inspector 3

• Priestly uses the Inspector as a dramatic vehicle to carry his compelling political message of socialism and morality to the audience.
• Priestly utilises the inspector as his mouthpiece to indict:

  • The vast social inequalities that plagued society, the strong barrier between classes, and how this was permitted due to capitalists being in charge.
• Priestly uses the Inspector as a dramatic vehicle and his mouthpiece in the Inspector's final speech -

  • He presents the views of Priestley himself about distributing responsibility.
• The triple simile of "as if she was an animal, a thing, not a person";

  • The zoomorphism on "an animal" highlights their blatant disregard of Eva's humanity through their dehumanising and exploitative treatment of her.
• The triple simile of "as if she was an animal, a thing, not a person";

  • The neglectful verb "thing" intensifies how, as Eva belonged to a lower class, she was not regarded with any form of compassion as a living being.
• The triple simile of "as if she was an animal, a thing, not a person";

  • Priestly writes the Inspector to comment on how she was a "thing" to produce a strong emotional reaction in the audience, particularly disgust, that bourgeoise capitalists inhumanely treat anyone who does not belong to their exclusive social echelon (profession).
• Religion underpinned morality in the Edwardian era, consequently for the Birlings to have upheld this pristine public facade, religion would have been integral to up keeping this.
• The Birling's digression (temporary departure) from these religious teachings, since they embodied some of the seven deadly sins of greed and pride

  • (especially Mr. Birling priding himself on being a - "hard-headed practical man of business")

  means that the Inspector's role as a moral agent of God is even more fundamental.
• The Inspector appears prophetic (knowing about the future), paired with his biblical allusions to hell when he uses the triplet;

  • "fire and blood and anguish"

  The polysyndeton (repetition of and) reinforces the sempiternal (everlasting) torture they will face if they continue to part with their responsibility.

  • His prophetic, omniscient element makes the message seem more daunting and important.
• The Inspector directly relays the biblical teaching, used in baptism, that we are "members of his body" in Christ.

  • This is parallel language to "we are members of one body".

  Thus, the Inspector, alike to Jesus, promotes the union of society and togetherness - reinforcing his spreading of Christianity and its foundational teachings.
• Alike to Jesus providing salvation for mankind, the Inspector's final speech can be seen as being the salvation for the Birlings' as he reminds them to;

  • "Remember that. Never forget it."
• Significantly, as the Inspector is the one who is presented as God-like, Priestly could be illuminating that socialism is the way that God would favour on earth:

  • It aligns with the teachings of Jesus to 'love thy neighbour' and favours love and acceptance over hatred and segregation.
• The Inspector has a profound impact on both Sheila and Eric, them being malleable characters as they belonged to the younger generation and were therefore receptive to his message - they absorbed the reality of their wrongdoings.
• Sheila acts as the Inspector's proxy when he leaves, reciting his exact moral teachings;

  • "fire and blood and anguish"

  She resents her family's supercilious (behaving as though one is superior to others) airs and graces and tries to catalyse a change in them as he did to her.
• Eric emulates the Inspector's disregard of Mr. Birling's long pompous (self-important) speeches, alike to the Inspector, he begins to [cut in] when his father speaks.

  • Eric is no longer silenced by his father and has learned from the Inspector that morals hold more weight than superficial ideals like social status and wealth.

  This empowered him.
• The conversion of Eric and Sheila is emblematic of how regressive capitalist views are not permanent in all the individuals it taints.

  • Instead, it provides a glimmer of hope to the 1945 audience that the individuals who remain entrenched in their views, are either able to change or will face the consequences of their injurious (causing harm) actions.