Inspector Goole Flashcards
How is the Inspector descried when he enters the Birling’s home?
(Including quotations)
“an impression of massiveness, solidity and purposefulness.’’
“He is a man in his fifties, dressed in a plain darkish suit.
“He speaks carefully, weightily, and has a disconcerting habit of looking hard at the person he addresses before actually speaking. “
How does the Inspectors method show a he is Systematic? (Including a quotation)
He likes to deal with “one person and one line of enquiry at a time.”
As Sheila describes it “But it’s you - and not the Inspector here - who’s doing it”
His method is to confront a suspect with a piece of information and then make them talk
How is the Inspector presented as authoritative?
Including quotations
He deals with each member of the family very
firmly
He does concerned and does not feel insulted when Mr Birling says ‘I’m not going to have this, Inspector You’ll apologise at once.” and “I really must protest-“
He cuts through Mrs Birling’s obstructiveness. An example of this is “I don’t see ant particular reason why I should-“
How is the Inspector shown to be Knowledgeable?
He knows the history of Eva Smith and the Birlings’ involvement in it, even
though she died only hours ago.
Sheila tells Gerald, “Of course he knows
He knows things are going to happen - He says “I’m waiting…To do my duty” just before Eric’s return.
How does the Inspector use the Unity of time?
He is obviously in a great hurry towards the end of the play: he stresses “I haven’t much time.”
Does he know that the real inspector is shortly going to arrive?
Some people think the Inspector is not a real person, so what could he be?
- Is he a ghost? Goole reminds us of ‘ghoul’.
- Is he the voice of Priestley?
- Is he the voice of God?
- Is he the voice of all our consciences?
