The document provides an analysis of J.B. Priestley's play "An Inspector Calls" and the character of Inspector Goole. It discusses how Priestley uses the Inspector to convey socialist messages and hold the other characters accountable. The Inspector methodically interrogates each character to reveal their roles in the death of a young woman, challenging their capitalist views of individual responsibility. Priestley aims to show that society should practice social responsibility through the Inspector's closing speech about how "we are members of one body, we are responsible for each other."

1. An Inspector Calls Essay
An Inspector calls
The inspector has many functions in 'an inspector calls', the inspector is the centre point of the play, and the main events of the play rotate around him.
He controls the entrances and exits of the play. He also has a grip on the topic of conversation, and is not afraid to anything and has the confidence to
interrupt to re–tighten his grip on the conversation. The inspector also develops the topic of conversation from person to person in a methodical fashion.
The inspector controls the development of events, who will speak and when they will speak, who will leave and who won't leave, who sees the
picture of Eva smith and who won't. Even when Priestley describes him, when he first appears on stage, he is...show more content...
The inspector's role is to show that this is not the way of life, and that capitalist views are wrong. Throughout the play the inspector is trying to
persuade the characters to change there capitalist views secretly, and he demonstrates how people are responsible for each other and not just
themselves, these views are summed up in his dramatic closing speech, 'we are members of one body, we are responsible for each other'.
Responsibility is one of the main themes of this play, and the inspector acting as a mouthpiece for
Priestley's socialist views, he is speaking as much to the character on stage as the audience. His closing speech is written as a warning to the 1945
audience not to repeat the selfish mistakes that consequently ended up as 'fire and blood and anguish' which is symbolizing the first and second world
wars.
The inspector is a moral arbiter, if he wasn't there none of the characters would of confessed to there mistakes, and selfish acts.
Mr.birling did not acknowledge that dismissing Eva smith out of a primary job, just because she wanted a little increase in wages, which would have
been an average wage and nothing to big. He also fired her to set an example to the rest of his workers; she was used as an escape goat. Sheila thought
her spitefulness was nothing out of the ordinary and most definitely not 'anything very terrible at the time'.
Gerald needed to admit what he had done to Eva smith, he was trying to
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2. Classism in "An Inspector Calls" Essay
Although the author's intention is to entertain the audience just like every play would, however he also isn't just entertaining the audience because his
intention shows that he is more interested in showing the audience about the structure of the class system. The play is set at the turn of the century and
is centered on a wealthy family who are successful and prosperous at a time of poverty for many. They are oblivious to this, and given the fact that the
play was written many years later the play contains much irony about the future, but not only does it make it question our history but also our future. An
Inspector Calls is one of J.B Priestley's plays which have many messages that are social and political, also this play has a...show more content...
He uses the Inspector as one of the most thought–provoking and mysterious characters that modern day literature has yet produced.
This inexplicable aspect contributes deeply to making the inspector a character that is rather interesting and perhaps supposedly a character that could
have many different faces.
As a result of this, he creates big impressions and some how reveals all about the Birling family and Gerald Croft. He makes some of the characters
realise what they are really like, and wrecks an evening of celebration. So, his role of the Inspector plays an important part in this play; he acts like
a catalyst for the Birlings to change and also a bit like a mirror for us to examine our own consciences, however there is still the alternative
viewpoint that he could be a time traveler this is shown when he says "And my trouble is I haven't much time", so from this you could predict that
he is perhaps from a fourth dimension. Nevertheless there are many possibilities of who he really is. Another option to this question could be that his
name Goole suggests that he could be supernatural. In addition to this as J.B Priestley played with time and set the play just before the First World
War the inspector could have been a spy getting information on the family especially Birling as he is one of the privileged.
The Inspector, arrives immediately after Birling has told Gerald about his impending knight–hood and explained his
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3. An Inspector Calls How does Priestley use the character of the Inspector to convey his own opinions and attitudes? An Inspector Calls, set in 1912,
is a play with many social and political messages. J. B. Priestley believed a great deal in socialism and believed that many other people needed to be
more caring about their community and the people in it. Priestley uses the character of the Inspector to convey his own thoughts, feelings and
opinions about social issues. However, he also uses other characters, particularly Mr.Birling, to show the audience how cynical some people can be. It
is possible that J.B.Priestley set this play in 1912 for a reason. Arthur Birling is a rich businessman who thinks very highly of himself, even...show more
content...
This tactic could have been to ensure that his viewers continued to think about the story and hence would also have to think about the issues of
Socialism and this is something which he was desperate to do. The Inspector's aim in the play is to change thoughts and opinions of the Birling
family and the audience viewing. One of the ways he attempts to do this is by questioning each one of the Birling's in turn. The Inspector firsts
interrogates Mr.Birling, asking him why he dismissed Eva Smith from her job at his factory, just for asking for more money. Birling was
'surprised' at being questioned, so it seems that what he says is usually accepted as correct. His surprise could also be because of exactly what the
Inspector was questioning. Birling says that it is his 'duty to keep labour costs down' which indicates that he does not think of each worker as a
person and cares a great deal about money. The fact that he did not recognise the name Eva Smith even though she was someone he dealt with
directly and a worker who stood out, further shows that he does not think of his employees as people. To him they are nameless and have no
individuality. Priestley has done this to make audience members realize that even if a person has a very minor job, or is poorer than most, they still
deserve to be treated with respect. The Inspector recognises early on that Sheila
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4. The Role of the Inspector in 'An Inspector Calls'
An Inspector Calls is a play with many social and political messages. J. B. Priestley believed a great deal in socialism and he used several of his plays
to try and influence people to be Socialist as well. It was written in a time when Britain was ruled by a Labour government and socialist policies were
seen as the way forward. It was a popular way of thinking at that time so Priestley's aim for the play was probably to teach the unconvinced.
The Inspector in J. B. Priestley's 'An Inspector Calls' is one of the most thought–provoking and mysterious characters that modern day literature has yet
produced. It is this mysterious element that contributes greatly to making him a very...show more content...
The family use their house as a status symbol and have decorated it in a way so as to reflect their wealth. We learn this from the 'few imposing but
tasteless pictures' which will probably have been chosen because they were expensive, not because they were liked. These pictures also tell us that the
Birlings are proud of their wealth and think themselves to be very important but lack the good taste which is present in those who are socially superior
to them. The house is described as being 'substantial and comfortable and old–fashioned, but not cosy and homelike.' This setting suggests that the
family are uncomfortable with each other and therefore suggests problems. They speak to each other in a fairly relaxed manner, despite the attempts
from Mrs. Birling to enforce a more formal atmosphere by correcting her family whenever they make minor errors in table manners. The champagne
shows that family are joined to celebrate. Gerald is a guest at the house and so the family are all well–behaved and pleasant to one another but there are
several hints that this is for show and there are problems which are being ignored. Mrs. Birling treats Eric and Sheila as if they are two small
children even though Sheila is engaged to Gerald and so is a young woman. This is shown when Sheila refers to Eric as 'squiffy' and Mrs. Birling
scolds her by saying 'What and expression,
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5. An inspector calls. Essay
An inspector calls. I am going to write about how J. B. Priestley builds up tension and suspense within 'An Inspector calls'. The play was written in
1945 due to the divide at that time between Capitalists and Socialists. Given the fact that J. B. Priestley was a socialist (felt that everyone should
have equal amounts of money), he was criticizing the ways of capitalists (they felt that you got what you earned). The play is set in 1912, a time just
before a lot of dramatic incidents happened, e. g. World War 1, The Titanic sinking. All of the play takes place in the Birling's dining room, they are
celebrating. Each of the characters in this play (except inspector Goole and Edna), are partly responsible for the...show more content...
Sheila is stated to be 'a pretty girl in her early twenties'. We would certainly not call someone in their twenties a 'girl', the word is used because Sheila
has not grown up mentally. Gerald is 'an attractive chap', meaning that he's just a little big–headed, but generally well–mannered. Eric is said to be 'not
quite at ease'. I do not think that Eric really fits in to the Birling family, he is quite different. The tension between Arthur Birling and the audience
begins when Birling speaks of labour trouble and stating that 'we've passed the worst of it' when the first World War was just about to start or had
already started. What we must remember is that people who are watching this play are still very angry and upset about the second World War. So, Mr
Birling strikes them as a total idiot and the audience dislike him. A certain amount of tension amounts between various family members also. The
occasions on which these things happen are: В· Sheila and Gerald – Gerald told Sheila that he had been working the previous summer when he hardly
went near her. She had suspicions that Gerald was being untrue to her. She was assured, however, that it was all in her head. She finds out that Gerald
was being untrue when he was being interrogated. В· Sheila and Eric – Sheila has always said that Eric drinks too much but he has refused to believe
it. In a strange twist, Sheila and Eric stand
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6. An Inspector Calls: Summary
"The novel begins when the knockout Miss Wonderly walks into Spade's office. It turns out she's a knockout with money. And she wants to hire the
services of a private detective to find her missing sister, who supposedly ran off with a crook named Thursby. Neither Spade, nor his partner Miles
Archer, buy her story. But with the money she's paying, who cares? When Archer and then Thursby are murdered, Spade realizes that he's getting
more than he bargained for. He's worried that the police will find out that he's having an affair with Archer's wife, Iva, and think that Spade killed
Miles to get him out of the way. When Spade questions Miss Wonderly about the two murders, he quickly discovers that she has been lying all along:
she has no sister, her real name is Brigid O'Shaughnessy, and Thursby was her former partner....show more content...
Cairo and Wilmer take turns making Spade's life miserable. They tail him, drug him, mug him, and hold him at gunpoint to find out what he and Brigid
know about the whereabouts of the falcon. But Spade's no fool. With the help of his faithful secretary Effie Perrine, he uses his quick wits and mental
toughness to determine that the history of the Maltese falcon is in fact
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7. Essay An Inspector Calls
An Inspector Calls
'An Inspector Calls' is a play written by JB Priestley in 1945 and set in 1912. Priestley demonstrates his concern with moral responsibility and his
beliefs in Socialist values through the character of the
Inspector, whom he uses as a mouthpiece throughout the play. He voices his opinions on these issues using this technique, and they are shown by the
way the Inspector deals with the Birling family and are exemplified by the obstacles to social harmony in which the Inspector has to face before
coming to a suitable and justifiable conclusion.
The play was written in 1945 – within a week of World War Two ending– but set in 1912, when Britain still had its Empire and was doing very well
financially. The time...show more content...
Priestley hoped that in writing 'An Inspector Calls', people could look back on events with hindsight and learn from the mistakes that society had
made. He primarily wrote the play for a middle class audience about the working class, and how the Birlings and Gerald
Croft were all involved in making a young working class woman's life a misery, and consequently driving her to suicide.
The Birlings are a typical upper class family – they look down on those who are socially 'beneath' them, such as the Inspector, yet look up to those
'above'. Mr. Birling puts this specific idea into practice frequently. Although arrogant, he knows that he is lower down the social scale than his wife,
as well as Gerald's family. However, he is aware of the difference in social class, and accepts them– "Don't blame her. [Lady Croft] comes from an old
country family – landed people and so forth – so it's only natural."
At the beginning of the play, the Birlings are celebrating their daughter's engagement to Gerald Croft – the son of Arthur's business competitor.
Immediately the impression is given that love isn't just the only force bringing Sheila and Gerald together; in fact, it seems that Mr. Birling is more
interested in a new business proposal than his daughter's happiness: "You're just the kind of son–in–law I always wanted. Your father and I have been
friendly

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9. Inspector Calls Essay
What do you think is the importance of Inspector Goole and how does Priestley present him?
Inspector Goole creates a massive presence within 'An Inspector Calls' and through him we are able to explore each character and Priestly himself. The
Inspector is a vital character within the play and allows Priestly to channel through his thoughts, feelings and messages to society by creating the
seemingly omniscient Inspector Goole. In the essay I will illustrate the importance of the Inspector and demonstrate how Priestly presents him.
The Inspector is the vehicle that helps us understand each characters personality and views, we see this with Sheila – once a naive young girl who
seemed quite shallow to begin with becomes a sympathetic and...show more content...
In addition, his name "Goole" infers and has connotations of "ghoul" which is an evil spirit therefore indicating that he might not be human. Priestly
uses a dramatic device of lighting change "pink and intimate" to "brighter and harder" to really show how the Inspector is different to the others and
this in turn reflects his harsh personality and how the atmosphere changes so much when he's around relating to his "other world" presence.
Mrs Birling is a character that is affected by the Inspector in a superficial way: she's more bothered about what other people will think about her
being involved than how she actually helped kill a poor woman. We see the two contrasts of how Sheila reacts and how Mrs Birling reacts which is
effective as Priestly is able to demonstrate that the Inspector is like a conscience of the family; like in the real world some people are able to ignore
their conscience and not feel bad whereas some people really feel their guilt when they have done something wrong. This therefore is why the Inspector
is so important in the play, and in his last speech he makes reference to the World War1 and 2 and how people had still not learnt their lesson (used
dramatic irony but applies it to the Birling's situation) and sets it straight to them that if they have
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