Inspector Calls Character Analysis Flashcards
Mr Goole analysis
- ” each of you helped to kill her” priestley does this to present the message we are responsible for each other
- priestley’s mouthpiece, he wanted a social amd political shft focusing on equality and community after ww2, not just through responsibility also through sentence structure.
- use of anadoplosis to make the point all their actions are interconnected and all are responsible
- presented as mysterious, “ i dont play golf” “i dont take offence” deliberate as it cr eates mystery seound him ,emphasised by his name
- the inspector also knows almost too much about a girl who died hours ago, leasing to the idea he may be an super natural being
- vague and ambigious depiction of inspector goole puts less focus on him but on the message he sends
- “if men will not learn that message theyll be taught in fire and loos and anguish” semantic field of hell his main message is that you need to do good to live well
- “men have responsibilities as well as privileges”
- “creates an inage of massiveness” dominant through his message not his stature
- written in a cyclical structure demonstrating his strict morals
Mr gooles relationship with other characters
-By mr birling being stubborn and infolerable, it allows goole to be the favourable character
- by mr birling being portrayed as only concerned with himself, he contrasts mr goole who “speaks weightily”.
- he converts sheila, she becomes a symbol of is ability to change the mindset of people
- gerald despite knowing he had an affair tries to suggest they sre different girls, showing the upper class don’t take responsibility.
- his conversion of sheila shows how stubborn mrs birling
Top 5 quotes for sheila
-“You musn’t try to build up a sort of wall between us and that girl”
-“I tell you - whoever that inspector was, it was anything but a joke. “Imperative ‘tell’ - standing up to the attitude of her parents
- “ why - you fool - he knows, of course he knows.” Verb ‘knows’ builds up idea inspector is omnicient
- “but these girls arent cheap labour, theyre people
‘People’ shows she has care for everyone. Social awareness being shown here
- “now i feel really engaged” mirrowing expectations of her family before inspector arrives, showing initially she is materialistic
Top 5 quotes for eric
- “why shouldnt they try for higher wages, we try for higher prices”
Noun phrase ‘highest possible prices’ shows how mr birling lacks empathy and uses these workers for his financial gain. Also shows emerging social values - “i dont know really. Suddenly i felt i just had to laugh” comes accross as awkward, always talked down by his father, seems unsure of himself
- “you killed her, and the child shed have too my child”. Accusing his mother, finally speaking up, more aggressively infuriating him showing he cared anout eva, or he is shifting the blame onto his mother
- “i was in the state when a chap easily turns nasty”
The noun ‘State’ implies drunk
The asjective ‘nasty’ suggests he uses alcahol as an excuse for his actions
-“the girls dead and we all helped to kill her”
He emulates the inspectors message, hes angry and the pronoun ‘we’ shows he acknowledges eveeyone played a part contrasting him blaming his mum
Top 5 quotes for gerlad croft
-“ it was inevitable, she was young, pretty and warm hearted”
Lists her qualities to try and justify his actions
-“after all you know, were respectable citizens and not dangerous criminals”
Thinks he and the birlings are immune to questioning because of their position in society.
-“im rather more upset by this business than i probably appear to be”
Suggests he may have learned his leson however he eventually reverts back to how he was
- “everythings alright sheila”, shows gerald has failed to change
Top 5 quotes of mrs birling
- “as if that sort of girl would ever reduse any money”
Shows she didnt believe her because of her class ans doesnt believe people lile eva have no moraks
-“ no of course hes only a boy”
Fails to recognise eric is a young man, showing her ignorance
