Analysis of An Inspector Calls by J.B. Priestley

Analysis of An Inspector Calls by J.B. Priestley

‘An Inspector Call’ is a play written by J.B. Priestly, which was set

in 1912 but was first produced in 1945. The play opens with the

Birling family and Gerald croft seated in the dining room and

celebrating the engagement of Sheila and Gerald. The Birling is a

middle class family and Mr. Birling is a prosperous manufacturer who

is concerned in his own profit and has no concern on others feelings.

His wife is about fifty, a cold woman, and her husband’s social

superior. Sheila is a pretty girl, who is pleased with life and rather

excited. Gerald is an easy well bred young man about town. Eric in his

early twenties, he is half-shy and half assertive. Edna is the parlour

maid working in Mr. Birling’s house. This typical middle class family

are visited by an Inspector named Goole who questions everyone in Mr.

Birling’s family. The Inspector is from the future who wants to make

everyone in Mr. Birling’s family to realise their mistakes. Priestly

wants to make the audience watching the play to realise their mistakes

and also to think whether they have changed from their past or not.

Priestly uses the Inspector to achieve these reactions.

The Inspector is a dramatic device used by Priestly to convey his

message across his audience. He was a socialist and strongly believed

in community so as the Inspector teaches the characters about

communism, he wants the audience to think of it and teach the audience

about community. He wants the audience to criticise the Birling

family. He takes them back to 1912 as he wanted his mainly middle

class audience to consider the mistakes they have done in the...

... middle of paper ...

... is not a real police Inspector. They think that he is hoax. Mrs.

Birling says, “I felt it all time. He never talked like one. The end

when the phone rings and hen they hear that a police Inspector is

coming to them the audience as well as the characters are confused and

astonished at it.

Priestly succeeded in his intentions to deliver his message. He wants

the audience to think whether they have changed or remained the same.

This play is more relevant for the audience of 1945. Priestly want the

audience of that period to realise their mistakes. This play is also

relevant today because class is still an issue as some people are

treated unfairly. Priestly uses many techniques to deliver his

message. He uses Inspector and many other characters in the play as a

device to deliver his message and he is successful in it.