It is pretty clear that the inspector is making us aware of the gender divide and social divide, for example he uses the phrase “lot of young women”, young women represents Eva smith where the inspector is making us aware that there are countless lives of women who are in the position that Eva smith had faced. Also the inspector shows the gender divide between men and women he uses the word “women” because women are more likely to be in poverty than men as they get paid less than men which means that women cannot afford a proper lifestyle on their own.
How does he set up and control the structure and peace of the play?
Priestly introduces the inspector without a warning; he mysteriously appears in the dining room where a tingling sound that accompanies the introduction of the inspector.
The impression that the inspector gives in his entrance is mysterious and supernatural. The way he enters the Birlings backdoor, to the audience it seems very bizarre and mysterious, also suspicious about the inspector.
The name of the inspector adds up what priestly is trying to represent the inspectors character as “my name is Goole inspector Goole” he uses repetition to make his name stand out
The name “Goole” is significant because it sounds like the supernatural creature named a ghoul. This creates a sense of fear to the audience because the inspector is not who he seems to be
It is clear to the audience that inspector has more to him than we know, where priestly changes the genre at times through the play. He makes the characters represent more than 1 view or person.
Throughout the inspectors role the inspector creates mystery and adds twists to the play. When the Birlings are told that he is not a real inspector “that man wasn’t a police officer”. This creates a sense of surprise and mystery towards the audience this is because the information the so called inspector had police business information which was private to anyone else.
It is understandable to the audience that inspector is very mysterious and ghoulish type of person and very convincing person.
It prepares us for someone who seems unique but very deceiving
and would take advantage of ignorant people.
Priestly sets up the play as a traditional detective story, but then twist’s and undermines it into a medieval morality play. The book itself “An inspector calls” gives it away that the book has a detective story line to it, secondly, like any other detective story such as Agatha Christies work of Hercule poirot and miss marple where a person has suffered a horrific death and the inspectors duty is to investigate and reveal the culprit. But in this case the inspector deals with a suicide case where he instigates the cause of it but never the less there is no sense of a murder case.
Going through the last two acts it is a sudden change into more of a medieval morality play, as the inspector talks of responsibility in actions and consequences. Similar to the work of Aesop’s fables the inspector gives many morals to the play.
It is clear to the audience that priestly wants to make the play very unique from the other detective stories by combining both traditional detective with morality. Also it is a cunning way that priestly tries to send his
Message across, by using a detective story, which was seen very popular during that time.
The inspector makes the character feel like they have no control over themselves. The inspector creates tension among them by asking them question and making them talk “we all started like that so confident, so pleased with ourselves until he began asking questions” Sheila compares their confidence that they had before talking to the inspector and after.
The word “until” suggests that the inspector is the cause of their confidence level going down.
The audience understands that the inspector uses the method of interrogation creates confusion and maintains control. This makes us ready for someone who verbally attacks in a good manner to make them fess up and giving them no control what so ever.
He moves the play along by asking questions and keeps attention focussed on Eva smith even towards the end “But just remember this one Eva smith has gone “The inspector addresses the audience directly. The inspector uses Eva smiths name to make the characters remember and imagine the torment that she faced because of their actions.
It is clear to the audience that the inspector reminds us of Eva smith because she represents innocence and the inspector repeats her name time through to remind them why he is here and the characters of their selfish doings.
This prepares us for someone who sticks by his word and does what he has come for where keeps his focus locked to the objective.
How does he affect the other characters?
Who are the other characters and how do they react to the inspector?
He causes conflict in the family, who seem happy and united at the start but are divided at the end.
Mrs Birling and Sheila fallout Mrs Birling is presented as a very confident character who is not prepared to change her views or accept any responsibilities “And in spite of what’s happened to the girl since, I consider I did my duty so I prefer not to discuss it further, you have no power to change my mind”.
Priestly represents Mrs Birling as how some people have very self centred views and not willing to change their minds.
The audience realises that Mrs Birling is likely to be proved wrong, as the inspector has already reveal everyone else responsibility.
However Sheila is represented as the opposite she is presented as an open minded person who realises that she had done a wrong where she learns from her mistakes and accepts responsibility.
“It’s the only time I ever done like that, and I’ll never, never do it again.
The repetition of the word “never” suggests that Sheila wants the point to go over that she wouldn’t do it again.
The audience realises that Sheila is the one who is right, as the inspector proves that Mrs Birling is wrong.
By comparing both the characters views both have opposite views about responsibility where one believes in acceptance and the other does not and learning from mistakes.
Priestley’s purpose is to create tensions by causing conflicts between each member.
He questions the family and pushes them to reveal the truth and makes them confess “We all started so confident, so pleased with ourselves until he began to asking questions”
She uses repetition of words “so confident, so pleased” to emphasise the felling they went before the inspector came.
The audience understands that inspector is confident and persuasive on how he interrogates the suspect.
This endures us for someone who can reveal the truth even though with no evidence.
He makes the characters fell ashamed of themselves and each other. Eric “well I don’t Blame you but don’t forget I’m ashamed of you as well-yes both of you”
Priestley’s purpose is to demonstrate how people accept guilt and others who blame it on to others.
The audience realises that only Eric and Sheila are ashamed of their doing however the Birlings are not, they blame Eric rather feeling any sense of embarrassment for themselves but they discover that due to no change of the Birling’s way that its their fault of the occur of the girls death.
The inspector had a great impact over the young Sheila and Eric because young people are more understanding. “We often do with the young ones their more impressionable”
Priestley’s purpose is to demonstrate the importance of young people’s ideas towards the world to make it a better place.
It is clear to the audience that the younger generation are seen more open minded and who learn from their mistakes and listen to other people’s views than the older generation (Birlings) whom he did not have any affect on because they do not listen to other people’s views and that everything they say is right.
The inspector makes the characters look at themselves and face up to their past by making them remember of what they did to Eva smith in the past. For example He makes Sheila look at herself when she complains about her in Millwards. “I know, I know it’s the only time I’ve ever done anything like that, I’ll never, never do it again”.
Shiela addresses the reader directly and use repetition to back up her message that she sends across.
Priestley’s purpose is to demonstrate how foolish people look when they see how they act in the past.
The audience understands that the inspector makes the characters to look at themselves and face up to their past and uses it to create change of their wicked ways.
How does the Inspector affect the audience?
How does he make us feel?
The inspector uses dramatic devices to present the view that we are all responsible for each other. To do this he uses a wide range of persuasive device in his final speech before he exits from the play. He represents the idea of social responsibility that we all are responsible of everyone, he says “we don’t live alone. We are members of one body. We are responsible for each other. The use of repetition implies that the inspector feels that the message he is trying to send is very important also to add the use of first person plural pronoun “we” suggests the world. This phrase makes the audience think about their actions and the consequences that await their doing.
Priestley is trying to make people aware of what they do and if they don’t war and hate would surround the world and countless lives will be lost.
Analysis of the inspectors final speech
At the beginning of the inspectors quote he addresses the reader directly by using imperative phrase “just remember this” he commands the characters and audience to listen to what he is saying.
He then uses repetition “but there are millions and million and millions. He exaggerates the number “millions” to surprise the characters of how frequent and huge the number of Eva smiths there are to make them take action to help.
He carries on the speech and uses lists of three “their lives, their hopes and fear. He addresses the audience directly by presenting his idea in groups of three and the use of emotive language makes the audience fell what the inspector is saying
He uses plural when referring to particular people (Eva Smith’s) “their hopes, their suffering. The word “their” suggests that there are lots of people who are suffering this creates sympathetic feeling to those who are suffering, and would make the audience to take action to help them.
Then uses 2nd person plural “And I tell you” the word “you” suggests that he address the audience directly
He uses dramatic irony in his last part “the time will come soon when if men will not learn that lesson, then they will be taught it in fire and blood and anguish”. The audience knows this as the world had experienced it through “fire and blood and anguish” as the inspector said we have faced two world wars and two atom bombs to learn this lesson.
Priestley purpose was to show the steps that lead to war from a little suicide matter to two huge global matters which took countless lives of men who could not learn their lessons.
He ends it with a dramatic ending of a short sentence with a “good night” the short sentence finishes off the attention to an important point.
The inspector is seen to be suspicious and mysterious and the audience think and speculate about who he is. Firstly the inspectors name sounds deviant “my name is “Goole” the name sounds like ghoul which sounds like somebody interested in death also his entrance which seemed rather odd and mysterious he comes out from nowhere.
Priestley’s purpose is to create mystery and tension throughout the play so it does not become dull.
It is clear to the audience that the inspector is not an ordinary person like others, we see him as a ghoulish creature that seems very cunning to hide his real identity.
Priestley uses the inspector to change the audience’s view towards the characters. He makes us realise what the position the character is in. For example Sheila, the first impression we got from her was a spoilt, pretty princess that gets everything her way by using her power to sack Eva smith. “And you used the power you had, as a daughter of a good customer and also of a man well known in the town, to punish a girl just because she made you feel like that”
Priestley demonstrates how a 2 normal girls, one with a powerful title can show her superior without talent or skill over the one who does not.
The audience after realise her change of character as the play carries on
And the spoilt, princess that we know wears away and a responsible young adult emerges took the advice of the inspector “I remember what he said, how he looked, and what he made me feel. Fire and blood and anguish”
The list of three creates fear and a sense of warning of how our future may hold making the viewer to get up and do something about it.
Priestley’s purpose is to show that there is hope for everything and if people try nothing is impossible.
It is clear to the audience that Priestley represents the inspector as change to the greater good he makes characters understand the consequences in every action.
What do we learn from the play?
Through the actions that the Birlings took toward Eva smith we learn different assets of peace that they failed to show and represent.
To start with when Mr Birling factory workers held a strike
We learn that everyone is entitled with free expression and equal rights where Eva smith talks of raising their wages because they are women and she expresses how she feels to Mr Birling and gets sacked for it.
Then we learn jealousy from Sheila toward Eva where she sabotage’s her career in Millwards this causes hate and rivalry and leads to war and misuse of power leads to segregation.
From Mrs Birling’s scenario we learn in helping in others when they are in need, karma what goes around comes around as we learn through the end that the woman that she denied was holding her grandson.
Through Eric’s part we learn that every action has consequences and always use a condom.
At the end of the play we are taught an important lesson about our responsibility for our actions and our responsibility to those less fortunate in society and change their way’s but, but if men do not learn this lesson, they will learn it in fire and blood and anguish and more world war’s will begin and humanity itself will seize to exist.
