Who is Inspector Goole?

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Who is Inspector Goole?

The inspector is in permanent control of the play, you get the feeling that he already knows all of the answers, he just wants the characters to confess to themselves. The timing of the inspector’s entrance demonstrates the way he knows everything and how his purpose in the play is to prove wrong Birling. “A man has to mind his own business and look after himself and his own – and – (we hear the sharp ring of a front door bell ). Right in the middle of Birling’s speech about looking after yourself and ignoring the rest of the world.

The inspector works the characters into confessing, “Both Eric and Gerald rise to have a look at the photograph, but the inspector interposes himself between them and the photograph” he controls what each character knows and sees and that way he could be talking about different girls but the Birlings have no solid evidence.

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From the first stage directions after the inspector enters we find out about the inspectors physical appearance. “He creates at once an impression of massiveness, solidity and purposefulness. He is a man in his fifties, dressed in a plain darkish suit of the period.”  This description tells us that the inspector projects a sort of aura, which causes the characters to cooperate with him.

In the inspector’s final speech his beliefs and morals are best described. “We don’t live alone. We are members of one body. We are responsible for each other.” This is the exact opposite to Mr. ...

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