the inspector

• The Inspector in "An Inspector Calls" is dressed in a minimal plain darkish suit, initially appearing as an ordinary police Inspector, but his supernatural nature becomes apparent as the play progresses
• Priestley leaves the Inspector's physical appearance vague, emphasizing his message of social responsibility over his looks
• The Inspector is portrayed as an omniscient, moral force for good, a spiritual avenging angel embodying socialist values and ideology
• The Inspector is resistant to corruption, symbolized by his refusal of a drink of port, showcasing his moral stance
• Priestley uses a cyclical structure to demonstrate the consistency of the Inspector's morals, contrasting them with Mr Birling's immorality
• The Inspector's views challenge the capitalist society of 1912, emphasizing the importance of social responsibility and equality
• The Inspector's omniscience is evident through his purpose of forcing the characters to recognize the immorality of their actions and change their attitudes towards social responsibility
• Priestley conveys that a person's inner morality supplants their outward appearance through the Inspector's modest dressing and strong values
• The Inspector's final speech warns of the consequences of continuing in a capitalist and individualistic fashion, drawing parallels to the world wars
• The Inspector symbolizes Priestley's views on socialist change, acting as a mouthpiece for the need for greater social responsibility
• Priestley uses shocking imagery and rhetorical devices through the Inspector to persuade characters to change, emphasizing the power of persuasion
• The Inspector relies on rhetorical devices like triplets to evoke empathy, such as describing Eva as "friendless, penniless, desperate" and in need of "advice, sympathy, friendliness"
• The Inspector attempts to appeal to Mrs Birling's maternal side by mentioning her children, although she is not a caring mother, as Priestley describes her as "rather cold"
• Priestley draws similarities between the Inspector and the Judeo-Christian God, both being omniscient, with the Inspector acting as an agent of God by forcing confessions of vices from the characters, similar to a priest accepting confessions of sins
• The Inspector's role as an agent of God is reinforced through allusions to the Book of Genesis and Holy Communion, implying he speaks on God's behalf
• Priestley contrasts the Inspector with Mr Birling, presenting Mr Birling as intolerable and a representation of capitalism, allowing the Inspector to be seen favorably as a proponent of socialism
• Sheila's transformation under the Inspector's influence symbolizes Priestley's intended audience response, as she becomes a symbol of the Inspector's ability to change mindsets
• The Inspector exposes the upper-class hypocrisy, particularly through Gerald's attempt to shun responsibility for Eva Smith's fate despite knowing the truth
• Mrs Birling's attempt to halt the inquiry is met with the Inspector's accusing tone, causing her to condemn Sheila for expressing empathy towards Eva
• Priestley portrays Eric as redeemable through the Inspector, highlighting his capacity to change influenced by societal norms and his father's lack of support
• The Inspector uses Eva as a symbol to inflict guilt upon the characters and catalyze change within them, extending the message beyond Eva to the suffering of the lower classes at the hands of the socially superior
• Priestley strategically times the Inspector's arrival to oppose Mr Birling's capitalist views, structurally representing the Inspector's opposition and causing a shift in the narrative towards socialism
• Priestley's study on attachment:

  • Aim: identify stages of attachment / find a pattern in the development of an attachment between infants and parents
  • Participants: 60 babies from Glasgow
  • Procedure: analysed interactions between infants and carers
  • Findings: babies of parents/carers with 'sensitive responsiveness' were more likely to have formed an attachment
• Attachment is a strong reciprocal emotional bond between an infant and a primary caregiver
• In glacial environments, the 2 main forms of erosion are abrasion and plucking
• Abrasion is a sandpapering effect caused by small rocks embedded within the glacier rubbing on bedrock
• Abrasion usually leaves a smooth surface with scratches called striations
• Plucking is when meltwater from glaciers freeze around broken or cracked parts of rock, breaking it off from the bedrock or sides as the ice moves down the slope
• Plucking is most prominent when there are many joints in the rock, as water can penetrate the rock and freeze in the cracks
• The Inspector's arrival in "An Inspector Calls" marks a shift in authority from Mr Birling to the Inspector, symbolizing a shift from capitalism to socialism
• The Inspector challenges the unquestioned authority of Mr Birling and the capitalist narrative that has controlled society, forcing a change in attitude towards past views
• The Inspector's interruption in the play signifies a change in attitude as past views have to contend with attempts of reform, mirroring the impact of war on post-war society
• The Inspector's purpose in "An Inspector Calls" is to investigate the cause of immorality in society, caused by capitalism, rather than to investigate the crime against Eva Smith
• Priestley, through the character of the Inspector, expresses the need for change and portrays An Inspector Calls as a didactic morality play disguised as a murder mystery
• Priestley, through the Inspector, conveys the message that the upper class is responsible for the suffering of the working class, highlighting the disparity in the class system
• Priestley presents the Inspector in a way that raises questions about his authenticity, leaving room for debate on his purpose and true nature
• Priestley promotes his socialist agenda through the Inspector's speech and appearance, portraying socialism as favorable to the status quo of capitalism
• Priestley explores contrasting responses to social responsibility through the reactions of different generations in the play
• Priestley explores the ideal response of the audience to the Inspector's message of responsibility through his profound effect on Sheila
• Quotes from "An Inspector Calls" by Inspector Goole on themes of morality, responsibility, and social responsibility