J.B Priestly utilises the enigmatic and dominant character of Inspector Goole to unveil the classist hierarchal society of 1912 through his interrogative, scrutinising questions. Through cleverly paced structure, the Inspector illuminates the faults of the immutable class system of the period and strips away the veneer of respectability that the Birlings pride in their position. Uniting all the Birlings faults together by the affliction of the Everyman Eva Smith, the Inspector pursues their repentance in order to expose the faults of British 1912 society. The Inspector first makes his presence and intentions clear by interrupting Birling’s pompous speech with a ‘sharp ring of a front door bell’, cutting off Birling half way through an inconsiderate …show more content…
This simplistic appearance accentuated by the basic adjective ‘plain’ that mirrors how the Inspector believes that appearance and materialistic value is less significant than moral value of a person, which is a stark contrast to the airs and duplicitous nature the Birlings incorporate into their personalities. Furthermore, the fact that he doesn’t wear a police uniform of the time, causes suspicion in the Birlings later, when they are desperate to exonerate their faults. Priestly uses a variety of stage directions to enhance the Inspectors speech and overall influence over the Birlings. He often speaks ‘impressively’ or ‘weightily’ with confidence, displaying his implacable nature which is useful for exposing their faults, constantly giving him the upper hand in interrogations. The Playwright presents Inspector Goole as a strong-minded socialist, that detests the common capitalist beliefs of 1912, hence his reasoning for interrupting Birlings speech, and the overall communal morals he conveys in his speech. Birling claims he was prejudiced from the start, ‘probably a Socialist or some sort of crank’, which portrays the fact that although it is clear to him the Inspector has come to present the socialist ideals, he still refuses to accept any moral value and change his ways, writing off the communal and fair man as a ‘crank’. Despite being constantly undermined by the Birlings, in addition to Birling trying to intimidate him, the Inspector remains implacable and an authoritative figure throughout the
Priestley mainly uses the characters in the play to present his views, especially Mr and Mrs Birling, to present his ideas about class and society. In the Birling family, Mrs Birling is the most upper class, and is always referring to the lower class female factory workers such as Eva Smith as ‘girls of that class’. She seems to think that working class people are not humans at all.
Arthur Birling is glad because Gerald is the son of his business competitor and it will be a merger of businesses. Through the middle of the dinner there is a knock at the door. This is where we meet inspector Goole.
A Comparison of Characters of Mr. Birling and Inspector Goole in J.B. Priestley's An Inspector Calls
I think that Mr Birling clashes with the Inspector because he fails to see he has done anything wrong. The Inspector thinks he has, and is trying to show Birling this. But Birling refuses to believe it. "I don't see we need to tell the Inspector anything more.
An Inspector Calls' is primarily focused on he attitudes surrounding the higher classes in 1912, and how these attitudes can lead to actions with potentially devastating consequences. The attitudes are particularly aimed at women, especially those of working class status. In the play women are portrayed as second class citizens, after men. However the difference (e.g. in independence) between upper class men and women is greater than that of working class men and women.
The Inspector had a very socialist views, he was the complete opposite to MrBirlingwho was conservative. The skeptics are the most conservative. The Inspector made his views clear in the play, when Mr Birlingtells. the Inspector that he refused to pay the workers 25 shillings a week. The Inspector asks, "Why?"
seems to get in a bit of trouble now and then. Gerald backs up Mr.
The Inspector, straight form his introduction, is commanding and authoritative. Upon his entrance he creates, “…at once an impression of massiveness, solidity and purposefulness.”(PG.11) The Inspector continues to create this impression as he progresses through his speeches and through his interrogation of the family. The Inspector remains confident, sturdy and composed, while people around him crumble and fall to pieces. His ‘solidity’ is proven by the fact he remains on task despite numerous attempts from Birling to digress from the points he is making. The Inspector is told to appear ‘purposeful’; this is shown where he explains to Birling that Birlings way of thinking “Every man must only look out for himself,” is not the case, and all warps of society are interlinked. The view is best illustrated in the Inspectors final speech, where he says, “We don't live alone. We are members of one body. We are responsible for each other.”(p.56). This idea is one that Priestley, himself believed in deeply, and many of Priestleys writing shared this very theme.
Through his play Priestley endeavoured to convey a message to the audiences, that we could not go on being self obsessed and that we had to change our political views. He used the Birling family as an example of the Capitalist family that was common amongst the higher classes in 1912, who took no responsibility for other people and he showed this with the power of Socialism, represented by the inspector; the uneasy facade put on by the Birling family to cover up their real flaws and how they have treated those whom they considered to be lower class could not stand up to any scrutiny without shame for what had happened, showing that they know they have been wrong.
During the play, Priestley portrayed these views in the form of the Inspector. The. He uses the Inspector to act as a mouthpiece, displaying and uncovering the lies and deceitfulness of the Birling family and showing the moral and social message of the play. He conveys that the actions and the thoughtlessness of the upper classes have repercussions on the lives of the lower classes. The play is set in the 1912, but was first performed in 1946.
In the play, he seems to know so much than anyone else and also knows more about Eva Smith and how the Birling’s are involved in her suicide, yet the girl died a few hours ago. In reality, no investigator could have the ability to know that much in such a short time. Goole disguises the knowledge on some sort of diary left by Eva (Act 1). Lastly, Inspector Goole may appear unreal in the form of a god or a prophet who has been sent to give warnings and instructions. This is depicted in Priestley and Bezant (Act 3) in Goole’s last speech. He speaks in a language similar to the on used in the biblical Old Testament. He uses a serious and threatening tone similar to a person preaching to an audience. Quoting an instance, “Fire, blood and anguish…” (Act 3) makes him sound like a prophet of God. He warns everyone that God will come and those who are evil will suffer punishment. This last evidence points out that the inspector is not
At this point everyone is in a happy mood, however their mood soon changes when the inspector arrives, the play shows Mr Birling as an inpatient powerful businessman, the play also shows that Mr Birling is a really proud man he is proud of himself and what he has accomplished. Almost the first thing Mr birling says to the inspector is “I was a alderman for years-and lord mayor two years ago-and I’m still on the bench-so I think I know Bromley police officers pretty well.” Mr Birling is trying to emphasise his status and how important he is to the inspector. His first intention is to make a good impression rather than finding out why the inspector has called; when Mr Birling does ask why the inspector has called Mr Birling soon becomes impatient when the inspector does not fully answer the question. This shows that Mr Birling is an impatient man and it also shows that Mr Birling thinks he is...
Discuss Priestley's depiction of the Birling household and Gerald Croft, prior to the arrival of Inspector Goole In this submission I hope to fully discuss Priestley's depiction of the Birling household and Gerald Croft, prior to the arrival of Inspector Goole. The play is set in the fictional town of Brumley, an industrial town in the North Midlands. It is evening in the town, in the spring of 1912. At the moment the play starts the characters are celebrating the engagement between Gerald Croft and the Birling family's only daughter Sheila. They are all very pleased with themselves and are enjoying the occasion.
Although her contribution to the play, overall, is limited, her presence in this passage, and in the home, is a constant reminder of the more unfortunate, lower classes of the British society in 1912, which will always exist in the nation if the more conservative, individualistic people – such as the Birlings – are kept in power in Britain. Symbolically, she is the one to open the door to the inspector (i.e. the poorer people are the only ones who welcome the arrival of socialism in the country), despite the ignorance of Mr. Birling towards his [the inspector’s] presence (i.e. the richer, individualistic people in 1912 are reluctant to allow socialism to gain power/enter the politics of Britain – at the cost of their own wealth and prosperity). Edna is also evidence of the richer society’s ignorance and rudeness towards the lower classes and, in a sense, is seen as Priestley’s physical embodiment within the
The first impression of Arthur Birling is in the initial stage directions, when he is described as ‘a heavy looking, rather portentous man in his fifties.’ The fact that he is described as ‘heavy looking’ and ‘portentous’ suggests that he has a fairly comfortable lifestyle, and has an inflated opinion of his own importance. Priestley has done this to fit the typical man of the house during the 1910’s.