Inspector characterisation

• As the inspector arrives the stage directions suggest that the lighting should change from pink and intimate to brighter and harder. It's as is he's arrived to remove the rose tinted glasses from the Birling family, to put them under a spot light and to sheds light on the situation with Eva Smith.
• The surname 'Goole' is a homophone for the other mythical creature 'ghoul'. It suggests someone with an interest in death which would link to the inspector's inquires about Eva Smith.
• The inspector's appearance is perfectly timed just after Mr Birling insists that a man has to mind his own business and look after himself. We have the 'sharp ring' which signals the inspector's arrival. It's as if he arrived to immediately challenge Birling's opinions.
• it is almost as if the Inspector is the personification of the Birling's guilt
• It is as he and Priestley already know the wrong doings of Birling's and each revelation reveals the story of the death of Eva Smith. it is Shelia who recoginises his role as an all-knowing god-like character
• Like Priestley Inspector Goole controls the action, he's the catalyst but he also ensures that each character speaks in turn so that the order of events that contributed to Eva's demise is made clear. it's only with his permission that the characters are free to speak, to leave and to view the photograph of the girl that he has.
• He frequently has his authority challenged by Mr Birling but he ignores all of Mr Birlings protests and reminders of social standing.
• Priestley promotes his socialist agenda through the Inspector's speech and appearance, and portrays this ideology as favourable to the staus quo of capitalism
• Priestley explores the contrasting responses to social responsibility through contrasting the reactions between the older and younger generations within the play
• Priestley presents socialism favourably through the antithesis of the Inspector - Mr Birling -whose contemptible portrayal extends to the capitalist ideology that he represents
• Priestley explores the ideal response of the audience to the Inspector's message of responsibility through his profound effect on Shelia.