An Inspector Calls by J.B. Priestly

An Inspector Calls by J.B. Priestly

The Inspector is a critical part of J.B. Priestly “An Inspector

Calls”. He is a catalyst in a concoction of Edwardian lies and deceit.

The InspectorÂ’s role in the play is to make the other characters

realise how people are responsible for how they affect the lives of

others. Priestly thought that if we are more aware of responsibility,

the world should learn from their mistakes and develop into a place

where every can be treated fairly. The Inspector states that everyone

is, “…intertwined with our lives…” (p. 56). It is interesting that the

Inspector enters after Birling has just finished his speech on society

and how he says, “…you’d think everybody has to look after everybody

else” (p. 10). The Inspector is the antithesis of Mr. Birling’s

Victorian and capitalist view on society: every man for himself.

Clearly, throughout the play, the Inspector has talked about the

community, togetherness and sharing. The Inspector expresses an

individual view of society. From the dialogue, it is evident that the

Inspector has a socialist view. A socialist is a person who believes

in a political and economic theory or system where the community,

usually through the state, owns the means of production, distribution

and exchange. An example of a socialist view from the Inspector is,

“…we are members of one body. We are responsible for each other” (p.

56). Priestly uses the Inspector as a soapbox on which he can express

his own socialist views.

As a result, when these socialist ideas compete with capitalist views,

the audience become more conscious about the flaws of society and

themselves....

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... this into a polemic piece of writing expressing his own

political and ethical point of view.

In conclusion, one finds that PriestlyÂ’s use of the Inspector is

critical for the success of the play. Priestly is the Inspector, the

Inspector is Priestly: the symbiotic relationship between character

and author is potent and creates the distinctive edge needed. The

Inspector uses a myriad of mystery, which injects intrigue into the

play in which he is successful.

The powerful polemic is successfully carried out by PriestlyÂ’s passion

for the truth and what is morally just. Yet, Priestly and the

Inspector are catalysts whose social principles disregard when judged

with the desire for truth and justice.

Not only does the disinfectant kill Eva, or the morals of the

Birlings, but kills our materialistic social view.