The Inspector

• “As if she was an animal, a thing, not a person.” - Inspector


  Analysis:

  • Triple simile
  • beatific image - zoomorphism - ‘animal’ highlights their blatant disregard of Eva's humanity through dehumanisation and exploitation.
  • neglectful noun ‘thing’ intensifies how she belonged to a lower class, not worthy of any compassion as a living being
  • ’animal’ - dehumanising - an allusion to how the inspector is critiquing the disregard of women physically and emotionally.
• “we are members of one body” - The inspector

  Analysis:

  • Directly relays the biblical teaching used in baptism - “ members of his body” in Christ.
  • The Inspector, alike to Jesus, promotes the union of society and togetherness
  • shows that everyone is connected (his long monologue) enhances a semantic field of connection, dismissing all societal divisions (class and wealth)
  • the inspectors moral duty to look after others
• “Fire and blood and anguish” - the Inspector

  Analysis:

  • an allusion to the two world wars Priestley had lived through
  • hellish semantic field creates an allusion that holding capitalist beliefs will lead to external punishment
  • the polysyndeton (repetition of and) reinforces the sempiternal torture they will face if they continue to evade responsibility.