An inspector calls written by J. B. Priestley Who is the inspector Essay Example For Students

An inspector calls written by J. B. Priestley: Who is the inspector? Essay The play An inspector calls written by J B Priestley. Inspector Goole is a very mystifying and baffling main character in the play. Who is he and what does he epitomize: is he Eva smith, the voice of the author, the character conscience, god, some one that can foretell the future or is he a ghost. The theme of this short play is that we all have responsibility for ourselves and also for others but also that within society there should be equality. We are immediately drawn to the names Eva Smith and Inspector Goole. Lets firstly take: the name Goole, it suggests that the inspector is ghost like, and goes about inspecting the other characters in very peculiar and curious manner. Eva is very similar to Eve for she was the first woman; Smith is a very common surname. Together the names represent the typical working clad as the inspector says But just remember this, one Eva smith has gone à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬Å" but there are millions and millions and millions of Eva Smith and John Smiths still left with us Priestley is showing the Birlings just how there decisions affect other peoples lives, sometimes for the worst sometimes for the good and that as an employer they have responsibility for society. The play is set in 1912 and has a fundamental moral about socialism. This is definitely because J B Priestley was a great socialist; responsibility is often mentioned in the play and a lot of Priestleys views are aired. Birlings remarks such as The Titanic à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬Å" she sails next week forty thousand six hundred tons à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬Å" forty thousand six hundred tons à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬Å" New York in 5 days and every luxury- and unsinkable, absolutely unsinkable Making himself sound so perceptive when to the audience he is such a fool; as the titanic sunk. Priestley depicts Mr Birling in this way because he is such a capitalist and believes in completely the opposite to Priestley. So Priestly had inserted the Inspector in the play to educate the Birlings and Gerald about values of society especially Eric and Shelia whose generation in a few years time will run the businesses of the country, pay the wages, make the laws and making progress in technology and knowledge. Could it be Shelias conscience that is the inspector? For Shelia is very egocentric in the way that she thinks and is often self obsessed. Her behaviour definitely tells you she is insecure and prown to go into strops. Alas her moods can cause others lives to be turned upside down. As was the case when she met Eva Smith. It was around February and Eva was working in a clothes shop called Milwards, she was assisting another member of staff with a dress for a customer; that customer being Shelia. Shelia was in one her moods this was not helped when the other member of staff asked Eva to show the dress to Shelia. She was immediately struck with jealousy and envy for Evas looks as Shelia told the inspector in a rather embarrassed and ashamed tone And it just suited her. She was the right type for it and I was the wrong type This is demonstrating to us how jealous Shelia was of Eva. It displays to the audience Shelias unconfident and insecure personality. Shelia knows shes like this and maybe thats why and invented the inspector to save herself from becoming arrogant, self à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬Å" important and judgmental like her parents. The audience can see this coming through in the play especially when she makes statements like But these girls arent cheap labour à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬Å" there people This is showing that she is beginning to develop different views to her parents. Bright new day EssayThe inspector continues now with Eric You treated her like an animal, a thing, not a person He used her as an object and treated her inadequately. Shelia is not judged as she judges herself I turned her out of a job. Sadly Mr Croft is not there so he can not be judged so the audience can only be left to wonder how the inspector would have judged him. The inspectors job is done hes made the characters feel ashamed and humiliated. He leaves his exit being rather dramatic, He walks straight out, leaving them staring subdued and wondering. Leaving the characters and the audience to access themselves a question each other and wonder. Could the inspector be a prophet from the future a god like figure? Gerald returns from his breather, with very important news:- That man wasnt a police officer This changes the story, was any of it true as Gerald says We no proof it was the same photograph and therefore no proof it was the same girl. Almost suggesting that the inspector had woven the whole story together rather like a patch work quilt. The Mr and Mrs Birling pus Gerald almost begin to celebrate, congratulating themselves. The younger generation: Eric and Shelia are distressed as Eric says He was our police inspector all right This is really summing up that within society we all have responsibility whether we want it or not and that the inspector has shown the characters hidden colours. Eric persists to make statements much to his fathers annoyance à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦. the fact remains that I did what I did. And mother did what she did. And the rest of you did what you did to her He is only pointing out the truth, but this is not downing Mr and Mrs Birlings plus Geralds spirits. The telephone rings sharply. There is a moments complete silence. Birling goes to answer it. Yes?. . . . . Mr Birling speaking . . . . . What? à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬Å" here- But obviously the other person has rung off. That was the police. A girl has just died à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬Å" on her way to the Infirmary à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬Å" after swallowing some disinfectant. And a police inspector is on his way here à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬Å" to ask some à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬Å" questions That was the same way that Eva died. Was the inspector predicting the future and attempting to save the characters from themselves. To get them to know themselves better, and realise that there decisions affect others. So although it is difficult to know who or what the inspector is, we now know that he is an important social figure in the play, and his views on life are important even in todays society. I think this play was written to remind us that we all have responsibility and that we are all equal and what one person does affects what happens around them.