'An Inspector Calls' was written by JB Priestly in 1946, just after the Second World War. It focuses on a visit to the Birling family by a mysterious inspector. Priestley uses the character of Inspector Goole to represent a "god-like" figure who can also be his mouthpiece. He is an omniscient, authoritative character who heightens the drama of the play while simultaneously bringing important moral questions to the foreground for both the characters and the audience. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an original essay. Goole is a contradictory and complex character who frequently reveals opposite characteristics, from calm to anger, to aggression and kindness, to assertiveness and reserve. At the start of the Act 1 play, Birling gives what he believes to be a rather significant speech; he is celebrating his daughter's wedding and discussing his attitude towards responsibility. Immediately afterwards he is interrupted by "the shrill sound of the doorbell". Priestley chose to use the adjective "strong" in his stage directions to suggest that the inspector's arrival interrupts Birling's monologue and attracts the characters' attention. It also creates a change in the atmosphere. The previously convivial atmosphere now suddenly became tense. This is influenced by a change in lighting, from “pink and cozy” to “brighter and harsher”. It could be argued that the Inspector destroys the welcoming and safe atmosphere of the Birlings' celebration and opens the family to the realities of the world. Before the Inspector says his first line we can see that he is clearly challenging Birling's situation. Priestley presents the Inspector and Mr Birling as opposites. When the inspector first arrives, the captions inform us that he creates "an impression of grandeur, solidity and determination." The treble makes it clear that from now on he will dominate the situation, despite the hostility he receives from the Birlings. The inspector remains composed, while the characters around him explode. The noun “solidity” shows that he maintains his commitment despite being provoked by Birling's numerous attempts. He remains impervious to their threats and does not become agitated. He has a "disconcerting habit of looking carefully" at someone before speaking, takes his time and interrupts Mr Birling, "cutting through" his bravado. This highlights the inspector's power and his refusal to be intimidated by his social class. Birling, in contrast, adopts a condescending attitude towards the Inspector and displays increasing "impatience". He eventually moves on to terrorize him when he realizes that the inspector will do his "duty" and will not be distracted. Mr Birling is the play's stereotypical representation of an arrogant, materialistic capitalist, whose attitudes reflect a lack of social responsibility and fairness, "a man must take care of himself". His misguided beliefs about war and the "unsinkable, absolutely unsinkable" Titanic demonstrate to the audience how foolish he truly is. Priestly intends to highlight through the use of dramatic irony that the beliefs of capitalists are ignorant and should not be taken into account. Over the course of the play, Priestley invites us to compare Birling's attitudes with the responsible and socialist attitudes of the Inspector. The Inspector represents Priestley's voice: he acts as a spokesperson to support strong socialist ideas and practices. It challenges the characters and the audience about their treatment of the working class. More specifically, it represents morality and amplifies the way we likesociety we should treat each other since "we do not live alone" and "we are members of one body". This metaphor further emphasizes socialism and equality. The pronoun "we" demonstrates that it is a general, public and universal message, addressed both to the characters and to the contemporary public. The Inspector has an omniscient presence, giving him a moral or divine power that places his opinions above all others in the play. Priestley intentionally chose the name "Goole" as a homophone for "ghoul", suggesting a ghost or evil spirit and also as someone with a morbid interest in death, reminding us that his concern is the death of Eva Smith. Priestley intended to center the play's plot around a lower-class character, Eva Smith, to suggest how vulnerable the working class was during the Edwardian era. Also, highlighting how socially acceptable it was to treat them badly. In the 1920s there were strong distinctions between the upper and lower classes. The members of the upper classes or the Birlings were unaware that their peaceful lives rely on the hard work of those below them like Eva. Beyond this, the inspector's origins are unknown and the characters spend the end of the play trying to establish where he came from, with Mr Birling calling him a "hoax". By presenting the Inspector in this way, Priestley wants it to serve not to penalize a single person for the events that led to Eva Smith's death, but to force all the characters to repent of their actions and warn them of the terrible consequences they will face . if they don't. The inspector's final speech "If men will not learn that lesson, then they will learn in fire, in blood and in anguish", reveals the most obvious form of his thinking, which he has developed over the course of the play, and which seems to have motivated his very presence in the house. The inspector strongly believes in socialism and equality between all classes. He believes that we all have a responsibility in society to take care of each other and that both the upper and lower classes should unite as one. The fact that the inspector speaks in the third person once again demonstrates his dominance and control over them. He excludes himself and once again emphasizes that he is above everyone. The metaphor “fire, blood, and heartache” is a powerful image that suggests conflict. These three words make us think of hell, bloodshed and the pain of loss of life, and connect readers to the First and Second World Wars. This would be very influential to the audience, given that the show is set in 1912. The intended effect of the predictions was to give the audience a glimpse of the type of person the character is. In Birling's case, the audience would see him as a character who cannot be trusted, while the inspector's predictions chill the viewer and make him realize that the lesson he speaks of has been taught again through fire and blood and distressed twice already. The public had experienced the horrors of war and was not eager to face them again. Priestley has just made the Inspector reveal what the Birlings' future could be if they don't change their views on life. Goole teaches the audience what can happen if you choose to ignore others and deny responsibility for your actions. Please note: this is just an example. Get a custom paper from our expert writers now. Get a Custom Essay JB Priestly wrote “An Inspector Calls” with the intention of provoking people to realize that change must come and that all people are equal and deserve to be treated as such. He used.