In act one of ' An Inspector Calls' how does J B Priestly use dramatic devices to convey his concerns and ideas

In act one of ‘ An Inspector Calls’ how does J B Priestly use dramatic devices to convey his concerns and ideas to the members of the audience as well as interest and involve them in his play?

“Goole. G. Double O-L-E.” This is the inspector’s introduction to the Birlings in the play, ‘An Inspector Calls’. The Birlings are an upper class family who live in an industrial city called Brumley. They live in a large suburban house that’s comfortable but cozy and home like. The entire play is set in their dining room, which has long dining table, a fireplace and a small table with a telephone on it. Priestly wanted the setting to be kept in a neutral style to keep the characters and their message they are portraying central.

J B Priestly was a socialist, which indicates he believed everyone is responsible for each other and that we all have shared interests. The play was set in 1912 but written in 1940, which means Priestly had written the play ‘An Inspector Calls’ using hindsight. Priestly knew the way life had evolved over the last 28 years and wanted to share his views about the changes to the general public in 1940.

In 1912 the capitalist view, supported by Mr. Birling in the play, was that you were only responsible for yourself, your business and your family. Mr. Birling says this in one of his speeches in act one, showing his capitalist view. “ The way some of these cranks talk and write now, you’d think everybody has to look after everybody else as if we were all mixed up like bees in a bee hive- community and all that nonsense.” Mr. Birling makes a statement in another speech communicating his views on society and the future on Britain’s welfare. He claims world war one will not take place and says “ It is just politicians talking.” He also states the Titanic will never sink and everyone will have forgotten about the capital verses Labour agitations. Priestly knew that in fact all these things took place: in 1912, later on in the year in which the play was set, the Titanic sank, In 1914 the first world war began and in 1924 the first Labour government came into power. This way, Priestly made the character of Mr. Birling look foolish and further more prove Priestly’s socialist view by his use of hindsight. Priestly used the character of the Inspector as his own mouthpiece. The Inspector has many socialist views and makes a great number of comments about how everyone is responsible for everyone else’s actions.

The main plot of the play is how the family trigger a chain of events at different points leading up to a young girl’s, Eva Smith, death. This is established in Act one where Mr. Birling, his daughter Shelia and her fiancé Gerald are proved to be involved in the case.

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In the Stage directions, the lighting is “pink” which suggests the mood in the house is light and comfortable. This is because the mood of the Birlings and Gerald is also happy, light and comfortable, as if they are pleased with themselves. J B Priestly cleverly changed the lighting as the Inspector enters to tell the audience the mood is changed. In the stage directions, it says that the lighting should be ‘pink and intimate until the Inspector arrives and then it should be brighter and harder’. This symbolizes that the Inspectors visit is going to disturb the mood and that he is going to interrogate the family.

The stage directions in ‘An Inspector Calls’ describe Shelia, Mr. Birlings daughter who is at that moment celebrating her engagement to Gerald, as a ‘pretty girl in her twenties, who is very pleased with life.’ Priestly uses the character of Shelia to represent all of the impressionable young girls in 1912. Whereas Gerald Croft is ‘an attractive chap of about 30.’ Mr. And Mrs. Birling are ‘well off business people’ and Eric, their youngest boy, is ‘a young man in his early twenties, not quite at ease, half shy, half assertive.’ The group are all very pleased with themselves and are happily celebrating Shelia and Gerald’s engagement, not knowing that everything was about to change.

The Birlings and Gerald’s celebration was interrupted by the dramatic device of the sound of the doorbell. Mr. Birling was in full flow of one of his many capitalist speeches in act one, when the sound of the doorbell pierces through the house, and the Inspector has arrived. The stage directions say, ‘we hear the sharp ring of the front doorbell. Birling stops to listen.’ Eric then continues, “Somebody’s at the front door”. After a few moments of talking Edna, the housekeeper, enters with the Inspector, saying “Please sir, an Inspectors called”. The arrival of the inspector is of course significant, because firstly, the Inspector breaks off Mr. Birlings speech about how “you are only responsible for yours, your own and your business” and about “… community and all that nonsense.” When the Inspectors sole purpose in the play is to show the Birlings and Gerald the error of their ways, and prove that every action has a consequence that leads to others. Inspector Goole’s entrance is ironic in the sense that as he breaks off Mr. Birling’s speech, he’s already started to penetrate the family and their beliefs. The Birlings from there on have to start reflecting on themselves and their actions and accept the responsibilities of them. In the final speech made by the Inspector, he says “But just remember this. One Eva Smith has gone- but there are millions and millions of Eva Smiths and John Smiths still left with us, with their lives, their hopes and fears…” This is showing that the Inspectors point is that, although they’ve hurt one person by their actions and mistakes, there will always be others, and they have a chance to make sure they don’t make the same mistakes again.

Inspector Goole is a very mysterious character from when he enters in act one to when he leaves. Mr. Birling is from the arrival of the inspector, very wary of his character. The audience is at all times aware that the Inspector knows something yourself and the other characters don’t, as if the audience are waiting for the mystery to unravel further and the plot to thicken. The Inspectors name is ‘Goole’ which is another term for ‘Ghost’ or something supernatural. This raises the question of who exactly is Inspector Goole? The Birlings later in the play discover that the Inspector is after all, not a real police Inspector. On Gerald’s return to the house he says slowly “That man wasn’t a police officer.” The Birlings are all shocked and Mr. And Mrs. Birling are very pleased. “…Oh- lets admit that. He had the laugh of us alright.” Eric continues, “ He could laugh his head off…if I knew it was really a hoax.” Mr. Birling shakes his head, “I’m convinced it is. No police inquiry. No one girl that all of this happened to. No scandal…” Shelia then interrupts her father. “And no suicide??” When they found out about the inspector being a hoax it was Shelia and Eric who where sorry and wanted forgiveness for their sins, unlike Mr. And Mrs. Birling who were only to happy to forget all about it as long as there was no scandal. Though not many of its audience seemed happy with the character of the Inspector and it was sourly received when the play was published and screened in 1940. The public wanted to know if he, the inspector, was a realistic straight forward police inspector, was he a hoaxer, or was he something more and if so, what? The play is quite open-ended and leaves much to the imagination and presumption towards Inspector Goole’s character.

There are many examples of exits that are used to further the plot. For instance, the inspectors departure in act one. The Inspector leaves Gerald and Shelia alone together after startling Gerald by bringing up the name ‘Daisy Renton’ which Gerald obviously recognizes. Gerald later confesses to Shelia his involvements with Daisy. Inspector Goole then re-enters and demands an explanation from Gerald with a sharp “well?” This is a rhetorical question as we, the audience, have just heard the confession. However we as the audience want to know what happens next. The play is structured for dramatic effect with the entire action taking place in the Birling’s dining room. This draws together the three unities. The three unities are –1.) Unity of place, location of action stays the same. 2.) Unity of time, a 24-hour time span was used. And 3.) Unity of action, the play should only have one plot / no sub-plot. Priestly has produced a textbook example of the three unities. All the events happening off stage e.g. the strike, sacking of Eva Smith and the interview of Eva with Mrs. Birling. The Inspector acts as a ‘chorus’ (as used in Greek plays) who sums up what has happened, comments on the action and characters.

J B Priestly took his ideas for ‘An Inspector Calls’ for plays such as ‘A Christmas Carol’. This links to the ‘Ghost of Christmas past’ in ‘A Christmas Carol’ because both the Inspector and the Ghost’s purpose are to show the other characters the error of their ways. By the end of the play the younger generation have shown to redeem themselves, whereas the older generation show no remorse for their actions.

In conclusion, J B Priestly uses many dramatic devices to express his socialist point of view. He clearly changes our opinion of the Birling’s from act one. In the stage directions in act one; it states that the Birlings have good solid furniture and a three-course meal, which indicates that they are a respectable family. By the end of act one the Birlings high-class reputation to the audience has dissolved. Priestly withholds information from you which makes you want to read on, as you are aware there is more to come. Priestly’s message of cause and effect, how one persons actions affect another’s, is the moral of the play. Priestly wanted to demonstrate the values of life to the people the Birling family represent.

By Hannah Walker-Wood

10 KRW