inspector calls.

• the lighting should be pink and intimate, until the inspector arrives and then it should be harder and brighter

  • stage directions to reflect the impact of the inspector
  • "Pink" reflects romanticism to show lifestyle of birlings - a rose tinted world
  • "intimate" shows how birlings are shut off from the rest of society
  • "harder" harshness of the inspectors message - meant to force the birlings to take responsibility for others
  • "brighter" bringing flaws of higher ups in society to light
• Public men, Mr Birling, have responsibilities as well as privilege's

  • direct address reinforces the inspectors attack on Mr Birling as being an embodiment of the selfish upper class
  • abstract noun "responsibilities" draws attention to one of Priestleys key concerns; the need for people to take responsibility for others in society
  • Harsh plosive sounds reflect the frustration of the inspector about the selfishness of the upper class
• There are millions and millions of Eva Smiths and John Smiths

  • Repetition of the noun "millions" highlights the large number of those suffering
  • Syndetic list creates sense of hyperbole, emphasising the urgency of Priestleys message
  • Proper noun "Smiths" is symbolic of working class due to common nature - Eva is just one of many; an allegory of the suffering of the working class
• A hard-headed practical man of business

  • Adjective "hard-headed" has connotations of coldness as lack of compassion; preistley uses Birling as a symbol of the heartlessness of capitalism
  • Refers to himself in the third person reflects his high opinion of himself
  • ironically, he is trying to compliment himself, but Preistley uses it to criticise his capitalist mindset
• Lower costs and higher prices

  • nouns "costs" and "prices" reflect his priorities; as if he values profit over the wellbeing of people - reflects Preistleys criticisms of capitalism
  • Birling used as symbol of selfish, greedy capitalists in Edwardian society
• The Titanic ... unsinkable, absolutely unsinkable ... war is inevitable ... fiddlesticks!

  • Dramatic irony used to present Birling as fooled and nieve; audience knows these predictions to be wrong, reflecting Preistleys views of Capatalist views on society also being wrong
  • Repetition of adjective "unsinkable" emphasises Birlings certainty, showing of his ignorance - exclamatory sentance shows his passion and confidence
• In her early twenties, very pleased with life and rather excited

  • Stage directions used to create a sense of immaturity, naivety and self satisfaction
  • Adjective "pleased" connotes to smugness and contentment; no sense of worry or difficulty in life - direct contrast to - Eva Smith
  • Qualifiers "very" and "rather" create sense of excess in her privileges
  • "early twenties" establishes her as part of younger generation - Sheila is an embodiment of potential of the younger generation in Edwardian society
• but these girls aren't cheap labour - they're people

  • Adversative conjunction "but" shows her opposition to her parents views
  • Fragmented language reflects her passion and despair at the situation
  • Juxta-position between nouns "labour" and "people" mirrors opposing views of capitalists and socialists
  • Adjective "cheap" suggests the working class are viewed as a tool to be exploited
  • noun "labour" dehumanises the working classes
• "yes, go on, mummy" to "mother"

  • Lexical change from "mummy" to "mother" symbolises her growing maturity and accepting of Preistleys social message
  • "yes, go on, mummy" shows how Sheila innitially accepts her mothers authority unquestionably
• "i know i'm to blame - and i'm so desperately sorry"

  • Repetition of personal pronoun "I" reflects her taking full responsibility for her actions
  • Dramatic pauses reflects the genuine distress she feels
  • Adverb "desperately" emphasises her regret and remorse - Preistley hopes for society to follow Sheilas example in taking responsibility
• fire and blood and anguish

  • Repetition of the inspectors words - she has now taken the inspectors role as a mouthpeice for socialist views - reinforces her change in character
  • Hellish imagery - connotes judgement - indicates harsh consequences of not caring for others
  • noun "fire" society needs to be cleansed of its sinful ways