Inspector Goole

• "Burnt her insides out with disinfectant"


  The Inspector is very shockingly blunt and describes the death very harshly to really encourage the family to face their guilt. We also get a sense that he finds the whole ordeal an awful affair and hence feels the need to drill in the fact that the family are all in part, to blame
• "great agony"


  Again, such harsh and vivid language builds the tension and helps us feel more sympathetic towards Eva Smith. Priestley gives the Inspector the authority in the situation which is ironic as we are left in the dark as to who he really is
• "(drily)I don't play golf"


  He uses words sparingly and lets the family incriminate themselves. Mr Birling's attempts to intimidate him do not work and his short and snappy answer gives him the most control in the situation
• "What was left of Eva Smith" was a "nasty mess"


  He draws the characters in when they get out of line and quickly diffuses any self importance they feel. When Mr Birling accuses the Inspector of making a mess of the evening he quickly dampens the mood and gains authority with his blunt and uncompromising reply
• "living in lodgings", "lonely", "half-starved", "feeling desperate"


  The Inspector oddly seems to know quite a lot about the girl even though he supposedly "never spoke to her". This leaves us wondering who he is and reinforces the idea of him being an enigma.
• "millions and millions and millions of Eva Smiths and John Smiths"


  The Inspector is showing and arguably Priestley is showing that Eva Smith is an example of a bigger problem. Yes, she was particularly confident and fierce in her nature but there are so many people in the world that if we aren't cautious with our actions, we can hurt them and even lose them. We really get a glimpse of the mind of the playwright here
• "they will be taught it in the fire and blood and anguish"


  The Inspector is referencing world war two which has not yet happened and is ironic as at the start Mr Birling was so strongly opiniated that war would not happen. This makes us question whether the Inspector is supernaturally inclined and gives a mysterious element to the play.
• "Good-night"


  The Inspector's abrupt last words reinforce the mystery of who he is and leaves the family in the unknown. It is almost as if he knows that the phone will soon ring and disrupt the family questioning whether or not he is a hoax and so his exit is a dramatic device used by Priestley to build tension. It is as if he knows something that no one else does and reminds us of his possibly supernatural authority which lingers even long after he is gone
• One person and one line of inquiry at a time'


  The inspector sets up his method of interrogation that creates the plays structure and his insistent order makes us feel that he knows the order (Arthur, Sheila, Gerald, Mrs Birling, Eric) will play an important part in the outcome of the event
• It's better to ask for the earth than to take it"

  The Inspector has very socialist views, contrasting to Mr Birling's obvious inclination to class distinction. It is almost as if Priestley chose the Inspector's entrance to be an answer to Mr Birling's long speech in which much of his strong views were expressed. At the time in 1912, many playwrights such as Priestley wanted to address the issue that was causing such a divide in society and through the Inspector we see his want for social responsibility and more considerate behaviour
• "You used the power you had...to punish the girl"

  The Inspector can see right through the characters and knows without even questioning them, each of their motives, reinforcing the idea that either he is extremely intelligent or supernaturally inclined
• "She's dead"


  Repeated a lot by the Inspector , not making the situation sugar coated as he wants the family to realise that actions do have consequences
• "I'm waiting...to do my duty"


  The Inspector's duty is to spread socialism on the behalf of Priestley
• "We don't live alone. We are members of one body. We are responsible for each other"


  Repeated idea of the spreading of socialism to try to restore the broken society and also has a religious aspect , being "members of one body" which makes us wonder whether the inspector has religious links- a question never answered by Priestley