Analyse the character of the Inspector in An Inspector Calls by J.B. Priestley.
Discuss his:
* Role in the play
* Effect on the other characters
* Stage presence
When the Inspector first knocks on the front door, it is dramatic
irony because Arthur just said a matter of seconds before of how he
‘might get a knighthood if we don’t get into any sort of trouble’.
This is a very significant time of entering, similar to knocking over
a tower of Jenga – everything one has hoped for has just evaporated
into thin air. As an audience we expect something very important, an
altered atmosphere in the play from this moment forward. The Birling’s
smug satisfaction is put on hold. It abruptly comes to a halt. Edna
comes into the Dining room and says to Mr. Birling, “Please, Sir, an
Inspector’s called”.
The Inspector, at first appears to the audience to be a police
officer. He said he had recently moved to Brumley; the family find out
he is a fake when Arthur rings the police station at the end of the
play. This news is even more disturbing than the questioning that
takes place throughout the play, because they realised that the
Inpsector had deceived them all. They had been had! But on the other
hand, was the purpose of the visit fulfilled?
I think the purpose of his visit was to show the family that their
lives and what they do during their life is far more influential than
they realise, either positively or negatively. Had they helped Eva
Smith, her life may not have been lost, but in fact, the Inspector’s
intention was to help them see where they went wrong and secure them
on the right pathif they were willing to respond. He wanted to aid
them in their understanding that in life there are huge decisions and
choices to make which, if are chosen wrongly, can have...
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