Importance of the Ending

• "One Eva Smith has gone- but there are millions and millions and millions of Eva Smiths and John Smiths left with us"

  
  

  • metaphor "one Eva Smith"- shows Eva represents all working-class woman
  • polysyndeton- "and" stresses the number of working- class people suffering
• "really, from the way you children talk, you might be wanting to help him"

  • infantilised language "you children"
  • Refusal to accept change
• Eric: "it's still the same rotten story whether it's been told to a police inspector or somebody else"

  • metaphor "rotten story"- suggests Eric's guilt
  • statement- emphasising importance of behaving responsibility
  • Eric embodies principles of social responsibility
  • contrast between young and older generation
• Mr Birling: "Look you'd better ask Gerald for that ring you gave back to him, hadn't you? Then you'll feel better"

  • hypophonic structure- shows Birling's unwillingness to accept Sheila may not want to marry Gerald now
  • belittles Sheila- suggests her happiness can be bought
  • highlights pressure on women to conform to patriarchy society
• "(as they stare guiltily and dumbfounded the curtain falls)"

  • the denouement is an unusual choice, excepting problems to be solved
  • emotive language "stare guiltily"- highlights family knows judgement will now occur
  • dramatic irony "dumbfounded" shows characters are shocked, audience is not
• Inspector: "if men will not learn that lesson, then they will be taught it in fire and blood and anguish"

  • foreshadows suffering of 2 world wars
  • biblical imagery- gives spiritual dimension
• Inspector: "we don't live alone. we are members of one body. we are responsible for each other "

  • meaning we aren't isolated, obliged to care for others
  • repetition of "we" shows the the inspector is highlights we are a community
  • inspector= utopian idealist who believes in personal improvement
• Beginning “we hear the sharp ring of a front doorbell”

  End “the telephone rings sharply“
• Paragraphs:

  1. Stubborness and unwillingness of older generation to change
  2. Progression of younger generation
  3. inspectors final speech