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Priestley's ideas in an inspector calls
Literary impacts of world war 1
Priestley's ideas in an inspector calls
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Analysis of 'An Inspector Calls' by J.B. Priestly
‘An Inspector Calls’ is a twentieth century drama written by J.B.
Priestly in 1947 but takes place in 1912.
This story is about the Birling family celebrating their daughter,
Sheila’s engagement to Gerald Croft. A few pages into the story, an
Inspector called Goole which means ‘spirit in death’ interrogates the
family and the story of Eva’s death unfolds. As it progresses each
character realises their connection to her tragic death.
Behind this story there are many meanings or points that Priestly
wanted to get across, especially his views on socialists and
capitalists. A socialist is somebody who believes in and supports
socialism or socialists party. Inspector Goole’s character portrays
Priestly’s views on socialists but on the other hand Mr Birling is
against the ideas of socialists and is a prime example of a
capitalist. A Capitalist is a wealthy person, especially somebody made
rich by capitalism and considered to be avaricious.
The story was based in 1912, right before the 1st and 2nd world war,
The Labour Strikes, The sinking of the Titanic and The Suffragettes.
Parts of Mr Birling’s speeches create dramatic irony as the Titanic
did sink and the war did happen.
In ‘An Inspector Calls’ tension is created in many ways. It can be
created by stage directions and the characters use of language.
To answer the question above, I am going to see what techniques
Priestly uses to create dramatic tension in Act 3 and how it would be
shown on a staged production.
In this play, Inspector Goole portrays Prieslty’s views and opinions
on socialists and capitalists. The Insp...
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...r example
when Eric returned just in time for the inspector to interrogate him
and how it connected to his mother story. Priestly adding a final
suspension to the play; which was the phone ring at the end made it a
really good cliff hanger. If it were to be put on stage production and
to create dramatic tension, they would have to bring the characters
out from the book and portray their personalities. By using dramatic
entrances and exit in the right places would create tension for
instance Eric’s entrance. The actor who plays the inspector would have
to be confident but blunt, manipulative and show no emotion. By this,
this will create tension as the audience would want to know who the
inspector is. Finally I think that Priestly’s play was a smart way of
portraying the socialism, capitalism and politics in the world.
There would be more of an effect on the audience at the time, as it
He was particularly scathing about the class system and the extreme contrasts of wealth and poverty prevalent at that time. He also disapproved of the selfishness within the individual and the fact that many people were only concerned with their own power, profit and gain. Priestley powerfully highlighted the exploitation of women and through the character of Eva Smith, he illustrated the rights that women were beginning to voice in society. Finally, Priestley used the different characters in his play to show the how the sins of greed, pride and selfishness have so corrupted society that the individual has become oblivious to the consequences of their actions, in this case culminating in the death of Eva Smith. Although 'Inspector Calls' is set in 1912, it was first written in 1945 and produced on the lst October 1946, just after World War 11.
and say and do. We don't live alone. We are members of a body. We are
He tells the family that a girl has committed suicide and that in one way or another they are responsible. Mr Birling was responsible for sacking the girl from his factory. Sheila Birling was responsible because she got the girl sacked from a shop where she works. Eric Birling was seeing her but the broke it off, and Gerald Croft was having an affair with her
"And be quiet for a moment and listen to me. I don't need to know any
technology and how a man should live. He says 'A man has to make his
The inspector in the play isn't real, as we find out at the end, the
The play was written in the 1945 but is set in 1912. The 1910's was a
The character of the Inspector has six main attributes about the Inspector, which show that he is not an ordinary Inspector, the name. His physical description, his views, catalyst, his impressions and his morality. The name of the Inspector is Goole. If spelt the other way, it is Ghoul, implying someone who has a morbid interest in death, or a spirit, which is said to take fresh life from corpses. The idea of him being ghostly and the significance of his name give the impression more like he is Priestley’s voice.
play is set in 1912, only 2 years before the outbreak of WW1, and in
First the rule in the NFL was that the play would be an automatic penalty, would result in player fine, and an additional fifteen yards would be added from where the foul was committed. The play is reviewable; however, if the call on the field does not stand the player is not fined, but it is still a fifteen yard penalty. A lot of coaches and other National Football League associates disagreed with that section of the rule and after debates and discussions the rule was changed. As of the season, if the play is reviewed and there is not an actual penalty then
the suicide of Eva Smiths death. The aim of the story is to, try to
Goole. Some the Birling family are used to show how we are not to act
My least favorite aspect of this play was the ending. The ending confused me and was anticlimactic. It was not funny and not entertaining at all.
... may mean that if a person does not learn from their mistakes the first