Also, the Inspector’s arrival is ironic as Birling has just been previously nattering about it is “one man for himself” then the Inspector comes in seeming omniscient and proves him ENTIRELY wrong. Dramatic irony plays a strong part as with it, it shows the audience not everything is as it seems and that we should not assume the future, as it is unpredictable. Not only does dramatic irony do this but it also shows the audience certain characters’ personality, allowing us to see deeper than the eye can see.
The Inspector’s interaction with other characters is very personalised and individual so that he can get his desired results. Furthermore, his language and also the structure of his speech define the Inspector’s effective interrogation techniques. One technique is echolaic speech. This is used to pick at words to further interrogate characters. Not only does this prove effective but also it shows the control the Inspector has in his interrogations. An example of this is shown in the beginning of Act Two. Sheila insists on staying and listening to the questioning but Gerald does not want her staying for his own reasons stating, “it’s bound to be unpleasant and disturbing”. The Inspector picks on Gerald’s words using irony, replying,
“And you think young women ought to be protected against unpleasant and disturbing things?”
Gerald replies “if possible-yes” which the Inspector then uses against him in the case of Eva Smith; this moves the interrogation further on. Moving on, the Inspector evidently uses short speech in his interrogation process. This shows his precision prevents him from getting emotionally involved in the case thus allowing him to perform his job properly. The Inspector’s short speech allows him to get straight to the point. The non-emotion is shown through the language, preventing the prolonging of questioning and going around in circles. The Inspector’s forceful nature also adds to this. The audience can clearly see his forceful nature and the results it produces each time are effective. It draws out wanted and unexpected responses whilst also preventing squabbles spiralling out of control and wasting unnecessary time. This forceful nature is shown in the interrogation with Mrs Birling. Her stronger character causes resistance towards the Inspector and he has to lose his composure and patience with her to get any answers from her. This successfully works and causes her to dig herself and her son into a hole. The Inspector pushes the inquiry on further with this and shocking information is revealed but only partially by the Inspector. The family mostly does this themselves using clever techniques by the Inspector: this includes his short speech technique. With the Inspector being omniscient, he already knows what is important and successfully draws the family out of it upper social class bubble.
Thirdly, Priestley has made the character of the Inspector have a clear effect on the audience and ignites many responses towards him. In the script, the Inspector “creates at once an impression of massiveness, solidity and purposefulness”. This is at once clear when he enters on the stage; his presence is strongly felt. A curiosity is felt, as the audience is more inclined to wonder who this man is. Amazingly, this is before one word is uttered from his mouth! As the play moves along, his technique of interrogation further builds curiosity up within the audience as he coaxes the characters to reveal hidden truths and secrets within the family. The Inspector’s actions and what he says shows his personality and prerogative. An example of his seriousness is shown in this quotation:
I:“ (dryly) I don’t play golf.
B:I didn’t suppose you did.
E: (bursting out) Well, I think it’s a dam’ shame.
I: No, I’ve never wanted to play. P.16.
In my opinion, this quotation shows the audience he is not to messed with. All work and no play is clearly what he is about. But it also shows he is quite humorous, and makes fun of the Eric, by being sarcastic. The Inspector also gives across the atmosphere of “organisation”. He likes to go “one person and one line of inquiry at a time” to prevent a “muddle” (P.11). Pre-planning of every case seems to be a possibility and the short snappy sentences frequently used makes his language straightforward; it saves the audience the job of trying to interpret what the Inspector is trying to say. I think Priestley has purposefully done this so that there will be minimum attention taken away from the play.
In the play of “Inspector calls”, there are specific key themes that the Inspector represents. Firstly, social class is definitely represented by him in many occasions. The Birlings are a typical upper class family who are stuck in their own little world. They think of nobody but themselves, damn anyone below their status and think they are better than everyone. The Inspector knocks this wall down by showing them that they are linked to everybody and they are and will be held responsible for their actions. The constant upbringing of social class is undermined by the Inspector and reveals new truths. This links to the themes of guilt and responsibility, which are paired with each other in the play. These united furthermore break down walls with the Inspector strongly representing guilt. His interrogation brings about considerable guilt and acceptance of responsibility to some of the characters: in two cases the guilt is so intense, it changes the character’s beliefs causing them to have a strong desire to change who they are. His non-sympathetic attitude comes from his “tell it like it is” technique, even though he does not personally criticise their actions-he just lets the family do it to each other. The constant squabbles between the family builds tension and the Inspector visibly represents this in his own presence. The tension clearly alters throughout the story, rising and decreasing under the Inspector’s own control; he will not let it rise unnecessarily without his permission. Women are an apparent key theme in the play and are constantly brought up by the Inspector. His mission to “find out” what exactly lead to Eva Smith’s death is what the whole story centres around. The Inspector seemingly stands for all the “lonely, half-starved and desperate young women” who do not have a voice or when attempt to have one, get dismissed. The way the Birlings have abused this “very pretty” woman in numerous ways in constantly highlighted and since they are all seemingly linked together, a collective conscience must be acknowledged in the family. This additional key theme is the Inspector’s weapon in his entire interrogation to show all the actions of the family are linked together and only when binded, created tragedy. The key theme of family is important in this as the Inspector is used to break down and shatter all the solid and strong bonds previously seen at the beginning. The lack of social views and responsibility and more have caused this, especially when the family are exposed to society. The separation of relationships is evident by the end of the play. Eric and Sheila are consumed by their guilt and are aggravated by the rest of the family’s ignorance to the proven facts following the Inspector’s departure. Also, the discovery of Sheila’s fiancé’s affair with a “peasant girl” completely causes Sheila to change her mind about marrying Gerald, after his sordid, deceitful actions are exposed.
Throughout the play, the repeating question has entered my mind and the audience’s- “Who is the Inspector?” At the end of the play, it is revealed that the Inspector is not part of the Brumley police force as thought, he was not even an Inspector. Many ideas and theories have been made to answer the question of the real identity of the Inspector. One theory has been that it was God. Many clues from the text support this theory. Eric refers to the Inspector being “our police inspector”. This could refer to God as He is seen as the Judge of everything and “police inspector” holds similarity to this as they analyse and judge suspects. God “makes people confess” and Sheila also states that the Inspector “made us confess”(Pge.60). The character of the Inspector is similar to the supposed character of God also. He is referred to as a “socialist” which definitely relates to God. The idea that we are all each other’s responsibility and our lives are all “intertwined” with each, we are “one body”. Fellowship between humans is a key point in Christianity. Additionally, the character of the Inspector is said to be omniscient. This is a term commonly used with the character of God. God is thought to be “all-knowing” which the Inspector clearly is throughout the play. He seems to know EVERYTHING before it is revealed and is able to create guilt towards the characters. Another theory is that the Inspector was a dream. When he leaves the Birling residence, the family are still left in a haze, similar to what a dream does to you. There is no real evidence to attempt to back up this theory and the only thing to relate is that the play ends with a sudden cliffhanger and unsatisfactory ending which are the way dreams normally also ends. But one of the most commonly suggested theories is that the Inspector was The Voice of Conscience characterised as a person. The intense interrogation and lack of sympathy shares the same character of a conscience. It’s blunt and unforgiving nature compares to the Inspector and his forceful nature. The Voice of Conscience brings out the unaltered truth and develops guilt within a person, opening their eyes to the truth and not what the mind wants to believe. The Inspector also does this although he does not affect Mr and Mrs Birling on the level he has done Sheila and Eric. I partially agree with this theory as it does the both possess very similar characteristics although I do not think The Voice of Conscience holds the relentless and un-sympathetic feature that the Inspector obviously held. Finally, there is the theory that the Inspector was a Time Traveller. This is a very modestly used theory and I completely disagree, as there is only the evidence that the Inspector knew everything before it was revealed that backs this theory up.
Concluding, the use of the Inspector as a dramatic device in the play of “Inspector Calls” is very effective in various ways. The Inspector’s arrival proved a vital point in this as his presence was immediately felt. I think that dramatic irony aided in this as it showed the Inspector’s ability to belittle “strong” upper class people like Mr Birling. An immediate respect is acknowledged towards the Inspector and draws the audience further into curiosity with the character. The Inspector’s interaction with the other characters is individual and personalised but I think it was still intense and effective in getting results. The language and structure of speech is a crucial technique Priestley has used in the play. The precise short speech allows the play not to be prolonged and tedious. The shock information and firm interrogation is the work of a genius, competent inspector that adds to the depth of the story. On the whole, these Inspector’s genius techniques allows him to personally control the tension in the play, rising and lowering it on his command. Although this is a pivotal theme of the play, the Inspector’s effect on the audience is a very important dramatic device in the play. The effect is crucial as the audience needs to not just see into the Inspector’s character further but also the tension shared and experienced in the play needs to be understood by the audience as well. I think this has proved effective as I personally felt the strong presence of the Inspector, even when he was not talking! The key themes in the play cleverly combined together made the Inspector a strong dramatic device but alone they also worked their own purpose to fulfil maximum effectiveness. This was very effective but I think the most effective technique was the actual identity of the Inspector. The curiosity lingered from his arrival and it still lingers on years after his departure. The immense curiosity has lead to many theories being made in the play and also outside the play. The constant issue of who he actually was took a strong hold of the characters after his departure, and his true identity still remains a dark mystery today. Whatever the answer, the Inspector was very effective in his role and mission, leaving a dramatic permanent mark on the Birling family and the audience of “Inspector Calls” for even more years to come.
