Birling’s tension is also caused by the inspectors massiveness impression, inspector Goole is shown to have solidity and purposefulness in his visit.
He is a man in his fifties, dressed in a plain darkish-suit to fit the period. He speaks carefully, weightily, and has a perplexing habit of looking hard at the person he addresses before actually speaking.
Birling tries to undermine the inspector’s impression by telling him that;
“I was an alderman for years - and Lord Mayor two years ago - and I’m still on the bench…”
The inspector knows this as he has just recently been transferred and is told everything he needs to know so, Birling’s attempt to influence the inspector fails. As this Birling asks if there is some trouble with a warrant, the inspector reply is negative. This causes a touch of anger in Birling and impatience to know what the visit is about, the tension at this point is great.
Inspector Goole informs him there has been a suicide of a young woman just only two hours ago.
Mr Birling is very impatient and wants to know what the suicide has to do with him or his family.
Inspector Goole tells them her original name Eva Smith and asks if the name has anything do with him, the inspector reminds him that she was employed in his works at one time and shows him a photograph. Gerald and Eric are refrained from seeing the photograph; this proves to be a great annoyance to them both. This creates tension as all the men are suspicious at the fact that the two young men can’t see the picture yet as the inspector likes to take enquiries in one line at a time.
Tension is created when Eric in annoyance starts to ask questions, as Birling remembers he discharged her, Eric wants to know if that is the reason why the girl committed suicide by swallowing disinfectant. Eric also wants to know when this was. Birling now has a lot of stress building up inside him; he limits his answers and tells the inspector that he does have anything to do with the girl’s suicide as that the girl left the firm nearly two years ago.
At this point Gerald decides that he is not needed in the conversation; Birling introduces Gerald to the inspector, and he decides sternly that he would like Mr Gerald Croft would stay.
The inspector carries on with his hard hitting questions and answers.
After more discussion on all parties, Sheila enters in on the conversation and Mr Birling tells her hat they will be along in to the drawing room in a minute, at that point the inspector interrupts saying they will not be along for quite a while and that he would like Sheila stay. Sheila learns what happened to the young Eva Smith and becomes rather distressed.
From this lead Birling asks Goole weather if believes that someone else in the family knows something about this girl, and the inspector confesses yes.
It turns out that Eva found a shop job at one of Sheila’s favourite shop, Milwards. Inspector reveals that Eva was soon let go after a few months as someone had complained about her. Tension is now caused as Sheila realises that she had complained about an employee of Milwards a while back and had demanded that she was sacked. Sheila becomes agitated as she has doubts in her mind that it was her, she asked the inspector when this incident occurred and what the girl looked like. The inspector shows her a photograph as she looks closely, and as she recognizes the girl she gives out a little cry and a half-stifled sob, this causes tension though out the room as everyone looks at Sheila in amazement, this obviously causes an atmosphere between the family especially Mr Birling and Inspector Goole.
Sheila leaves the room upset, and Gerald asks the inspector to see the photo once again, the inspector denies Gerald’s request and says;
“All in good time.” This causes even more tension by making Gerald feel uneasy.
Eric has a sudden outburst, and says that he has had a lot of champagne and that he better turn in and go to bed, but is stopped by the inspector and says that he should stay where he is.
The inspector reveals that much more happened to the Eva Smith.
By this Sheila is relieved that she was not the one who was solely responsible for the loss of Eva Smith’s life, but though she does feel partly responsible for the death of Eva.
J.B. Priestley creates tension as to what else could have happened to her that has anything to do with that family.
The Inspector reveals that Eva Smith had to try and do something else to try and live her life, so she changed her name to Daisy Renton. At this Gerald is startled at this factor and questions the inspector to say the name again.
J.B. Priestley creates tension in Gerald as he now certainly knows something about this girl as he asks her name again and acts stressed as he asks Sheila if he can have another drink.
Gerald was certain from the start that he did not anything to do with this girl, but as it now turns out he does know something but is holding back as he does not want to let the Birling family and Sheila most of all know about what he knows and denies he knows her, this is shown as Sheila asks him what he knows about this girl and he replies in denial;
“Why should I have known her?”
He finally admits to Sheila that he knew her as he knows there is no point holding back from Sheila as she has caught on that he knew her, but he wants to leave it at that.
Sheila also obtains from Gerald that he knew her very well, and has worked out it was last summer after her job at Milwards and when Gerald told her he was busy at work but he was really seeing her.
This cause’s bad tension between the two of them as Gerald is obviously guilty of the fact as he does not want to share this and Sheila is angry and distressed at Gerald. Gerald begs Sheila not to say anything to the Inspector as he says that neither of them is responsible for the suicide of the girl.
Sheila calls Gerald such a fool as she realises that the inspector already knows everything that there is to know and that she dreads to think what else he knows that no one else knows yet.
The end of act one is ended in a stunning tension creating atmosphere as the Inspector walks back into the room and asks a simple question of;
“Well?”
This is creating suspicion for the audience as they want to know what happened between Gerald and this girl who at that time called herself Daisy Renton. As the inspector stands at the door for a few moments and while Sheila looks at Gerald almost in triumph as to say ‘are you going to tell the truth or lie to us again?’
The break between Act one and Act two shows the difference in what the characters comprehend about the inspector and what they discover from him.
Sheila shows that she understands the role of her and her father have played in the death of this young girl, Eva Smith.
She also finds that it would be impossible to warn Gerald about the work of the inspector because it seems the inspector has to teach the individual suspect so they can each learn about what they have done.
Gerald carries on persisting not to tell Sheila about what he knows about Eva from act one, by saying that a young excitable girl should not hear what’s bound to be unpleasant and disturbing and that the inspector has finished asking her questions.
The audience can tell that Gerald is getting agitated about telling his story about Eva as he and Sheila start arguing, causing tension the Inspector takes charge and explains to Gerald why Miss Birling would prefer to stay and listen to his story about the Eva Smith, and then Mrs Birling enters the scene for the first time in the night and Sheila starts to create tension as her mother also wishes her to go to bed and keep out of the business. A lot of talk like this goes on between Mrs Birling and the Inspector and Sheila staying where she is like the inspectors wishes for everyone to do.
The inspector explains the story to Mrs Birling and asks Gerald when he first got to know her. Gerald is apprehensive to tell any story and denies he ever knew Daisy Renton. Sheila reminds him that he is wasting his time lying, so Gerald tells his story. He says that he met her in the stalls bar, and that Joe Maggarty was making her feel rather uncomfortable so he got her out of the situation and took her for some food, then they accidentally met again two nights later and let her stay in one his friends flats who was away and gave her some money to live off. Tension is created by Sheila having a little dig every now and then at Gerald, even though he still admits that she became his mistress, but that he didn’t love her.
The Inspector delves deep into Gerald’s story; he asks when exactly the affair ended and how she took the news of the ending relationship. Gerald replies: “Better than I hoped. She was - very gallant - about it.”
Sheila takes this chance to cause tension to try and make Gerald feel even worse than he does by being cocky and replying to Gerald’s answer to the inspectors question speaking with irony; “That was nice for you.”
The inspector also asks weather Eva had said to Gerald what her proposals were as she was to leave the flat, but as it was Gerald did not know but suspected she was leaving Brumley. Gerald and The Birling’s learn that she went to a seaside resort by herself for a few months, at this Gerald says that he never saw her again, and that he wants to be alone for a while and that he will return.
Sheila causes tension once again as Gerald asks the inspectors permission to go out for a walk, and Sheila hands Gerald her engagement ring and says;
“I don’t dislike you as I did half an hour ago, Gerald. In fact, in some odd way, I rather respect you more than I’ve done before.”
She makes it clear that they have to get to know each other again.
Gerald leaves implying that there is to be much more of this ‘wretched business’ of this young girl’s death as the whole of the Birling family watch him go in silence causing tension for the audience.
At this point Mrs Birling realises that the inspector has a photograph of this girl and has the opportunity from the inspector to look at it, at first she puts up her defences and does not know why she should have any reason to look at the photograph but with out of suspicion looks hardly at the photograph, at this point the inspector begins his interrogation on Mrs Birling.
They begin by arguing about weather Mrs Birling recognises her or not, the arguments gets out of hand and Mr Birling steps in but just makes it worse so Sheila steps in and tells her mother that she might as well admit that she does recognise the girl as of the guilty look on her face.
The inspector points out as they already know that she is a prominent member of the Brumleys women’s charity. Mrs Birling is forced to reveal that she spoke to Eva Smith only two weeks ago; Mrs Sybil Birling explains that Eva named herself Mrs Birling and Sybil admits to be prejudice against Eva’s case as she used her married name.
The inspector gets out of Mrs Birling that is was under her influence weather the committee decided to help or refuse the women’s plea for help, and that Mrs Birling used her position to help get Eva’s plea refused. The inspector tells the family that she was pregnant as to why she went to the committee for help.
At this point Mrs Birling puts herself in a very bad position when she tells the inspector to “look for the father of the baby as it is his responsibility.”
From this the inspector makes Mrs Birling feel small by telling her that it was just as much her fault for denying her the committee’s support, this is a shock to the Birling family as the inspector is taking no nonsense and acting firmly against everyone as he should, this causes tension through out the family and the audience see and feel this anxiety.
The inspector and Mrs Birling talk about Eva’s plea, and that she told Mrs Birling that the father of the child was a young, silly and drunken man, and that there was no chance of marrying him. Eva also explained to Mrs Birling that the father of the baby had stolen money and she couldn’t take any more of him, to this Mrs Birling again says that the father should be severely treated.
Sheila knowing that everyone in the family in the family is involved and tries to stop her mother making a fool of herself.
A massive tension is struck does his duty of finding the father as he waits for Eric in the Birling family home, as it suddenly click’s to the rest of the Birling family that Eric could be involved.
The audience as well as the Birling family is full with tension as the end of Act two concludes as they all hear the front door slamming as someone walks through the front door.
At the beginning of the next act, Eric as he walks into the front room, is stared at blankly from his family and the inspector, there is a sense of relief for the audience as Eric says;
“You know don’t you?”
The inspector tells him that they all know and Eric comes further into the room and shuts the door, and the inspector now begins his last interrogation on the family towards Eric.
Eric reveals that he met Eva one night last November at the Palace bar and that they were both quite drunk and that Eric insisted that he went back to her lodging with her and that Eva did let him into her lodgings.
He also reveals that he met her again a fortnight afterwards that sordid night that he could not remember, but not by appointment and that he could not remember her name or where she lived, and that he liked her and that they did make love again not to her refusal. They arranged to meet up again and that she then told Eric she thought she was pregnant with child and was very worried as he was.
He explained that they had talked about it and that she did not want to marry him. So he insisted on giving her enough money to keep her going until she refused anymore.
Tension is caused as Birling questions Eric as to where he got the money of £50 from, and Eric reveals that he had it from the firms office, Birling shouts and makes sure that Eric knows that he is angry with him, but with not just the stealing of the money.
Eric is alarmed when he learns that his mother Mrs Birling knew about Eva and her condition and that she refused Eva help of the women’s committee.
As things get to a loud shouting level all the tension is unravelling itself out of all the characters, the atmosphere becomes uncomfortable for both the characters and the audience. The inspector taking charge shout to get the attention of the characters, and suddenly they realise they are nearly at the end of a family interrogation they all suddenly stop, become quiet and stare at the inspector. He explains that they are all not likely to forget this major event, this again causes tension as they are forced to comes to reality as to what they have contributed to ending this young girl’s and her baby’s life.
He tells Mrs Birling that she will never forget what she did as;
“You turned her away when she most needed help. You refused her even the pitiable little bit of organised charity you had in your power to help her.”
At this point Eric realises what has happened as he bursts out unhappily that he not likely to forget. The inspector reminds him of how he used her at the end of a drunken evening.
Sheila exclaims that; “…I turned her out of a job. I started it.”
As the inspector corrects her she is made to feel a little better than the others do, as he says that she did help but that she did not start it as he looks at Mr Birling implying that he certainly did start the bad ball rolling for the young girl as he put her out of a job as she wished a pay rise. He also adds that Gerald Croft will not forget it, “though he at least had some affection for her and made her happy for a time.”
Inspector Goole concludes his speech on contributions to the end of her life by saying that now she’s gone they cannot harm her any more, but they can’t even say sorry. This makes them all realise and come to terms with what they have done within their family and suddenly they do not feel that all high of mighty.
Also that there a lot more people out there that could and up like Eva and that everyone responsible for each other.
As the inspector leaves them all behind, they are all staring, subdued and wondering. Sheila is quietly crying, Mrs Birling has collapsed on the chair. Eric is desperately brooding, and Birling is the only one left active. The audience is given tension at what a high impact impression the Inspector has left the Birling family.
The family starts making digs at each other blaming each other for what has happened.
Eric remembers how just before Inspector Goole came to the house, his father was talking about how not to listen to those cranks who tell us to look after each other.
Sheila paying sharp attention believes it was queer how he called just after that talk, and produces the idea that Inspector Goole may not have actually been an inspector, from this they start debating weather this matters.
This is when he door bell rings once again as Gerald walks into the front room, he asks what the inspector was like and how he behaved, and the family catch on to that Gerald must know something. Gerald reveals that that man was not a police officer, as he found from a police sergeant he had just seen down the road, and that he insisted there is no new police officer with the name of Goole.
With this the audience is shocked and surprised as they want to know who he really was waiting in anticipation to find out.
Birling calls the Colonel Roberts just to confirm this finding, and it does turn out there Gerald’s information he received was correct. They come to a conclusion saying that it was all a hoax and that someone must have put that man up to the act he had just done.
They all argue about weather it matters and what is going to happen now.
Until Gerald comes with the idea that the man that just came and inspected them all may have set them all up and that he got them all to confess that they have been mixed up in this girl’s life, they all try to puzzle this out when Gerald explains that they all could have seen a different picture as he only let everyone see it at different times on their own, and that is when Birling catches on to say that there is no proof that Eva Smith is Daisy Renton.
They all realise that Gerald is correct, and what kind of situations they have been put under, for example the man did not have to show the picture to Gerald he cracked when he just mentioned the name of Daisy Renton and that Mrs Birling said yes to seeing Eva two weeks ago when she did not even use the name Eva Smith, as she was upset about Eric.
They all become convinced that that was no police inquiry, no one girl and no suicide, and that there is only one way to find out and that is to ring the infirmary. Mr Birling claims; “Either there’s a dead girl there or there isn’t.”
Gerald calls the infirmary and asks covering himself and the Birling’s weather there was a suicide of a young girl drinking disinfectant or any like,
The others show their nervous tension as Gerald waits for a reply, the audience is also in tension as the characters show nervousness through
Mr Birling wiping his brow, Sheila begins to shiver and Eric continuously clasps and unclasps his hands.
It turns out that no girl like that has died in the infirmary tonight.
Mr Birling celebrates with a drink with Gerald and that now everything can
get back to how it was before and he tries to make a joke out of it, but Sheila does not seem to see the funny side and is serious about what she has learned tonight about other people and treating them how you would like to be treated, as Eric agrees with her.
Gerald thinking like Mr Birling says to Sheila;
“Everything’s all right now, Sheila. What about the ring?”
Sheila refuses his proposal; “No, not yet. It’s too soon. I must think.”
Birling points to Sheila and Eric, exclaiming that; “…the famous younger generation who know it all. And they can’t even take a joke.”
The audience now believe that everything is okay and that the Birling family will get back to normal, until the biggest shock breaker is revealed when Mr Birling answers the ringing telephone to find that ‘a girl has just died on her way to the infirmary - after swallowing some disinfectant. And a police inspector is on his way here - to ask some-questions-’
As he puts down the telephone as the person on the other end has rung off, he looks in a panic-stricken fashion as he tells the others.
All the others stare guiltily and dumbfounded as the audience gasp in a shock of horror as the play ends.
Tension is shown to us in this play in characterisation as the inspector interrogates each and every one of them different, and tension is also created as their reaction towards the inspector’s attitude and his hard hitting questions as if he has no real true feelings for upper class people.
The structure of the play also causes tension between the family and the audience, as it turns out all of the family members are involved in this mysterious suicide case when Mr Birling thought that neither he nor any of his family members could cause such a dramatic scene in somebody’s life like that.
The play has a lot of atmosphere about it, just for the start the title of the play, why would an inspector call at the home of such a high class family?
Through out the play a lot of atmosphere is created between the family and with the inspector because of all the new findings that occurred during the night shocked and surprised the family, and they all found out about something new in each and every one of them which created a lot of tension.
During this play J.B. Priestley likes to construct a little tension where ever he can, most of this comes from the points when the inspector challenges the moral blindness of each character, all the tension is created in the audience comes from the fact that the author is also challenges them.
During every interrogation of each character, the inspector uses different tactics for each different character, for example Mr Birling, his weak point is money he wants it for his family social status but we see how it destroys Eric because Eric can’t go to him for money and it destroys their relationship.
Sheila, the inspector confronts Sheila through her vanity she wants to look beautiful and when she is laughed at, it ruins her pride and she lashes out at Eva Smith and doesn’t care about consequences.
Mrs Birling is a social snob; she has no sympathy for people who have to struggle to survive. She attacks ‘Mrs Birling’ for daring to use her name. She is punished because the young man who got the girl pregnant is her only son and that will destroy the Birling family social reputation.
Gerald is attacked as he is a hypocrite. He treats rich and poor women different ways and is exposed as someone who will abuse women who fall in his power.
Eric is weak, self-indulgent and looking for love he does not have the courage to stand up to his father but is happy to take his money. Eric is attacked for his lack of integrity.
All the characters that have learned the most from the inspectors call is Eric and Sheila as they have learned that the working class are just normal like them. As Eric and Sheila are the younger generation they also learn that the working class should be treated with respect and it is wrong to treat them respectfully.
In the play the family have rich and fulfilled lives and ‘off-stage’ we see into the life of Eva Smith what these lives cost poor people.
In real life there is also an ‘on stage’ and an ‘off stage’. The play challenges the audience to realise that they have an ‘off stage’ in their life too.
The play asks the audience just like the inspector asks the characters to think about what our lives cost other people. Sheila’s ‘finery’ is brought at the expense of the poor workers. A modern example of this is like when we purchase products from the third world like coffee or chocolate and we don’t care about the lives of the people who slave away in poor conditions producing the products for us.
J.B. Priestley challenges the audience just like Inspector Goole challenges the characters in the play.
The big question from the author is are we morally blind to the suffering of the poor and are we aware that much of the pleasure we get from life comes from the exploitation of the poor.
At the end of the play things turn out to become very eerie as of the call to Mr Birling, which confuses absolutely all of the characters.
J.B. Priestley uses inspector Goole as a catalyst towards the Birling family, he is meant as a dramatic device deliberately used by the author to explore his ideas.
This is meant to make the family come to a realisation of that poorer people than themselves are actually people with true feelings, and the telephone call at the end warning them that a inspector is about to arrive with questions as to a suicide will reveal weather they have learnt anything about the poorer than themselves.
