The Function of the Inspector in the Play An Inspector Calls by J.B. Priestley The Inspector is the backbone of the play and orchestrates the entire storyline. He is described on his entrance as creating 'an impression of massiveness, solidity and purposefulness.' symbolising the fact that he is an unstoppable force within the play. His 'disconcerting habit of looking hard at the person he addresses before speaking' gives the impression that he sees through surface appearances to the real person beneath. He is also a figure of authority, dealing with each member of the family very firmly and several times he 'massively' takes charge as arguments erupt between them. Many things about the Inspector's manner and character make the realism of his character as an inspector unbelievable. The Inspector arrives just after Mr Birling has spoken about his views on life, that every man must only look out for himself. The Inspector's views, however, clearly contrast with these, and throughout the play he demonstrates how people are responsible for the future and lives of others. This is conveyed dramatically in his final speech, when he says, 'we are members of one body. We are responsible for each other'. One rather mysterious characteristic of the Inspector is that he knows a great deal about the history of Eva Smith and the Birlings involvement in it, even before she is taken to the infirmary. He also appears to know that things are going to happen, such as when he says 'I'm waiting...To do my duty', just before Eric's return, probably indicating that he expected Eric to reappear at exactly that moment. Another example of this is the gre... ... middle of paper ... ...elieved that one cannot "accept responsibility for everything that happened to everybody", that causes wars and conflicts. The Inspector has an important role and function in the play. At the start of the play, he is accepted as a real character, but gradually, throughout the play, his credibility as a real inspector and physical human character disappears. The mystery of the Inspector remains unsolved, and adds a new and interesting dimension to the play. He also has an exceptionally significant impact on the play and quickly alters the atmosphere of the play. His primary function as a character is to lead the audience through the life of Eva, and teach the characters on stage and more importantly the audience that each and every one of us is a member of the same body and we are all "responsible for each other".
one page 11) this indicates that he is a selfish man and cares for his
There would be more of an effect on the audience at the time, as it
family, but it must not be 'cosy’ or homely. The lighting is to be a
she needed more money. So she said to him give me 25/6 because of that
A Comparison of Characters of Mr. Birling and Inspector Goole in J.B. Priestley's An Inspector Calls
J.B. Priestley's Motives Behind An Inspector Calls J.B. Priestley was born in Bradford, Yorkshire in 1894. His mother
The Birlings are holding a party to celebrate their daughter’s engagement with Gerald Croft. The pleasant scene is interrupted when a rather shady looking Inspector gives them a visit, investigating the suicide of a young working-class girl in her middle twenties. Each family member is interrogated and they all find out that they are somehow linked to the girl’s death.
"And be quiet for a moment and listen to me. I don't need to know any
Brother" is us after all. These numbers that are supposed to identify us as who we are, are
Priestley's Social Message in An Inspector Calls The play an Inspector Call’s was written at the time of 1945 but is set in 1912. Priestley conveys a lot of social and important messages in this play. He conveys the messages through the character of Inspector Goole. One most important message that Priestley conveys is about Socialism.
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.
In this essay we will be comparing two female characters from different texts and different time periods. We will be looking in depth at Lady Macbeth from Shakespeare's play 'Macbeth', and Sheila from J.B. Priestley's 'An Inspector Calls'. We will be looking at their roles in their respective plays, and how their characters develop over time.
Goole. Some the Birling family are used to show how we are not to act
But really, let's look at what makes us, as human beings, different from one another in terms of races of people.The differences between Negroes and Nordic Aryans particularly, because they are the most obvious and therefore the most well known.
It is apparent that we are personified entities, but also, that we embrace “more” than just our bodies. “Human persons are physical, embodied beings and an important feature of God’s intended design for human life” (Cortez, 70). But, “human persons have an ‘inner’ dimension that is just as important as the ‘outer’ embodiment” (Cortez, 71). The “inner” element cannot be wholly explained by the “outer” embodiment, but it does give rise to inimitable facets of the human mental life such as human dignity and personal identity.