Evidently, Priestley is more concerned about the people in society that are represented by the Birling family characters, who commit ‘moral offences’, rather than actual crimes. Priestley is very committed to putting this point across to his audience, and making them more morally aware, and more socially responsible for one another in society. This is known because Priestley once said in a wartime broadcast, ‘We must stop thinking in terms of property and power, and begin thinking in terms of community and creation’. In the play, this is revealed to us (the audience) when Gerald returns to the Birlings after the Inspector has left. Gerald informs everyone that ‘Inspector Goole’ was not a real Inspector. They are told that Gerald had spoken to a ‘police sergeant’ that he knew, who confirmed to him that they had ‘nobody on the force’ in that area by the name of ‘Goole’. Triumphantly, Birling then cheers, calling ‘Inspector Goole’ ‘a jingo, a fake’, but does not realise that Goole has already morally inspected the whole family, drawing out all of the moral weaknesses that are within them. The final twist, as it were to the play then reveals the ‘ghoulish’ (implied by Goole’s name) and almost supernatural powers of the Inspector, in that he had conducted his moral enquiry before the suicide of Eva Smith. When the telephone rings at the end, and the Infirmary informs the family of the suicide of Eva Smith, this becomes clear, and they are told that ‘an inspector is on his way, to ask some questions’.
When Priestley wrote ‘An Inspector Calls’ in 1945, he (and his potential audience) had just experienced two world wars that were partly caused by people’s greed and inability to learn from the past. Unusually, Priestley wrote the play in hindsight, as it was actually set it in 1912; a time when social divisions were at their most extreme. The fact that Priestley wrote it in hindsight meant that it was used as a technique to arouse audience interest by making it fairly obvious from the outset what his views on many topics of the play were, and giving the audience a great insight into the issues involved in the play. This historical and social setting is very important, because at the time, for a few (the class to which the Birlings belong) 1912 was a time of security and prosperity, before the outbreak of the First World War in 1914. However, the masses of people (represented by Eva Smith and the other ‘machine shop employees’ at Birlings factory) were badly paid, unprotected and vulnerable to exploitation.
Dramatic techniques are used on many occasions during the play, to make significant points and arouse audience interest. For example, the lighting in ‘An Inspector Calls’ is often altered to create a certain atmosphere in the play, which frequently is used to symbolise something, and not just to add audience interest. The opening stage directions give us (the audience) an immediate insight into the lives of the Birlings, due to the ‘pink and intimate lighting’, and the ‘decanter of port’, ‘cigar box’ and ‘cigarettes’ that are present in the ‘substantial’ and ‘heavily comfortable’ dining room of a ‘fairly large suburban house’. These setting and lighting effects indicate that the Birlings are an aspiring family, due to the ‘fairly large’ house of a ‘manufacturer’, who would be unlikely to be aristocratic. Also, the ‘pink and intimate’ lighting refers to the phrase ‘rose-coloured spectacles’, meaning that that family / group of people has a very narrow-outlook on life, and only sees the positive sides of life, and ignores the downsides. These techniques lead directly into the play, and prove that family has a very narrow-outlook on life, and ignore the downsides of life. For example, Arthur Birling lectures the ‘three young people’ as he refers to them, about how the ‘world is developing too quickly’ to ‘have time for war’. He thinks that in 1940, the world will be rid of ‘the Capital versus Labour agitations’ and ‘silly little war scares’, of course the audience knows that Birling is completely wrong, because the play was written in hindsight. Also, techniques such as the setting, which indicate that the Birlings are an aspiring family are proven to be correct later on, when Arthur reveals to Gerald that he ‘will soon be on the Honours list’, which may not be true. The Birlings’ vanity, self-satisfaction, neglect of others, and refusal to take responsibility for their actions are all significant points that are also brought out by the indications of setting, props, and lighting in the play.
Furthermore, when the Inspector arrives, dramatic techniques are used to a further extent to arouse audience interest, and make significant points. For example, the fact that the Inspector ‘creates an immediate impression of massiveness’, but ‘need not be a big man’ implies that he is a very well educated, and is a man that is skilful at what he does. Also, the fact that the Inspector ‘looks carefully at the person he addresses before actually speaking’ reinforces this implication. The fact that the lighting also changes, to become ‘brighter and harder’ when the Inspector arrives, shows the audience how he has effectively undermined the ‘cosiness’ in which the Birlings live, and has invaded their space physically and mentally. The Inspector’s set-piece speeches also add to the tension within the household as the Inspector tries to force the Birlings to become more morally aware, socially responsible, and less complacent in the future. The Inspector’s final speech is a very good example of this, because his point is put across to the audience in a very effective way, by using just a few phrases, ‘We are members of one body. We are responsible for each other’, ‘if men will not learn that lesson, they will be taught in fire and blood and anguish’.
The structure of the play is also very important, in that the ‘chain of events’ in the plot and storyline mean that the tension in the house continues to rise, as each act offers the audience a number of revelations as each character in turn is implicated in Eva’s death, and reveals more detail to the Inspector. Also, the fact that the Inspector examines each character individually throughout the play, and uses one line of enquiry at time (except when replying to a character, or when making a set-speech) means that the author builds up suspense in the storyline. Dramatic techniques such as dramatic irony are also used throughout the play, especially with Eric, a character that is closely associated with drink. Eric’s mother, Sybil Birling sees Eric as a child, but does not realise what he is really like. This is mainly how Priestley employs dramatic irony in the play, for example, when Sybil says that ‘[Eva] should have found the father, it’s his responsibility’. Sybil, of course did not know that the time that Eric was the father of the child, and also stated that ‘it isn’t true’, when replying to Sheila’s suggestion that ‘Eric has been drinking steadily for the last two years’, proving that she doesn’t know about his ‘drinking habits’ either. Mrs. Birling was unaware of the circumstances concerning Eric at the time, of which the audience had full knowledge. This is exactly why dramatic irony is so effective.
Throughout the play, Priestley manipulates the ‘morality’ and ‘whodunit’ play formulae, and effectively incorporates them both into one storyline. The original ‘whodunit’, or ‘detective drama’ format is generally that an investigation takes place into a murder, or other occurrence involving death (Eva’s suicide, in this play). The suspects are usually limited in number, and often represent ‘stock’ types. After several false trials have been pursued, the culprit is unmasked through the brilliance and persistence of the investigator. This format, of course had to be slightly altered for ‘An Inspector Calls’, because all of the characters must take responsibility for their actions, which the led up to, in a ‘chain of events’, the suicide of Eva Smith. Therefore, one character is not entirely to blame, as in an ordinary detective drama. Also, the main difference between ‘An Inspector Calls’ and a ‘whodunit’ is that ‘Inspector Goole’ is not interested in revealing a criminal, because the Birling family have done nothing criminal in the orthodox sense of the word. The family do not think that they have committed a crime, but as the evening progresses the Inspector forces them to understand that although no action that could be prosecuted has been perpetrated, a great wrong has been done by everybody in the household. As the play continues, guilt and responsibility widen, rather than narrow (as in a normal ‘whodunit’) until they have become communal, even if all characters do not accept it. For example, the younger generation of the family learn to accept that they have done wrong (i.e.: Sheila and Eric Birling), whereas the parents of Sheila and Eric, Arthur and Sybil Birling still insist that they are ‘not responsible’ for the suicide of Eva even after it has been conclusively proven to the audience that they are, by Inspector Goole and effectively the author. This further adds to the point being made by the author, because it reinforces the statement that society should admit their guilt when they have done wrong, something that Mr. and Mrs. Birling refuse to do. This is an obvious use of the dramatic technique to use characters as ‘vehicles’ to express a certain outlook or opinion in the play, in the case of Mr. Birling in particular. It becomes apparent in the play that the Inspector is not concerned with punishment in the usual sense, as there is not specific penalty for the Birlings’ actions, but the worst thing that hangs over them is the ‘exposure’ and ‘scandal’, which could result in an inquest in which their names were brought up. This is a considerable punishment for Mr. and Mrs. Birling, as their ‘family name and reputation’ could be destroyed with ease. This is how the Inspector changes the idea of ‘criminal behaviour’ so that what seem fairly common examples of spite and selfishness become ‘offences’ – for which people can be questioned and brought to account.
Clearly, Priestley effectively uses many different dramatic techniques and devices throughout the play, to put forward his themes and ideas to the audience. Priestley does this in such a way that the audience also learn to become more considerate, morally aware, and more socially responsible for one another in society. Therefore, it is clear that when Inspector Goole is inspecting the Birlings’ consciences, the author is also simultaneously inspecting the consciences of the audience members. This is a very effective method of putting forward his main concern, that “We are members of one body. We are responsible for each other.”
