An Inspector Calls Essay -- English Literature

An Inspector calls The inspector has many functions in 'an inspector calls', the inspector is the centre point of the play, and the main events of the play rotate around him. He controls the entrances and exits of the play. He also has a grip on the topic of conversation, and is not afraid to anything and has the confidence to interrupt to re-tighten his grip on the conversation. The inspector also develops the topic of conversation from person to person in a methodical fashion. The inspector controls the development of events, who will speak and when they will speak, who will leave and who won't leave, who sees the picture of Eva smith and who won't. Even when Priestley describes him, when he first appears on stage, he is described in the terms of 'massiveness, solidity ad purposefulness', significantly showing that he is unstoppable, and plays a great part in the play. He has a 'habit of looking hard at the person he addresses before speaking' gives the audience an impression of how he gets down into the truth. His role in the play isn't the role of a conventional inspector, which is to confront each character with the truth, but he wants the Birling family to morally condemn what they have done. He works in a methodical, chronological order, moving from the start to end, of eva smiths journey through life involving the Birling family, from character to character, this is because he acknowledges 'otherwise there is a muddle' and if the character are given the chance, to be confronted by the truth they will try and defend themselves, and get themselves out of that situation, in order not to accept the truth. The inspector has arrived just after Mr.Birling has been discussing his views on life, co... ... intimidating line from a lower social status inspector to a higher classed business man. The inspector doesn't 'have much time' to procrastinate questions, so he will just cut in and ask them. This helps the inspector to get through every person in a methodical logical order; hence the plot can be developed. From the following you can draw the conclusion that the inspector plays a massive role in the inspector calls, from a dramatic instrument to have narrative functions, and acting as a vehicle to convey Priestley's socialist views. If the inspector wasn't in the play, the play wouldn't work; life would be difficult for Priestley to put across his views. The essential elements of the play to make it interesting are lost if the inspector wasn't there, so he is very essential, and is one of the most important characters of the play 'an inspector calls'.