How Does Priestley Present The Role Of Goole In An Inspector Calls

1580 Words4 Pages
bulb-icon

Recommended: How is inspector google presented in the play an inspector calls

English coursework
Explore the ways in which Priestley presents the role of Goole in ‘An Inspector Calls’

J. B Priestley, the author of ‘An Inspector Calls,’ had survived WW1 and endured several gas attacks that endangered his life. With this knowledge of the author, the tone of the play has already been set: Priestley has acknowledged that he is lucky to be alive and consequently his experiences led him to never be complacent. The play was first performed in 1946, just after the end of WW2. The play is set on ‘an evening in spring, 1912’ this allows Priestley to use dramatic irony and voice the complacency of the public through the dominant character: Birling.
Goole acts a caesura for the Birlings just as WW1 was a caesura for complacency …show more content…

Once bombs have exploded they prevent one from returning to their formal livelihood; Goole represents this by disrupting the Birling family’s lives so that they cannot return to the former, complacent, ways.
Goole is presented, by Priestley, as an intrusion. Birling initially has a sense of foolish optimism. Birling refers to the Titanic as ‘absolutely unsinkable.’ This single quote highlights Birling’s complacency and ignorance as the play was first performed in 1946 and so the audience know the outcome of the Titanic: due to complacency the captain abandoned the ships bow to take a drink in a bar whilst letting the glorious steamer power into an iceberg. Birling’s foolishness is reiterated when he refers to the, future, great war …show more content…

Goole is able to interrogate the family so that eventually they turn on one another. Take Mrs Birling for example, before she discovers that her son had impregnated a young girl she is disgusted with the fact that this could happen: ‘If he refused to marry her – and in my opinion, he ought to be compelled to – then he must at least support her.’ Although once it is revealed Mrs Birling’s tone changes completely: ‘But I didn’t know it was you – I never dreamt.’ Once Goole has uncovered the truths he can relax and watch the family bicker among themselves: Once Mrs Birling has been so judgemental, implicitly, of Eric, Eric turns to blame his mother: ‘You killed her - she came to you to protect me and you turned her away - yes, you killed her - and the child she would've had too - my child - your own grandchild - you killed them both - damn you." This shows Mrs Birlings lack of interaction that she has with her own children: ‘you’re not the

Show More
Related

  • Criticism in An Inspector Calls by J.B. Priestley

    1748 Words  | 4 Pages

    J B Priestley clearly had a strong moral conscience which led him to hold socialist beliefs wanting to bring about change against the capitalists who were exploiting the poor working class. In 'An Inspector Calls' Priestley cleverly uses dramatic techniques, lighting and stage directions to produce an emotionally charged setting to bring home a very important message to the correct society of his day and remains a challenge to the society in which we live in now.

    Read More

  • Priestley's Main Aim in An Inspector Calls

    1031 Words  | 3 Pages

    she needed more money. So she said to him give me 25/6 because of that

    Read More

  • J.B. Priestley's An Inspector Calls

    499 Words  | 1 Pages

    J.B. Priestley's Inspector Calls. An Inspector Calls is a play set in spring 1912. The writer, J. B. Priestly, tries to build up a view of Mr Birling through the set. stage directions and in his speeches.

    Read More

  • A Comparison of Characters of Mr. Birling and Inspector Goole in J.B. Priestley's An Inspector Calls

    903 Words  | 2 Pages

    A Comparison of Characters of Mr. Birling and Inspector Goole in J.B. Priestley's An Inspector Calls

    Read More

  • The Character of the Inspector in An Inspector Calls by J.B.Priestley

    821 Words  | 2 Pages

    "And be quiet for a moment and listen to me. I don't need to know any

    Read More

  • Priestley's use of dramatic techniques to create tension in An Inspector Calls

    1835 Words  | 4 Pages

    Examine Priestley's use of dramatic techniques to create tension in the play. Priestly was a socialist writer, and 'An Inspector Calls' is one of the plays in which he tried to display his socialist ideals in. The play was written in the 1940's, a little after the end of the Second World War, and it was first performed in 1946, in Russia, then later in England. Priestly had served in World War 1, and the terrible scenes he saw lead to him having socialist views. He was inspired by other writers whose views he shared, especially George Orwell and H.G.

    Read More

  • Priestley's Social Message in An Inspector Calls

    912 Words  | 2 Pages

    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.

    Read More

  • Inspector Goole and the Theme of Socialism in An Inspector Calls

    2333 Words  | 5 Pages

    JB Priestley’s intent in ‘An Inspector Calls’ was to convey the attitudes of socialism to the minds of the society in the Edwardian Era as he was a passionate believer of the concept. Priestley has attempted this through the employment of ‘Inspector Goole’ in the play. In the play drama is displayed through a variety of methods for the interest of the audience and the communication of personal views from JB Priestley.

    Read More

  • Priestley’s Main Aim in An Inspector Calls

    1424 Words  | 3 Pages

    Priestley’s Main Aim in An Inspector Calls JB Priestly wrote ‘An Inspector Calls’ to enhance the message that ‘we don’t live alone. We are members of one body. We are responsible for each other’. This is something Priestly felt strongly about and he succeeded in representing his views through the character of the Inspector in the play itself. He wanted to communicate the message that our actions, no matter how small or seemingly insignificant, always affect others.

    Read More

  • The Role Of The Inspector In An Inspector Calls

    1393 Words  | 3 Pages

    An Inspector Calls is a play with lots of political messages as well as social messages. J. B. Priestley believed in socialism and he used large amounts of his plays to try and convince people to his way of thinking. It was written in a time when Britain was ruled by a Labour government and socialist policies were seen to be a good way to go. It was a common way of thinking at that time so Priestley's aim for the play was to influence the unconvinced in society.

    Read More

  • The Role of the Inspector in an An Inspector Calls by J.B. Priestley

    1576 Words  | 4 Pages

    play is set in 1912, only 2 years before the outbreak of WW1, and in

    Read More

  • The Role of the Inspector in J.B. Priestley's play "An Inspector Calls"

    1728 Words  | 4 Pages

    J.B. Priestley wrote the play "An Inspector Calls" in 1945 and set it in 1912. These dates are both relevant because he wrote his play in a world emerging from the Second World War, at a time when people were getting nostalgic about pre-world war one. Priestley used his play to try and show people that the idea of a community in 1912 was gradually being washed away by the upper classes and that the world needed to change rather than return to the egotistical society that existed in pre war England.

    Read More

  • Priestley’s Main Aim in An Inspector Calls

    1002 Words  | 3 Pages

    family, but it must not be 'cosy’ or homely. The lighting is to be a

    Read More

  • Priestly's Political Message in "An Inspector Calls"

    1384 Words  | 3 Pages

    The play "An Inspector Calls" was written by J.B Priestley in 1945, when the British people were recovering from over six years of constant warfare and danger. As a result of two world wars, class distinctions were greatly reduced and women had achieved a much higher place in society. It was due to this and a great desire for social change that Labour's Clement Attlee won a landslide victory over the conservative Winston Churchill. He nationalized the gas steel and electrical industries, established the NHS and introduced the Welfare State. The play was set in Brumley, a fictional industrial city, in 1912.The playwright believed passionately in the left wing perspective and his message is overtly political. He uses techniques such as "dramatic irony" and "direct mouthpieces", which define the genre of the play as non-illusory, to impart his left-wing message.

    Read More

  • The Message of An Inspector Calls by J.B. Priestley

    1268 Words  | 3 Pages

    The Message of An Inspector Calls by J.B. Priestley An Inspector CallsA moral crime has been committed against a girl

    Read More

More about How Does Priestley Present The Role Of Goole In An Inspector Calls

Open Document