In An inspector Calls how does Priestleys characterisation of the Inspector convey his concerns and ideas to members of the

audience as well as interest and involve them in the play? An Inspector Calls was written in 1945; just after the Second World War and at the time of political change. Clement Atlees labour party won a landslide victory over the conservatives and the huge division between upper and lower class had been greatly reduced as a result of the war. JB Priestley used this period of greater political interest as an opportunity to convey his ideas on socialism, capitalism and the differences between upper and lower class. Priestley immediately characterises Birling as ignorant and nave in his opening speech. Thereby Priestley creates a stereotype not only for 1912 businessmen but capitalists as a whole, encompassing many of their ideas in Birling's early quotes. Priestleys choice of the Inspectors entrance; interrupting Birlings capitalist tirade, is a direct metaphor to his views on socialism cutting through capitalism and replacing the old, conservative ways. We hear the sharp ring of a front door bell. Birling stops to listen. The use of the sharp ring is the first, subtle reference to Priestleys views on socialism. The ring swiftly interrupts Birling and marks a pivotal point in the play as the entrance of the Inspector and Priestleys socialistic ideas. Inspector Goole is described in direct contrast to Birling; he creates at once an impression of massiveness, solidity and purposefulness. From his entrance, Priestley uses the Inspector almost as the voice of morality for the play; He speaks carefully, weightily and has a disconcerting habit of looking hard at the person he addresses before actually speaking. The word disconcerting sums up the Inspectors enigmatic and brutal responses to Birling in their opening conversation and the audience feels the tension rising. Furthermore, we can immediately conclude, albeit rather dubiously, some of the Inspectors character from his well-chosen name; Goole. This is a metaphor that reinforces the Inspectors unreadable, mysterious nature portrayed in the opening scene. The quote; Shed swallowed a lot of strong disinfectant. Burnt her inside out, of course, Is a perfect example of Priestley using the Inspector as tool for involving the audience. With the sudden shock, and detailed description, Priestley dramatically changes the entire tone of the play and begins to develop his socialist ideas through his characterisation of the Inspector. The sickening, vivid language captures the audiences attention early on. As the play continues Priestleys subtle increase of the Inspectors control of the family, in particular Mr. Birling becomes much more evident. He cuts through (Mr. Birling) massively and refuses to show the photograph to Gerald and Eric; Its the way I like to work. One person and one line of enquiry at a time. He stares at Gerald and Birling and speaks gravely, his dominating presence clearly unsettling the family scene. At this point of the play Priestleys identification with real events becomes clearer. In both 1911 and 1919 over 200,000 people went on strike and the audience becomes more interested because of the real life events that many of them at the time of performance would have been able to remember. Even now, in a much more modern context, the historical reference is very relevant because of the well publicised strikes that continue today, and many viewers will at this point be able to identify whom of Priestleys characters they most identify to. After being connected to Eva Smith, Birling impatiently says -it happened more than eighteen months ago-nearly two years ago-obviously it has nothing whatever to do with the wretched girls suicide. Here Birlings description of Eva Smith as wretched is a statemnt by Priestley, who is stereotyping the rich as being contemptuos and derisive towards the poor.

At this point Priestleys views are voiced openly through the inspector. What happened to her may have determined what happened to her afterwardsmay have driven her to suicide. A chain of events. Slightly perturbed, Birling replies: I cant accept any responsibility. If we were all responsible for everything that happened to everybody...would be very awkward wouldnt it? Priestley uses the Inspectors short witty retort to emphasise the socialist ideals and clarify his resounding disrespect of conservative views: Very awkward. Priestley continues to increase the tension between the Inspector and Birling using dry humour to mock the latter. I dont play golf, says the inspector, completely oblivious to Birling's threats. Here Priestley again mocks the conservative, upper class ways that he believes are so corrupt. Furthermore, the Inspector is also portrayed as being without bias and fearless in an almost casual way, as well as in: She wanted to end her life. She felt she couldnt go on any longer. During the course of the entire play, Priestley uses the Inspector to create uncomfortable changes of mood in the characters. At this point in the play Sheila enters gaily and the audience feel tense and awkward because of the dramatic irony of already knowing what she is about to find out. As a result, Priestley continues developing The Inspectors firm control over a family whose ideals seem to be crumbling under the Inspectors ever growing presence. Priestley clearly drew from real historical events when the Inspector talks about Eva Smiths living conditions. -No work, no money coming in, and living in lodgings, with no relatives to help her, few friends, lonely, half-starved, she was feeling desperate. In 1912 2% of Londoners were dying weekly from the cold and 500,00 British children were ill fed and diseased. Even when talking about Eva Smiths gruesome death; burnt her inside out, and attributing responsibility first to Birling, it is clear that Priestley would have had strong views on the event of 1913, where fifty girls died in a factory fire. The powerful shift of mood continually becomes more evident when Birling says: We were having a nice little family celebration tonight. And a nasty mess somebodys made of it. Again, Priestley uses the Inspectors dry humour to show indifference to Birlings power: Thats more or less what I was thinkinglooking at what was left of Eva Smith. His objective, disrespectful attitude towards Birling is now develops, as Priesltey uses the inspector to mock Birling and gain the respect of the audience. The inspectors behaviour towards the other characters enforces his sense of incorruptibility, particularly with Eric who seemed to be trying to befriend the Inspector at earlier points in the play: he could have kept her on instead of throwing her out. The Inspector, however, refuses to treat any of the characters differently; a perfect portrayal of Priestleys socialistic ideas. If you turn in, you might have to turn out again soon. He also refuses to show Gerald the picture, insisting on One line of enquiry at a time. The inspector is unfazed by the pressure on him from other characters, a key ideal of Priestleys socialism that he repeatedly conveys. Priestly continues to unbalance the characters relationships, as can be seen in Priestleys stage directions. Sheila speaks stormily to Eric, a sign of the deteriorating family relationships and Gerald being described as startled and later pulling himself together. The audience watch apprehensively, with a sense of embarrassment, at the Inspectors harsh and stern rebukes of Sheilas apologies. Audiences, both at the time and modern, are shocked by The Inspectors contemptuous treatment of the family. Priestley romanticises his ideals through the Inspector, signifying the radical socialistic movement through the dramatic, unsympathetic replies of the inspector; Its

too late. Shes dead. The Inspector, most importantly, is repeatedly portrayed as impressive, intimidating yet ultimately, completely fair. Priestley adds tension by portraying the Inspector as being completely objective to Eva Smiths death. His curt replies mentioned above make him completely unreadable to the audience, who are slowly beginning to realise that the Inspector is probably more than just a policeman. Furthermore, the relationships between characters continue to deteriorate, this time between Sheila and Gerald. Why-you fool-he knows. Of course he knows. In this quote Priestley is simply conveying the Inspector as being omniscient. His power is frightening, as is conveyed in Sheilas rather hysterical laugh, which startles the audience. The pace of the speech quickens, and the tension rises, with stage directions to the speech describing the characters, particularly the inspector as cutting in, massively taking charge, and, when Sheila tries again to apologise, the Inspector ignores it. Gradually the truth and attributed responsibility become more and more likely outcomes, Socialist principles evident in the quote Well have to share our guilt. Priestley uses Mrs. Birlings entrance to further underline the Inspectors omniscience. The dramatic irony is repeated as she enters briskly and self-confidently, quite out of key with the little scene that has just passed. Sheilas confrontation with her mother is another brief example of the panic within the family, but the key point here is Sheilas conclusion of the Inspectors effect on the family. We all started like that-so confidant, so pleased with ourselves until he began asking us questions. Mrs. Birling treats Sheila like a child, continually telling her off and, like Eric, trying to win over the Inspector when she disagrees with Sheilas warnings of building up a kind of wall between us and that girl. The Inspector, however, replies very plainly that Sheila is right. In this respect Priestley simply accentuates the Inspectors profound sense of equality, and, in doing so demonstrates Socialisms principle views. For the remainder of the play, the themes outlined previously; namely the powerful effect the inspector has on the family, his sense of moral perfection, hi objective attitude towards Eva Smith and the sense of shared responsibility are continually used by Priestly. The Inspector is described as cutting in with authority, and harshly says, yes, shes dead. Otherwise, however, the Inspector rarely does more than to keep up the flow of conversation, the questions he asks evoking the answers that develop new revelations in the story. From this we can induce that Priestley was simply using the Inspector as a tool to show the changing attitudes of the other characters throughout the play. The Inspectors final speech is Priestleys method of conclusively defining the Socialist ideals. We dont live alone. We are members of one body. We are responsible for each other. The idea of one body is almost religious and the simple metaphor captures the entire moral of the play quite simply. Furthermore Priestleys reference to world war one and two in they will be taught in fire and blood and anguish, is a reminder of the Socialist view-point of anti-war, a threat made by Priestley against Capitalism, that the audience of 1945 realise has already been carried out. It is very clear that Dunnes theory of time was employed by Priestley to write the final part of the play. The somewhat vague reference to World War one and two in they will be taught in fire and blood and anguish is probably the point at which most of the audience begin to believe that the Inspector is the voice of conscience. He is the gift, in Dunnes theory of time, given to people so that they could see the future and predict the consequences of their actions. An Inspector Calls was written as a tool by Priestley to convey his ideas in an engaging way. These ideas are predominantly portrayed through the speech and actions of the Inspector,

precisely and clearly. In doing so Priestley creates one of the greatest political statements, as well as one of the greatest morality plays of the modern age.