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

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The Role of the Inspector in J.B. Priestley's An Inspector Calls When the inspector is first introduced, it is as a Police Inspector. This leads both the other characters and the reader to assume that his role will be to ask questions and collect evidence, which he can use to solve the crime. However, as the play progresses, it becomes clear that there is more to the inspector that meets the eye, as he seems to know everything that has happened to Eva Smith, before the Birlings tell him so. In fact, many of the events that involve Eva Smith are revealed to the Birlings by the Inspector: "This girl was going to have a child" It can be argued that the Inspector uses his knowledge of the events to induce confessions from each of the other characters, so that they are able to see the consequences of their actions. They also reveal all of their wrong-doings to their family in the process. This public confession is often thought to be a deliberate method used by the Inspector to create conflict amongst the Birlings, stripping away the image of a 'happy, middle-class family' that was presented at the beginning of the play: "…You're not the kind of father a chap could go to…" This conflict amongst the family members, as well as the knowledge provided by the Inspector allows each of the characters to develop. Mr Birling, for example, becomes more and more irritable as the play progresses, revealing his stubbornness and lack of compassion for others. Sheila on the other hand is not only remorseful, but also becomes much more confident and out spoken: "Sheila, I simply don't understand your attitude." The character development that occurs throughout the play would not have done so in the same way, had the Inspect not been there. Because of this he is often considered to be an emotional 'catalyst' in the play. However, the Inspector does not simply make the other characters confess to their crimes, but he also judges each of them:

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