The play concentrates on this dilemma, and portrays an image where society should be equal. Also the fact that equality, community and responsibility are needed to overcome all the problems displayed.
I am going to explain the role of the inspector in the play, whom is an enigmatic figure, he neither changes nor develops. I shall also explain the different characters that he could be, for although he is presented as an inspector, throughout the play he fulfils many different roles.
Firstly I think that he could well be a real inspector for he defiantly portrays an image that he is. His actions and words are very similar to those of a real inspector. He enters the room in a serious and prominent manner. He is not a ‘big man but creates an impression of massiveness, solidity and purposefulness.’ He is dressed in a ‘plain darkish suit of the period’, and speaks ‘carefully, weightily, and has a disconcerting habit of looking hard at the person he addresses before actually speaking’. Already the first impression that we are given is that the so-called inspector is actually a real inspector. The fact that ‘he is a man in his fifties’ shows that he is at his peak of reasoning, and that he is mature. We can tell that he is a clear thinker, for all these qualities are displayed in the way he conducts his enquiry. We are also made to believe he is an inspector by the way he slowly uncovers the truth throughout careful questioning, placing together evidence with shrewd insight. He declines to drink on duty, which is seen to portray a professional mature image. Like a real inspector he is very secretive for although he claims to know very little, he expertly draws confessions from the most secretive and hypocritical people like Mrs Birling, which leads me onto my next opinion.
I feel that the ‘Inspector’ could be playing the role of a confessor. He tries to draw their confessions by playing with their minds through constantly asking open questions. ‘And so you used the power you had, as a daughter of a good customer and also of a man well known in town, to punish the girl just because she made you feel like that?’ ‘Are you sure you don’t know?’ Also the way he asks ‘was it or was it not your influence? He encourages each character to acknowledge their guilt and responsibility for Eva’s death and to repent. This action is shown through the way he questions Eric ‘you mean you stole the money?’ Not only does he expertly draw confessions from people he also portrays an image of a supernatural being. He seem to have premonitions for he states ‘I think you did something terribly wrong, and you’re going to spend the rest of your life regretting it’. He seems to be able to forecast and acts in an omnipotent manner. This is shown when he is talking about Eva and her employment with Milwards, where he states ‘that’s what she thought’. The most obvious reason why he can be envisaged as a supernatural being like a malevolent spirit or ghost is because of his name, ‘Inspector Goole’. As we all know this is a very obvious pun and can be interpreted as ‘Ghoul’. It almost seems as though it is a phonetic word and just seems to have been misspelt. We soon begin to doubt whether or not the inspector really is a supernatural being. For although he is visible, he is not known by anybody. Nobody has seen him around before, not even Gerald, who comes from a very wealthy, reputable and well-known family ‘the Crofts’. Also because he is prepared to be morbid and shock the characters if it will elict a response from them. This is portrayed through the description he gives of ‘young’ Eva Smith. ‘That’s more or less what I was thinking earlier tonight, when I was in the infirmary looking at what was left of Eva Smith. A nice promising life there, I thought, and a nasty mess somebody’s made of it’. This seems to be very evil and too harsh for a real inspector to say. It is as almost as if he is a spirit sent on behalf of Eva to haunt and torment the consciences of each of the characters in turn. Or even a phantom, a fleeting supernatural phenomenon. This is because the word inspector could interpreted as ‘in-spectre’ for he may not be an evil spirit yet exposes the evil in others.
However due to the fact that he seems to have premonitions and his unjustifiable behaviour, we begin to wonder whether he could be god. For he gains respect, and wants to bring a change to the world, the only person who is capable of changing the world is god. He can seem patronizing, for he states ‘I warn you, you are making it worse for yourself’, and ‘she’ll be alone with her responsibilities’. It is as if can foretell the future which is another of Gods qualities. Which is highlighted in the inspector’s final speech. ‘’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 emphasises the war, which occurred later. Post war audiences would have appreciated this prophecy for they were sufferers of the war, and were aware that it had occurred. Also because the inspector neither punishes nor forgives. Each character is made to face up to the fact that they must find the courage to judge themselves. This is because he feels that only then they will have learned enough to be able to change. Here we seriously begin to think he is god for his perceptions come true. Eric and Sheila do actually evolve. Due to this only applying to Sheila and Eric, we begin to wonder if he is a teacher to the younger generation. This is because although Sheila and Eric change their ways, the others even at the end strongly oppose such changes. The characters are treated equally and not in inferior, which signifies the attitude of a teacher. Also because he is very assertive and speaks to Mr Birling with authority. ‘Mr Birling have responsibilities as well as privileges’. This quotation leads me to my final view where I feel that the inspector may also be portrayed as JB Priestly, and his socialist views, and the fact that he is passionately convinced for a social change for the benefit of the poor. For throughout the play the inspector undermines their complacent assumption that they are respectable citizens, and points out that when social responsibilities become greater as privileges increase. Also because the play concentrates on the need for a change. The fact that everybody should be treated equally, and that we should not be selfish. This is emphasised in the quote ‘you see, we have to share something. If there’s nothing else, we’ll have to share our guilt.’
It is obvious that the author didn’t want to send a single interpretation. We are left not knowing who the inspector really is.
We know that he is not a real inspector, for this is revealed at the end of the play, when the Birling’s hone the police station to enquire about the inspector, and they are told he is non-existent. Due to the inspectors identity not being revealed we have to judge for ourselves on who we think he really is. I think that the inspector in JB Presley’s ‘An Inspector Calls’ is God. This is because he is a moral influence who makes the characters judge themselves. He gives them a change to own up and the characters that decline to change and learn the least from the experience will be forced to go through procession until they face up to their guilt. Also because unlike the others, he does not deviate from his moral position, and can foretell the future.
