Inspector Goole- An Inspector Calls Coursework

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Inspector Goole- An Inspector Calls Coursework

An Inspector Calls is a play written by J.B. Priestley. The play was first staged in 1946 and is set in 1912, before the Second World War. The play is a typical detective genre where there is a connection between each character, a chain of events and a twist at the end. The play is about an inspector who appears at the Birling household to interrogate each character and shows that there is a connection. The Inspector at first seems like an ordinary inspector but it becomes apparent to each character that inspector Goole is not actually a real inspector. We can suggest that the inspector may be of the supernatural from his name ‘Goole’ this sounds like ‘Ghoul’, which adds to the supernatural effect. Also spector, which is inside of the word ‘inspector’, means ghost this helps suggest that the inspector is supernatural.  We can suggest that the inspector is one of the conscience as the inspector reveals each of the wrong each character has done. We can also suggest that the Inspector is there to show Priestley’s views on society at this period of time. The name of the book ‘An inspector Calls’ can suggest that the inspector is not the ordinary. This is done as the title is 'an' which is not specific. If Priestley wanted to show the inspector was the ordinary he would have used ‘the’ as this is specific.

The play is set in the house of the Birling family who are a family of a high status, which is shown by the props in the setting. They have gathered in celebration to celebrate the engagement between both Shelia, who is Mr Birling’s daughter and Gerald who is from the Croft family who are of an even higher status than the Birling’s. Mr Birling is a major character in this play as he has the strongest personality. Birling is a character that believes in Capatalism where each man is for himself. He also believes that the Germans are not going to want a war, which is dramatically ironic as the audience will know he is wrong as it was staged in 1946 after the war. This shows that the influence on the audience to side with the inspector and therefore Priestley is due the period of time it was staged in.  Priestley does not agree with Birling’s views and shows this through his constant interruption of Birling’s conversations. In this play, Priestley shows how important the youths are and how much wiser they are than the older people. Priestley shows this through Sheila and Eric. Both Sheila and Eric are children of Mr and Mrs Birling. Both Mr and Mrs Birling have similar ways of thinking and do not listen to what either Sheila or Eric are saying they constantly put them down and will not be persuaded to change their ways. When Mrs Birling is having a conversation with the Inspector she tries to warn her mother not to say something she may regret and is told

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‘You’re behaving like an hysterical

 Child tonight’

In the beginning of the play you can instantly see that the Birling family are of a high status through the setting and

‘You ought to like this Port, Gerald’

Port was an expensive alcohol and so this shows that this family are not working class. This also shows how inferior Birling feels to Gerald as he tries to show Gerald that what his family can afford so can the Birling’s.

As the night progresses all the women leave the scene and the patriarchal society is shown. Gerald, Eric and Mr ...

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