The Inspector Flashcards
How is the Inspector used in political play?
- Inspector used as a proxy for Priestley’s political views
represents/ believes in socialism
Who is the Inspector?
- He has various roles in the play: . a dramatic catalyst . moral subconscious . an interrogator . a moral teacher . the voice of JB Priestley . Goole- ghoul- is he real?
How does the Inspector see morality?
- Interested in immorality as a crime
- Exposes the immoral behaviour of each character:
- Mr Birling: greed/pride
- Eric: lust, greed
- Sheila: jealousy/envy
- Gerald: lust
- Mrs Birling: greed, pride
How does the Inspector see morality?
- Interested in im morality as a crime
- Exposes the immoral behaviour of each character:
- Mr Birling: greed/pride
- Eric: lust, greed
- Sheila: jealousy/envy
- Gerald: lust
- Mrs Birling: greed, pride
What actions does the Inspector take towards immorality?
- He places morality above manners- cuts off characters and ignores their social position
- He outlines the idea that the way the Birlings treat Eva/Daisy is a crime against humanity and symbolically this sends a potent message about Capitalism.
- He acts a teacher- a moral teacher
How do stage directions present the Inspector?
- He speaks carefully, weightily and has a disconcerting habit of looking hard at the person he addresses before actually speaking
- Adverbs: carefully, weightily = shows that he is selfless and uses forethought before he speaks- directly juxtaposing the idol predictions of Mr Birling
- The lexical field of size: “massiveness” and “weightily” imply that his words carry deeper meaning and have the ability to burden and affect the listener as displayed with Sheila and Eric.
Stage direction: “ The lighting should be ____ and ____ until the Inspector arrives, and then it should be ____ and _____”
” The lighting should be pink and intimate until the Inspector arrives, and then it should be brighter and harder”
- Juxtaposition: presents the Inspectors as the foil to the Birling’s is the contrasting lighting. Metaphorically acts to imply that they are caught in their own selfish bubble.
- Adjectives: have numerous implications, one being that he will ‘shine a light’ on the terrible actions and behaviours of the family. “Harder” clearly shows that the Inspector is not to be manipulated or intimidated by the social position of Mr Birling and he will try to change the moral and political beliefs of these characters and indeed the audience
What quotes suggest the Inspector is a feminist?
“Like a lot of these young women” repeated later “we tried to put ourselves in the place of these young women counting their pennies, in their dingy back bedrooms”- contrast of youth and dingy. “pennies” emphasises the desperation of the women.
- “burnt her inside out”- detailed, grotesque imagery used to shock
- Points out who is most vulnerable in this society
How does the Inspector highlight capitalist exploitation?
- Becomes metaphorical when he says “it is better to ask for the earth than to take it”
- Idea symbolically here is that capitalism is ruining the earth but also shows the idea that the Birlings are incredibly greedy.
How does the Inspector highlight omniscient power?
- Knows what each character has done
- “he looks at Gerald, then at Eric, then at Sheila”
- Unfortunately, there is a undertone of assumption here, that all upper class citizens will or have exploited the poor.
When Gerald states “not criminals” how does the Inspector respond?
- Inspector is sharp in his response to Gerald
- “I wouldn’t know where to draw the line”- suggestion that capitalism and the rich become criminals because of exploitation
- Could link to “you needn’t give me any rope”- foreshadowing a notion that eventually upper class will reveal their immoral, criminal behaviour or even this line could imply that they are capable of murder
When does the Inspector use emotive language?
- When describing Eva’s death and her position when she was alive
- “friendless, penniless, desperate”
- “she needed not only money, but advice, sympathy, friendliness”
- Heightens the imagery of earlier “burnt her inside out”
How is the Inspector presented as a catalyst?
- “I haven’t much time”
- The reference to looking at his watch
- We can interpret this in many ways- he has to prevent the death of Eva through the phone call at the end of the play
- Is it about society changing quickly for the betterment of the poor and everyone?
“_________ what you ___”
“Remember what you did”
- Repetition
- “Remember” becomes an imperative
- Clearly, the repetition of this shows that some of the Birlings and the upper class will not remember or accept their actions of consequences
How is the Inspector used in the structure of the play?
- Catalyst
- Structures the events of the play
- each revelation moves the play one step forwards
- He heightens drama- his entrances and exits are well timed in order to create maximum tension
