An Inspector Calls

Elizabeth Gear Page 10/20/2008

In Act 1 if ‘An Inspector calls’ how does J.B. Priestley use the dramatic devices to convey his concerns and ideas to the member of the audience and explain the power and mystery of the inspector’s role throughout?

J.B. Priestley, who was born in 1894, was from the generation that witnessed both the First and Second World Wars. Perhaps as a result of this, Priestley developed strong political views from a young age that he wasn’t afraid to express. After World war one, he became increasingly interested and concerned in the social state of the country. By 1942 he had set up a new political party, ‘the common wealth party’ which consisted of a socialist view and strong anti-war messages. During the Second World War he had his own radio show that was cancelled by the BBC because it was too critical of the government.

Priestley’s play, ‘An Inspector Calls’ was written in 1945, just after the Second World War. The country was in complete turmoil as it began to repair the havoc nearly six years of war had wreaked. The play was set back in 1912, after the First World War. The significance of these two dates allowed Priestley to include several dramatic techniques and devices surrounding the two wars, especially dramatic irony. The views contained in the play serve as a constant reminder to the audience reading the play script or watching the play that we should learn from history’s mistakes and avoid repeating them. It is also a representation of the drastic social changes that took place during these eras, when age, gender and class boundaries began to be breached.

In the play, Priestley uses the inspector as a puppet to portray his own views and concerns about the country to his audience. The entrance of the Inspector is placed at a vital point, immediately after Birling’s speech in which he shares his capitalist views claiming: “a man has to make his own way-has to look after himself”. This is the first hint we get about who the Inspector is, and what he is there to teach the Birlings. The inspector entrance also shows the first example of his omniscience during the whole play as he sets out to change Birling’s views, leaving the audience questioning what he is already aware of from the start. The inspector later comes back at Birling’s speech with his own opposing socialist views by stating: “We don’t live alone. We are members of one body. We are responsible for each other.”

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The play begins with the detailed set of stage directions, informing the actors of their exact positions on the stage, which props should be revealed or shown and when, and the use of lighting and costumes. To begin with, the lighting is described as “pink and intimate.” When the Inspector enters the light turns “brighter and harder” is significant in that when reflecting back, it suggests to the audience the importance of the Inspector’s appearance at this point. Priestley conveys the power surrounding the Inspector by using stage directions and describing his presence as “massive” and then using the ...

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The ring of the doorbell and announcement of the Inspector triggers off a series of comments, which show the audience that there is a slightly uneasy atmosphere in the room, which is trying to be disguised by the characters. The significance of some of the comments doesn’t become evident to the audience until a later point in the play, but there is a constant suggestion of an event of some importance having happened beforehand. As an example, Eric’s quick response to Gerald’s light-hearted joke: “Unless Eric’s been up to something. And that would be awkward wouldn’t it?” To which Eric replies sharply: “Here, what do you mean?” The main significance of the doorbell sounding at this very precise point is that it interrupted Mr.Birling’s speech. We soon realise that this is the very first clue that the Inspector is here to teach the Birling family some lessons.

‘An inspector calls’ includes all desired qualities, which allow it to defined as a good, well made play. The genres vary throughout the play. It seems to begin as detective thriller, but as the Inspector changes the structure by dealing with one line of enquiry at a time, it develops into more of a ‘whodunit’ type play. By the end of the play, all the storylines are merged together. This is where the structure becomes similar to that of a morality play, where Priestley presents his ideas to the audience, who he hopes will take the lesson of moral away with them.

During Mr.Birling’s speech, the clever use of dramatic irony, as mentioned above, is not only linked in with two the world wars, but also with the sinking of Titanic on it’s maiden voyage. As part of the same speech, more irony is introduced when he says: “the Titanic-forty six thousand eight hundred tons-and unsinkable, absolutely unsinkable.” The audience watching will know that the ship famously sunk on it’s maiden voyage. This beginning speech is probably the most important insight the audience will get into Mr.Birling’s character and points of view. He is the prime example of everything Priestley fought against during his lifetime and by portraying him and ignorant and opinionated, he helps to push his own views onto the audience as being the correct principles to follow. The use of this dramatic irony helps to make the audience feel more involved and gives them an advantage over the characters.

The dramatic change in atmosphere and general opinions some of the characters hold by themselves caused by the introduction of the Inspector is emphasised by the way Priestley uses tension, and the mysterious presence of the Inspector to reveal how each character reacts differently to him. This leaves the audience curious as to how one man can have such an immense control over other people and a situation. It is at this point that the members of the audience may begin to wonder where Inspector Goole is more than just a normal Police inspector. Although the Inspector causes Mr.Birling’s self confidence to transform into anger and defensiveness, he doesn’t manage to change his stubborn view that he had no responsibility for Eva Smith’s death. Sheila and Eric, on the other hand, who are both young and more open to new ideas, both accept full responsibility for their actions and the effects of these. The two of them move from a more naïve immaturity to becoming more mature and understanding. Priestley once again conveys the immense power and manipulation of the Inspector and how in just a few hours he can transform someone into a better person and help them achieve better morals. Gerald, although not as severely affected as Eric and Sheila were, becomes “distressed” as he realises he played a part in causing Eva’s death. Mrs Birling however, similar to her husband remains cold and unnerved throughout her questioning, only finally being moved with the humiliation and shock that she indirectly was responsible for the death of her own grandchild.

Throughout the play there are several crucial exits, but none so significant than that of the Inspector. The other characters conveniently exit and return to carry on their line of enquiry. At the end of Act 1, tension is created and the plot furthered when the inspector exits after Gerald’s involuntary reaction to the name Daisy Renton, revealing he knew of the girl. The audience are left on a cliffhanger. This immaculate timing once again shows the mystery and omniscience of the Inspector. It is also a good example of ‘the climatic curtain’, the point in a well-made play when an act ends in suspense and in a highly dramatic moment. From observation we can also see that Sheila is now on a thinking level with the audience in that she has realised that there is something odd about the Inspector, and that there would be no point in attempting to hide anything from him. The final speech from the inspector leaves the characters and the audience pondering the not only controversial but thought-provoking points put forward in his final exiting speech.

The large amount of detailed, descriptive language used by Priestley throughout the play helps heighten the dramatic devices. Priestley not only manages to fully manipulate the audiences emotions, but also leaves many of his points open to audience expectation and a lot of reading between lines is required to fully understand the message he is trying to put across. By using each character as a puppet of his own ideas, he is able to use developed language and imagery to symbolise the true nature of human beings and the opportunity to seize something better. He uses strong, emotive language to vent his own frustration and convey his concerns about the social and historical background to Britain but also some rhetorical devices. The inspector is constantly asking rhetorical questions which although said the characters, seem to be directed at the audience. This causes them to gain a sound understanding of the play by becoming involved in thinking and reflecting upon every statement the inspector makes. In parts, the Inspector acts almost as a Greek Chorus would have by summarising and explaining important points put forward by other characters.

Priestley leaves us at a cliff-hanger with several questions remaining unanswered in our minds. The biggest of these is; exactly who is the Inspector? Priestley purposefully left this open to interpretation so the audience could have their own personal thoughts about the plays and it’s characters. One common idea is that the name ‘Goole’ was a subtle reference to a ghoul, a kind of spirit or ghost which takes the life from other corpses. This could perhaps mean that the Inspector was meant to be the conscience of all the characters. He used the story of Eva Smith/Daisy Renton to assist the characters in getting back on the right track and allowing them to see that every single person has the potential to cause both good and evil. It is clear to the Inspector that not everyone has got the message, though he is determined to get his point across to them, so repeats the situation all over again in the hope that they will stop and consider what they have done. His warning: “And I tell you that the time will soon come when, if men will not learn that lesson, then they will be taught it in fire and blood and anguish.” This is subtly directed at Mr and Mrs Birling and Gerald who were more inclined to ignore the Inspector and not accept the responsibility of Eva’s death, and that if it comes to it, they will have to learn their lesson the hard way.

The prime aim of this thoughtful play is to emphasise that we are all responsible somewhat for what we do, and one another, whoever you are, every action you do effects the people around you, and Priestley didn’t want this important message that he believed so strongly in to ever be forgotten in History, so similar to remembrance day when the nation remembers those who died in the war also being a reminder that we shouldn’t revert back to how it was before equality came about, he made sure that his opinion would be recorded in ‘An inspector calls’ forever and never be forgotten.