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

J.B. Priestley wrote the play "An Inspector Calls" in 1945 and set it in 1912. These dates are both relevant because he wrote his play in a world emerging from the Second World War, at a time when people were getting nostalgic about pre-world war one. Priestley used his play to try and show people that the idea of a community in 1912 was gradually being washed away by the upper classes and that the world needed to change rather than return to the egotistical society that existed in pre war England.

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.

J.B. Priestley's main line of argument was that the political opinion of people in this world needed to change.

J.B Priestley strongly believed in Socialism, which was an economic system. For example, An Inspector Calls, as well as being a play, contains many references to socialism the inspector was arguably an alter ego through which Priestley could express his views. Priestley through his writing was also trying to show that all our actions have consequences and that as a result of the unsuitable social system, people thought it is acceptable not to worry about what the...

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...becomes evident that success for the future lies with the younger generation. Whilst Mr Birling, to the very end, insists on regarding the Inspector's visit as a joke, it is Eric who restores our hope when he says

"And I say the girl's dead and we all helped to kill her and that's what matters."

Eric's admission confirms that Inspector Goole's visit was justified and that valuable lessons were learned. This confirms that Inspector Goole is indeed conveying the social message. He proves to be a powerful force, a catalyst whose skilful and disciplined investigative approach is both instrumental and victorious in initiating positive change in the hearts, the minds and the attitudes of Eric and Sheila and thereby increases our optimism and faith that disadvantaged people will in the future be treated with dignity and respect which was what Priestley always wanted.