How Far Does 'An Inspector Calls' fit into the genre of detective fiction?
The play 'An Inspector Calls' fits into the genre of detective fiction because there are many key elements from a detective fiction present. However there are also some factors missing which do not allow the play to be called a detective fiction. It is a simple cover up to disguise the play from the audience so they do not see the main genre of the play which could be either a moral or political play. This is realised at the point when the Inspector leaves without charging anyone of a crime.
'An Inspector Calls' is about when an Inspector from the local authority goes to the house of a upper middle class family called the Birlings. The Inspector claims that a girl named Eva Smith has dies at the infirmary after drinking some strong disinfectant. The Inspector then accuses the whole family of murdering her indirectly or having a part to play in her suicide. At the end of the play the family discover that he is not an Inspector and Mr and Mrs Birling believe it was a hoax and try moving on like nothing happened but the children realise the point of the Inspector coming to their home. Which is that he is trying to explain to them that everyone is responsible for everyone else and that nobody should be neglected.
The audience is lead to believe that the play is detective fiction through the interrogation of each character, particularly Mr Birling. This is because he is the first person who the Inspector questions. Mr Birling had Eva Smith sacked from her first job, which was at Mr Birlings company. She was a good worker. The employees at the company went on strike for more pay and Eva Smith was one of the ring leaders, 'She'd had a lot to say- far too much- she had to go. Mr Birling realises that he is going to be dragged into this suicide in one way or another so his initial response in defence is to say that he does not know who this girl is. Mr Birling lied about not knowing the girl, but why would someone who claims to be innocent lie? This is one of the reasons why the audience may be suspicious of him being a criminal. The audience would not have realised the Inspector is questioning Mr Birling even though he has not committed a crime. Once Mr Birling gets a memory jog from the Inspector he goes on to talk about her getting sacked eighteen months ago, which meant it had nothing to do with him, 'If we were all responsible for everything that happened to everybody we'd had anything to do with, it would be very awkward'. He is trying to get out of his responsibility, which is the main theme of the play, responsibility.
The play 'An Inspector Calls' fits into the genre of detective fiction because there are many key elements from a detective fiction present. However there are also some factors missing which do not allow the play to be called a detective fiction. It is a simple cover up to disguise the play from the audience so they do not see the main genre of the play which could be either a moral or political play. This is realised at the point when the Inspector leaves without charging anyone of a crime.
'An Inspector Calls' is about when an Inspector from the local authority goes to the house of a upper middle class family called the Birlings. The Inspector claims that a girl named Eva Smith has dies at the infirmary after drinking some strong disinfectant. The Inspector then accuses the whole family of murdering her indirectly or having a part to play in her suicide. At the end of the play the family discover that he is not an Inspector and Mr and Mrs Birling believe it was a hoax and try moving on like nothing happened but the children realise the point of the Inspector coming to their home. Which is that he is trying to explain to them that everyone is responsible for everyone else and that nobody should be neglected.
The audience is lead to believe that the play is detective fiction through the interrogation of each character, particularly Mr Birling. This is because he is the first person who the Inspector questions. Mr Birling had Eva Smith sacked from her first job, which was at Mr Birlings company. She was a good worker. The employees at the company went on strike for more pay and Eva Smith was one of the ring leaders, 'She'd had a lot to say- far too much- she had to go. Mr Birling realises that he is going to be dragged into this suicide in one way or another so his initial response in defence is to say that he does not know who this girl is. Mr Birling lied about not knowing the girl, but why would someone who claims to be innocent lie? This is one of the reasons why the audience may be suspicious of him being a criminal. The audience would not have realised the Inspector is questioning Mr Birling even though he has not committed a crime. Once Mr Birling gets a memory jog from the Inspector he goes on to talk about her getting sacked eighteen months ago, which meant it had nothing to do with him, 'If we were all responsible for everything that happened to everybody we'd had anything to do with, it would be very awkward'. He is trying to get out of his responsibility, which is the main theme of the play, responsibility.
