Inspector Goole

• its better to ask for the earth than take it - responsibility


  syntax on 'ask' prior to 'take' highlights order of importance that is required for society to be collectively responsible - we must 'ask' and share opposed to capitalist ideas of 'taking' to benefit oneself
• (cutting in, with authority) - responsibility


  stage directions indicative of his power and affirmative nature - Priestley utilises him to showcase serious and desperate need for responsibility - intolerant and brutal demeanour used to ironically show how its the upper class members of society who require to 'come down harshly on these people' (mr b) - wilful ignorance and oblivion is shattered with forcing them to face bleakness of reality
• we are members of one body - responsibility


  directly relays biblical teaching that we are 'members of one body' in christ - parallel language to lexis he uses - thus, inspector (like Jesus) promotes union of society and togetherness - reinforces spreading of christianity and foundational teachings especially in regards to responsibility
• remember that. never forget it - responsibility


  alike to Jesus providing salvation for mankind, inspectors final speech seen as being salvation for the birlings - reminds them responsibility for others can never be forgotten and they should lead with compassion and benevolence
• as if she were an animal, a thing, not a person - gender


  dehumanising image of 'animal' could be an illusion to how inspector is critiquing disregard of women physically and emotionally - condemns Eric and Gerald for objectifying her as an object of lust - also condemns dehumanising treatment from capitalists
• (plain darkish suit) - socialism vs capitalism


  other characters defined by class physically such as clothes they wear yet inspector carries air of mystery as he is dressed in a simplistic way
• its better to ask for the earth than to take it - socialism vs capitalism


  idea to 'take' connotes to steal - ideas scorned in bible as its a mortal sin - Edwardian era highly religious and teachings would be seen as integral to society - capitalists ideals completely dismiss teachings and socialism seen to be bringing society back to moral foundations
• if men will not learn that lesson, then they will be taught it in fire and blood and anguish - socialism vs capitalism 


  capitalism is synonymous with immorality through play - hellish semantic field out die direct allusion that holding capitalist beliefs leads to eternal punishment - polysyndeton reinforces sempiternal torture they will face if they continue to hold ignorant and capitalist views
• quite so - guilt and morality


  short and concise - few words cause birlings speech to shorten - suggests goole's shifted the power balance despite not being from established social class, elucidating social status is weak in the face of morality
• we often do on the young ones. they're more impressionable - older vs younger generation


  inspector makes mockery of birling - brands younger generation as 'more impressionable' perhaps implying they're more gullible and malleable - serves to later be ironic as negative connotations of being 'impressionable' are positive traits in helping sheila and Eric rid their capitalist oblivion
• (mrs birling says) I beg your pardon! - older vs younger generation


  exclamatory sentence reinforces how sybil is astounded that morality and guilt is questioned - 2 ideas in warped view of life that can be overcome with money and materialistic items - disgust and shock at being questioned highlights resistance to inspectors new ideas - capitalist views engrained due to her being in older generation
• (sheila says) fire and blood and anguish - older vs younger generation


  acts as inspectors proxy when he leaves, reciting his exact moral teachings - demonstrates inspectors profound impact on younger generation as Sheila now resents her families supercilious airs and graces and tries to catalyse a change in them as goole did to her
• Eric (cutting in) when mr b speaks - older vs younger generation


  emulates inspectors disregard of mr b's long and pompous speeches - alike to inspector, Eric begins 'cutting in' when father speaks - Eric is no longer silenced by father and has learnt from inspector that morals hold more weight than superficial ideals like social status and wealth - empowered him