The Inspector’s authority is publicised as the investigation goes on. He seems to keep himself to himself only revealing facts he wants to be shown and only to the people he who he wants to see. This once again shows his control of the questioning. The Inspector works on a one to one basis, keeping people who my later be questioned, unaware of what is being said “One person and one line of enquiry at a time”. This allows the Inspector to hear everyone’s statement putting the peaces together. A good example of this is when he shows a picture of Eva Smith to Sheila making sure that no one else can see the picture. This technique of questioning provokes the family leaving people on a suspense of who she is or what the link is to the family. This also is a key point as it helps Mr Croft State his case to the rest of the family that Mr Goole was not a real inspector. “We’ve no proof it was the same photograph and therefore no proof it was the same girl.”
The Inspector also shows this power, of knowing what is going to happen next, and what people are thinking but don’t want to say, a bit like a mind reader. With this tool he manipulates the Birling family into telling the truth about how well they new Eva Smith and what they had to do with her. Sheila is the first one to realize this almost magical power and is distressed when the Inspector uses it on her mother who walks straight into the trap. “He is giving us the rope so we can hang ourselves.” However the older generations of the Birling family do not see this at all and just assume that Sheila is acting childish. You could say that the Inspector is very strong minded because he does not get intimidated by the Birling status you can see this when Mr Birling is tell him who he is and who he knows. Therefore he can do his job and investigate. His strong mind plays havoc on the Birling family and they can not get over how much he actual knows.
Throughout the investigation there are a number of discussions about social views. At the beginning of the play Mr Birling says “A man has to make his own way, has to look after himself and his family”. Then he goes on to say that the idea of a community is completely rubbish. He also tries to prophesise the future saying that there will be peace with no war and businesses will be on the up as long as there our class differences. “You’ll hear some people say wars inevitable. And to that I say fiddlesticks! The Germans don't want war.” As we no this point on this wrong as war did come.
The Inspectors view on this is completely different and he makes it clear near the end of the play, he is completely with the idea of a community and he demonstrates that in his final speech “We don't live alone. We are members of one body. We are responsible for one another” This shows how strong his views are on the matter of a community and people who do not think otherwise or do not play their part in the community should be punished severely. This has a great effect on the family who do not even move as he the Inspector leaves.
The effect of the Inspector on the family is a tremendous one, as he leaves the family are left staring silently and wondering. Sheila is in tears and regrets about what influence she had on the death of Eva Smith. Mrs Birling is collapsed in a chair. Eric is feeling sorry for himself and upset about his unborn child and Mr Birling is moving hesitantly towards the drinks cabinet.
After the Inspector leaves Mr Birling tries to go on the attack and blame Eric for Eva’s death and how this will ruin his attempt for a knighthood. Eric does not seem to care and neither does Sheila. The argument escalates into a family matter about how important this is to the family. This all changes when they begin to think that Mr Goole was not a real inspector, and is later proved by Mr Croft, “that man wasn’t a police officer.”
I believe in the idea of a community and that things you do will affect the outcome of others anywhere in the world even if you do not know them. I think that the Inspectors role in the play is vital in getting the messages through to the audience. However I do feel not everyone can change easily. Older generations are more stubborn to change and than the younger therefore as we move on it is the younger generations’ responsibility to help and improve the world so it is a better place for every one of all classes and race. We definitely see this throughout the play because the older Generation don’t seem to care as much apart from themselves but the younger generation start to feel different.
