Surprise and shock continues throughout the play. The actual arrival of the Inspector is an initial shock. When he enters, he is extremely abrupt. He gets straight to the point and doesn’t hang around. He informs Birling that “two hours ago a young woman died in the Infirmary”. “Yes, yes. Horrid business. But I don’t understand why you should come here, Inspector ----“ says Birling. It is obvious he doesn’t care about the young woman who has just taken her own life, instead, he’s just apprehensive about why the Inspector’s visit concerns him. His lack of compassion and sympathy is awful.
Arthur Birling is always looking out for himself. No one outside of the family matters, according to him. He talks about how everyman is for himself, and that the time is a prosperous one for everyone.
The Inspector’s character is a plot-mover. He moves the story along, and gets the audience to focus. He is sort of like an ‘explorer’, as he gets the characters searching and interrogating themselves and each other.
When it’s Sheila’s turn for ‘questioning‘, and the Inspector shows her the photo of Eva, it causes her to scream and run out. Firstly, Sheila is truly shocked to hear that the girl has died, and secondly, the audience wants to see what has caused her to behave in such a way.
The Inspector also shows Gerald a photograph. By showing each one a photo, he spotlights each one’s importance. He also creates an air of mystery, because none of the characters are sure, that they all see the same photograph.
When it’s Mrs Birling’s turn for the investigation, she does her best to be stubborn, and tries to be ‘clever’, by being dismissive and arguing her opinions strongly.
The Inspector traps her into talking about how she dismissed Eva Smith, in her time of need. He is sharp, and quick, and Mrs Birling can’t help falling into the trap. The Inspector uses dramatic irony here, as both Shelia and the audience can see what’s coming.
The Inspector investigated each member of the family. He found that Mr Birling is self-centred, and egoistic, and that Mrs Birling is just concerned about the family, and things being “proper”. He also reveiled that even though Shelia was selfish, and irrational to get Eva sacked from her job, she wasn’t a bad person, and was capable of feeling sympathy and compassion. Unlike her parents. He found Eric to be a ‘lost boy’ who felt he couldn’t depend on his parents. He said that Mr Birling wasn’t the kind of father “a chap could go to when he’s in trouble”.
Priestley chose to set this play around a family, which is apparently united and well to do, which may in fact not be as secure as it looked. The children, Eric and Sheila share different views to their parents, to show that maybe a new generation may be more compassionate towards others, so the future may be brighter...
You see, Priestley was a socialist. When you have time to reflect on the story afterwards, you start to wonder if Priestley was using the Inspector as a mouthpiece, as a way of voicing and expressing his opinions and views. Priestley believed that co-operation in society is necessary for things to advance. This is everything Arthur Birling disagrees with. He thinks that everyman is for himself.
I think the Inspector was part of the mystery. When it’s relieved that he isn’t a real Inspector, we start to question the play. We look to find answers. Was he a ghost? A murderer? Eva Smith’s brother? But then we find out that a suicide did take place, and there will be questioning, the drama continues…
The message of the play is, that we all have to help each other and look out for each other. The actions that we portray in society, if handled badly may end in disaster. “We are members of one body and we are responsible for each other”.
Natalie Clowes, 10M
An Inspector Calls.
November 2002
