inspector calls

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‘An inspector calls’

By J.B Priestly 

How does priestly create tension in the play?  

In my essay, I will discuss how tension is created in the play, and its effects on the audience and the characters throughout the play.

John Boynton Priestly wrote “An Inspector Calls” in the space of one week near the end of world war two. He wrote this play because he was interested in politics, and felt the need for a change as to the way poor people were treated by the higher-class citizens. He expressed his passion in this play to get a message across to the public that there needed to be a change in the social attitude of higher-class people.

'An Inspector Calls' was set in 1912 when there was a huge divide between the three classes; working class, middle class and upper class. JB Priestly did not only write 'an inspector calls' as a piece on entertainment but to criticise the middle and upper classes and to show them their life from a different perspective.

Priestly would have wanted to create tension to leave the audience at unease and feeling apprehensive at what is going to happen next thus engaging the audience keeping them interested.

He created great tension through the character of Sheila when priestly writes, ‘yes – except for all last summer when you never came near me’ Priestly cleverly used a hyphen as a dramatic device here as it is used as a dramatic pause, Priestly uses the pause to keep the audience in suspense which draws the audience into the tension of the play right at the beginning. Sheila is half-heartedly agreeing and is keeping the audience in a state of anxiety wondering why she might not agree. The sentence creates tension between the characters of Sheila and Gerald; Gerald quickly tries to get Sheila on side and explains what happened. Sheila is almost reminding Gerald that she hasn’t forgotten. The hyphen has a great affect on the audience as well as on the characters as it makes us wonder why Sheila would disagree and what really happened. Priestly is making us wait by using a hyphen as a dramatic pause which moves the mood of the play to a nervous one, which is a contrast to he happy theme and atmosphere of the party.

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Tension is also created though he character of Eric, as in the play Eric is shown as a rude, impertinent and immature little boy. This is made clear from the beginning of the play, as he is seen as a drunk, when for no reason what so ever he ‘guffaws’ and says ‘ I felt I just had to laugh’ this sentence makes it clear to the audience that Eric is an alcoholic and he can’t control himself. After realising who Eva Smith is he discreetly leaves the house but later returns to tell his part of the story, ...

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