Discuss the Role of the Inspector in J. B. Priestley's Play: "An Inspector Calls."

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GCSE ENGLISH LITERATURE ASSIGNMENT.

Discuss the Role of the Inspector in J. B. Priestley’s Play: “An Inspector Calls.”

The play is set in 1912, in a well-to-do household in Brumley. The family who live there, and are later subjected to the Inspectors’ questions, are the Birlings.

Arthur Birling is the father, Sybil Birling his wife, Sheila his daughter and Eric, his youngest son and heir to the family business. Also present is Mr. Gerald Croft, who is engaged to Sheila. The audience are first introduced to the family in the dining room where they have just finished a celebratory meal in honour of the forthcoming marriage of Sheila and Gerald.

The engagement is significant to analyse because it is an opportunity for the Birlings to become business allies with the Crofts. It is convenient that Gerald is getting married to Sheila because it creates a good chance to increase the profit, wealth and prosperity of both families. This shows Arthur to be quite a calculating, devious gentleman who considers his own business and social image above all else.

The timing of the Inspector’s arrival is important. Arthur is lecturing Eric and Gerald on the importance of a man looking out for his own interests and well being. The inspector’s arrival punctuates Birling’s capitalist pontificating and later reveals it to be complacent and mildly ignorant: “… - a man has to mind his own business and look after himself and his own – and –…” At this point the doorbell rings and the Inspector then enters.

From the outset the Inspector seems to be a massive character, not due to physical size but his actual presence and aura surrounding him. He conveys a sense of power and is not at all intimidated by the family’s high social status.

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The Inspector somehow manages to facilitate the revelation of the truth from each character in turn by providing them with minimal facts and allowing them to elaborate upon these facts themselves. He does not actually press them heavily with questions requiring ‘yes’ or ‘no’ answers, he merely acts as a catalyst and ignites an emotional fuse within all the characters, some more than others.

He begins by addressing Mr Birling. He tries to shock him by telling him of a young woman in the infirmary who swallowed some disinfectant; “Burnt her inside out, of course.” This revelation of ...

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