Inspector Goole

• Key words to describe Inspector Goole?

  Unfazed(unperturbed), virtuous, enigmatic(hard to understand), mysterious, ambiguous , omniscient
• The Inspector wears a [plain........ suit]


  [plain,darkish,suit]

  -air of mystery

  -dressed in a simplistic way

  -not suggestive of him belonging to a particular social class, thus making him enigmatic(mysterious)- the characters in the play are all defined by their class physically

  -authority and seriousness

  -unbiased and impartial in his investigation.

  -neutrality= Inspector Goole's portrayal as an everyman figure
• Inspector "Goole"


  - "Goole" is a homonym(words that sound the same but spelt different) for 'Ghoul' suggestive of a supernatural force of a ghost

  - By likening the Inspector to a supernatural force, it makes his presence and intent seem more tremendous and powerful as he is presented ambiguously

  -heightens his presence within the play
• Act 1: Foil to Mr Birling

  How Mr Birling interacts with the Inspector

  boasts he was "an ........ for years"

  - finds the Inspector's composure and unknown social status insufferable

  -Mr Birling measures an individual's worth y their social ranking

  -boasts that he was "an alderman for years", Mr Birling is both dumfounded and aggravated as he is unaware of how to interact with somebody unphased by classism
• Act 1: Foil to Mr Birling

  How the Inspector interacts with Mr Birling

  "[........ through massively]" Mr Birlings speech about the titanic being "Unsinkable"


  -[cutting through massively]

  -Intolerant to Mr Birling's pretentious ways

  -Mr Birling's egotistical, dramatic , monologue, but when the Inspector arrives, Mr Birling's monologues are shortened through the Inspector's interruption when he [cutting through, massively]

  -Inspector's speech is short and concise such as (Quite so) shows how social status is weak in the face of morality
• Act 1:

  " It's better to ask for the ...... then ....... it "


  "It's better to ask for the earth then take it"

  -The syntax on "ask" prior to "take" is used by the Inspector to highlight the order of importance that is required for society to be collectively responsible

  - We must "ask" and share, opposed to the capitalist ideas of "taking" to benefit oneself

  - idea of "take"= connotes to "steal" an idea that is scorned in the bible= mortal sin= Edwardian era was highly religious= capitalist ideals completely dismisses these teachings= socialism could be seen to be bringing society back to its moral foundations
• Act 2: Affirmative when propagating responsibility

  Speaks "[......... to both of them]" (Gerald and Sheila), speaks "[with .........]"


  "[sternly to both of them]" "[with authority]"

  -Does not allow Sheila's docile expectations as a woman, nor Gerald's untouchable higher status, to prohibit him from harshly delivering the message of responsibility
• Act 3: Inspector is Priestley's dramatic vehicle+ mouthpiece

  " as if she was an ..........., a thing, not a ........"

  " as if she was an animal, a thing not a person"

  -The beatific image on " an animal" highlights their blatant disregard of Eva's humanity though their dehumanising and exploitative treatment

  - neglectful verb "thing"= she belonged to a lower class, she was not regarded with any form of compassion, as a living being

  -capitalism encourages the disregard of others
• Act 3: Bringing them back to foundations of religious

  The Birlings digression from these religious teachings, since they embodied some of the seven deadly sins(.........) means the Inspector's role as a moral .......... ........ ............... is important


  The Birlings digression from these religious teachings, since they embodied some of the seven deadly sins(.greed..) means the Inspector's role as a moral agent of God is important
• Act 3:

  Appears prophetic with his biblical allusions to hell he uses the triplet "......, and blood and anguish"


  -"fire and blood and anguish"

  -The repetition of "and"= sempiternal torture they will face if they continue to part with their responsibility

  -The 'fire and blood and anguish' could refer to battlefields of World War One. Without a fairer society, the horrors of World War 1 and World War 2 will be repeated.

  -e Inspector could be referring to the fires and pain of hell where the Birlings will be punished in an after-life for their sins in this world.
• Act 3:

  The Inspector in his final speech says " we are ........ of one body"

  "we are members of one body"

  Biblical teaching used in baptism, that we are "members of one body" in Christ.

  -Thus the Inspector , alike to Jesus promotes the union of society and togetherness

  -Jesus provides salvation for mankind, the Inspector's final speech can be seen as being the salvation for the Birlings' he reminds them to "Remember that. Never forget it"

  -
• Act 3:

  Inspector catalyses a change in the younger generation

  When the Inspector leaves Sheila becomes his proxy and recites his exact moral teachings of"fire and blood and anguish"


  Sheila becomes a malleable character as is receptive to the Inspector's message

  -gained a voice, became empowered and liberated through socialism

  - Inspector's proxy when he leaves -

  -resents her families capitalist mindsets and tries to catalyse a change in them as he did to her

  -glimmer of hope for Sheila, as she believes she can take over the Inspectors role and catalyse a change within her family just like the Inspector did to her = perhaps could go back to her being naïve- Mr and Mrs Birling are stagnant in their ways
• Act 3:

  Inspector catalyses a change in the younger generation (Eric)

  Alike to the Inspector he begins to "[....... in]" when his father speaks


  - -gained a voice, became empowered and liberated through socialism

  -Emulates the Inspector's disregard of Mr Birling's long pompous speeches.

  - He is no longer silenced by his father and has learnt from the Inspector that morals hold more weight than superficial ideals like social status and wealth- this has empowered him

  -Emblematic of how regressive capitalist views are not permanent in all individuals it taints

  -Glimmer of hope to the 1945 audience who remain entrenched in their views.
• Act 3:

  Appears prophetic with his biblical allusions to hell he uses the triplet "fire, and ........ and anguish"