had a close connection with Eva Smith and their revelations are established. Overall, the intentions that Priestley wanted to make were the greed and wealth that the families in a higher position that the working class. The family members are interrogated individually, one’s event leading to the next person’s encounter with the unfortunate relationships with Eva Smith.

Arthur Birling seems preoccupied with his post in society and this remains unchanged throughout the play. He is a proud and headstrong man and seems to have no real knowledge of society and the effects that actions businessmen take. He expects to be treated in a better way due to his mentioned role and status in society (Lord Mayor a few years ago, and a possible, a highly anticipated knighthood). He chooses to ignore the trials and tribulations of people in society that are in an unworthy predicament in his opinion. Mr. Birling dismisses problems that may arise in the near decades, such as the setting of the Titanic,”…she sails next week- forty thousand and eight hundred tons- New York in five days- and every luxury- and unsinkable, absolutely unsinkable. That’s what you’ve got to keep your eye on, facts like that, progress like that…”

Birling also dismisses the coming of war quickly. Mr. Birling wants to deny any real relationship with Eva Smith but soon comes out. Instead of accepting the blame for the death of Eva Smith, he criticises the Inspector’s technique of questioning.

This is a preview of the whole essay

Mr. Birling is described as a ‘self’ satisfied snob’ as his speech and hypocritical views place him in that position. While, Arthur Birling is moved to anger by the interrogation of Goole, he is not affected by the assets of his actions. In the whole play, Arthur Birling has remained consistent throughout unlike his daughter. However, the reason he has remained consistent is because the tragic past of Eva Smith, his former worker, has not affected him which proves that his human nature is disturbing as he feels no pain for other people, even after learning of the disastrous end of Eva Smith.

At the start of the play, Sheila Birling is portrayed as a happy person; she comes from an affluent upper middle class family and is engaged to Gerald Croft of Crofts Limited. Sheila Birling, is seen to be probably the most vulnerable, and possibly, the most sensitive to the Inspector’s demanding yet unpredictable accusations. However, by the end, Sheila has to look at herself, her family, her fiancée in a new light, a disturbing light. Sheila is moved to tears of shock and guilt. This progression from naïve innocence to more mature understanding adds to the tension as this contrast in character in a short time has clearly changed her parents’ perceptions of Sheila, and vice versa. This matter adds to the tension as the family discovers exactly what connection there is between the dead girl and the businessman. As most parents may not realise, this, sometimes, has serious consequences for the children, no matter how old they may be. What matters, is that Sheila and Eric have a completely diverse perspective of the situation that the victim Eva Smith has been in. They must have thought about how two well-adjusted adults could be capable of doing so much harm to a young, innocent girl who probably just wanted peace of mind by having a life worth living. The sins that the family allegedly committed are those of pride, apathy, greed, envy, selfishness and anger-The Seven Deadly Sins.

Sheila is receptive in the play to the issues and responsibilities. The inspector is trying to make the characters and the audience think about the issues of society that affects everyone. Sheila’s perceptions of everyone else have changed for good. Her attitude towards Gerald has not turned hostile, as the audience would expect due to Gerald’s revelations but she takes a mature approach and realises that Gerald had at least cared for Eva Smith/Daisy Renton (the name he had known her by). However, their relationship has changed dramatically: “…You and I aren’t the same people who sat down to dinner here. We’d have to start all over again, getting to know each other…”

This clearly states the fact that the engagement is over as she hands back the ring as Gerald is about to leave the house to take a walk and re-evaluate all the things that has taken place.

Throughout the course of the play, Sheila and Gerald are the only ones who seem to show any remorse for Eva Smith.

Gerald Croft is a young, self-assured man from an upper class family. Mr. Birling is extremely proud and delighted that his daughter is to marry a man of an upper class family. “…This is one of the happiest nights of my life.” Mr. Birling is so impressed and anxious to maintain that connection that he is even prepared to overlook Gerald’s affair with Daisy Renton. Now, Sheila, I’m not defending him. But you must understand that a lot of young men-“He stops short as Sheila interrupts him.

In the beginning of the play, Gerald Croft was a proud man from a good background. This, however, changes during the play. His relationship with the other members of the Birling family also changes. He gives himself away when the name, ‘Daisy Renton’ is mentioned. After this, he is reluctant to let Sheila know he had any relationship with her. As his relationship with Daisy Renton is revealed, the other members of the family see him in a completely different light. However, Sheila is mature about this revelation and she has more respect for each other. This shows that the younger members of the family were in contrast to Mr and Mrs. Birling as they were more understanding about the situation. The tension increases between the family members but most of the tension mounts between Sheila and Gerald as we see a change in their attitudes towards each other. They both respond to each other in a negative manner: “So that’s what you think I’m really like. I’m glad I realised it in time, Gerald.” This was Sheila’s quick response to an innocent comment Gerald had made. Overall, Gerald’s ‘easy manner’ is similarly disrupted to Sheila’s, by the Inspector. He is genuinely distressed by the realisation of the impact involved between him and Daisy’s life and death.

However, in spite of all this, the inspector did have Gerald who had genuine remorse for Eva but when doubts about the girl began to arise after the dismissal of the Inspector, he acts like Arthur and Sybil Birling, and the tragic consequences of Eva have been forgotten.

Mrs. Birling, the most headstrong person and possibly the most ignorant towards society just like her husband. Her background and status is of a good position and she accepts no criticism by people which makes it difficult for any revelations to come out. She is the Head of a charity organisation yet there is a lack of genuine charity in her heart. Mrs. Birling has no awareness of society and how her actions or actions that are taken by people like her, can affect the world around her. She remains unaltered with an undamaged ego except for the fact that she has faced the true interior of her children, Sheila and Eric. She does not understand why her children are acting so sceptical. She refuses to see that her actions may have been followed as the consequences of her glacial actions. Only when her ignorance is perceived through Eric, does Mrs. Birling break down, virtually. Her authority is asserted by Sheila who has anticipated the determination of her mother to unravel the truth. I doubt that her relationship with her husband has altered much because they are either trying to cover up their involvement with Eva Smith or ignoring the tragic consequences that happened to the victim of their ignorance. She refers to Eva as ‘girls of that class’ which reveals her true reflection of society.

Eric is portrayed as a weak and immature young man. His behaviour is reckless which is seen in the way he treated Eva Smith. Eric’s revelation and interrogation is the most powerful exposure. Having an alcoholic is an intruder to the family. He is seen to find solace in alcohol when his world around him is pressurising him.

Yet, in spite of the drinking, stealing, womanising, he is shown to have a heart. He tries to help Eva when she has revealed to him to be pregnant. As most men would abandon the woman they found for a night, Eric, at least, tried to support Eva, but with stolen money from his father’s firm. Eva Smith was also compassionate about the whole thing as she refused to accept any more stolen money. This shows she had been considerate and aware of trouble. However, the huge change comes in the fact that Eva had carried a Birling child and through the events of each member of the Birling family, including Gerald, they helped kill the girl.

Eric is shown to be quite weak in the beginning of the play, this is reflected on the fact that his father dismisses his statements that oppose the judgements that Birling makes. However, Eric continues to become weaker to the end of the play, when the drinking gets the better of him. He is so weak that he is ashamed of what he has done and the realisation that Eva Smith has died has hit him. His parents probably can never see him in the same light ever again. This causes the climax to be reached in this scene when a potential Birling baby has been revealed.

The Inspector speaks their conscience. This is simply the background of the play that J.B Priestley had intended to make. Each member of the family had been quiet all these weeks or months in which their involvement with Eva Smith had happened. The Inspector’s arrival has already made an impression before he even announces why he is here: “The inspector need not be a big man but he creates at once an impression of massiveness, solidity and purposefulness.” This suggests that the Inspector has all his tactics in his face impression. The character of Goole is the catalyst for the evening’s events and shocks. He speaks carefully, weightily, meaning every word he says. Tension also increases by the bewildering habit of Goole, of looking hard at the person he addresses as if he wants to look deep inside them to know their true interior.

The inspector spoke each of their guilty conscience which had exploded in front of them. He is clearly sickened and not intimidated by the Birling family and does not care what position they are in society as he states that there is no difference between people in society. As each family member disintegrates at the end, the Inspector intervenes to give his final judgement on the overall topic and the role of humans in society. Priestley has used the inspector to highlight the irresponsible and self centred and ultimately disruptive behaviour of privileged people like the Birlings. This has reached the climax of the whole playas it really presents how the Birling family deteriorated, through both ignorance and stupidity. Goole has remained entirely in control and has been successful in bringing Sheila and Eric to a realisation of their guilt and responsibility. He rarely loses his temper except on rare occasions when outbursts do occur when the members state something very controversial.

Who, or what he was, is left deliberately unresolved by Priestley, almost as if to heighten the supernatural nature of the Inspector. Gerald telephones the Infirmary, only to find there has been no suicide taken in that day. This heightens the mystery surrounding the Inspector.

Overall, the family will never be the same again. A well –to do British family has had their complacency disrupted by the appearance of Goole. Priestley heightens the audience’s suspense by his skilful use of climaxes within the carefully controlled plot and by ensuring that the audience is left puzzled at the end of each conclusion at the end of each act. The inspector is the most character in the play for his remarkable, unique, and intimate questioning and persuasion for the human race. These issues are put through to the ‘upper crust’ with great approval by the audience for his ideas on an equal world, which many people regard this as their utopia.

Viji Pillai 11P English literature GCSE Cand no: 8384