Inspector Goole Flashcards
Give a quote that describes the inspector
“Need not be a big man but he creates at once an impression of massiveness, solidity and purposefulness.”
Analyse the quote “Need not be a big man but he creates at once an impression of massiveness, solidity and purposefulness.”
Whenever Priestley describes the Inspector, he uses the semantic field of size: showing the importance of this man, and his power.
how does the inspector show he is intimidating?
He speaks in a controlled way, often building on comments made by other characters. He repeats words they have used and manipulates them for his own end. Examples include his repetition and manipulation of the word ‘impression’ and his manipulation of the word ‘position’, the meaning of which he changes from a metaphorical to a more literal one, in order to shock Mrs Birling.
Analyse the quote “And you think young women ought to be protected against unpleasant and disturbing things?”
The Inspector also turns each character’s words and actions back upon him or her, e.g. he draws attention to Gerald’s hypocrisy regarding women: “And you think young women ought to be protected against unpleasant and disturbing things?” This theme of reversal runs through the structure of the play.
Give a quote the inspector says to gerald
“And you think young women ought to be protected against unpleasant and disturbing things?”
How does the inspector get in the characters head
When he begins to reveal who is responsible for the death of Eva Smith, his words are quite emphatic and he makes great use of two short sentences in the imperative ‘Remember that. Never forget.’
How does the inspector refer to the bible?
He alludes to the Bible when he says ‘We are members of one body’ to emphasise the Inspector’s belief in human love and equality.Also links to the bible when he says “if men will not learn that lesson, then they will be taught it in fire and blood and anguish
Analyse the structure of the speech said in acts 3 before the inspector goes
The speech is composed of complex sentences, which are referential and short sentences that are expressive. Priestley makes great use of these short
sentence structures in order to deliver his opinions as facts.
what is the effect of the short sentences used in the inspector speech in act 3?
This intended effect is to make both the characters and the audience inspect their own consciences. Furthermore, the use of short sentences symbolises the limit of society, which could still be developed by everyone accepting each other.
What are the effect of the pronouns the inspector uses?
The Inspector’s use of the inclusive pronoun ‘we’ contrast with the language of Mr and Mrs Birling who normally use ‘I’ as their primary concern is themselves. The use of ‘we’ further emphasises Priestley’s ideas of collective responsibility and how society should be formed.
Analyse “millions of eva smith”
To convey to the Birlings how widespread their actions are, the Inspector uses the extended metaphor of ‘millions of Eva Smiths and John Smiths’ to represent the number of working class men and women who were exploited on a daily basis by the greed of capitalism.
What is the purpose of the inspector?
The omniscient Inspector is used by Priestley to further convey his views on collective / social
responsibility. The Inspector is used very effectively to highlight the corruption and the selfish attitudes of the twentieth century society.
What does the inspectors name suggest?
The Inspector’s name leads us to question whether he actually exists. The word ‘Goole’ suggests his mysterious quality, being a pun on the word ‘ghoul’. Is he merely a ghost, someone whose very existence has come about as a result of Eva Smith’s death?Is he talking about his experience when he says men will dies if fire blood and anguish
What was the purpose for the inspector speech at the end?
Through the Inspector’s final dramatic speech, Priestley skillfully warns the audience of the
potential social disasters of failing to support or help those in need in society.
What does the inspector make the characters realise?
While the Inspector himself does not hand out forgiveness or punishment, characters are made to recognise that they must find the courage to judge themselves, because only then will they have learnt anything and be able to change themselves.
