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

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: