The Inspector is ‘an embodiment of a collective conscience’. How real is the character of the Inspector in “An Inspector Calls”?

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The Inspector is 'an embodiment of a collective conscience'. How real is the character of the Inspector in "An Inspector Calls"?

Faris Habayeb 11BC

'A collective conscience' is a conscience of a society or a group of people. The Inspector embodies this quality, which is a powerful one, but tampers with his reality as an inspector. Inspector Goole isn't a typical inspector; his approach towards the Birlings wasn't one, which respected class. He didn't seem to care who he was talking to, he treated everyone the same. Even when Mr. Birling mentions having connections in the police department. (Page 16) "Perhaps I ought to warn you the chief's a friend of mine..." Inspector Goole simply doesn't care, he managed to interrogate the whole Birling family and get the honest truth out of them as if they were talking to themselves, or as if the Inspector was their conscience.

Inspector Goole treated each member of the Birlings as if they were normal people, which they weren't. They were of a higher class and they expected to be treated that way. When Inspector Goole comes along all that seems to change, it was as if their conscience became present with the Inspector's presence, which obviously effected the whole Birling house. No one doubted the Inspector's reality till the very end of the play. It seemed he had some sort of compelling effect on them, and this effect went away with the inspector as he left. It was as if they woke up from a dream. Mr. Birling is a perfect example of this; his dominant, imperious character reawakens as Inspector Goole leaves. The Birlings all seemed to act differently as soon as the Inspector came along. There is a lot of evidence to support this; take Mr. Birling for example; his attitude generally is a dominant one. He would always have the last word in everything and have a say in everything, but when the Inspector comes along and interrogates the rest of the family we seem to find Mr. Birling out of the picture and minding his own business. (Page 22 when the Inspector starts to interrogate Gerald, Sheila and Eric)
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As the characters are interrogated, we find that most of the characters' consciences seem to awaken and speak out, as if the Inspector was commanding them to do so. However not all of the Birlings let their conscience or the Inspector get the best out of them. Mrs. Birling, a cold, bitter and sophisticated lady who believes in her superiority didn't let her conscience get to her. When questioned about the death of Eva Smith we find her answering the Inspector in a very general biased way. When finally admitting to her mistakes and her involvement in the ...

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