23 September 2021 An Inspector Calls Inspector Goole

23 September 2021 An Inspector Calls Inspector Goole § § To investigate Inspector Goole’s character To explore Priestley’s intentions v Mouthpiece “We don’t live alone. We are members of one body. We are responsible for each other. And I tell you that the time will soon come when, if men will no learn that lesson, then they will be taught it in fire and blood anguish. ”

GCSEPod Notetaking • Watch the GCSEPod on Inspector Goole • In point-form, write down any of the facts you think are essential to know

Inspector as a Mouthpiece § There cannot be a better society; this is all there is § We don’t live alone, we live in a community § We are responsible for each other § Everyone should look after themselves § We are all connected to one another § All this talk of ‘community’ is rubbish § What we all think and do affects the lives of others Do we all have a social responsibility?

Priestley’s Views Which of these would Priestley agree with? Why? • Class Division: Society is divided up into those who have money, ownership and control (upper classes) and those who don’t (working class). People are born into a particular class and in 1912 people would die in that class too. • Social Power: People (upper classes) who have the ability to influence the politics of a country and how it is run. They have the control over those who are powerless – the working class. • Collective Responsibility: As a society we should all be responsible for one another. The rich should look after the poor.

Inspector Goole’s Identity In the 1954 film adaptation, the Inspector does not leave the Birlings' house: he is left alone in Mr. Birling's study; Birling returns to ask him a question, and finds the room empty. Is this too blatant a way of suggesting that the Inspector is some kind of supernatural or angelic being? Some commentators on the play have suggested that his name contains a pun - it sounds like ‘Ghoul’. A ‘ghoul’ is an evil demon, which eats the flesh of the dead, or, metaphorically, a person obsessed by, or who profits by, another's death. After he has gone the Inspector is said by Birling to have exploited Eva's alleged death to frighten the ‘victims’ of his supposed practical joke. Is it more important to know who the Inspector is, or what he has to say? Should Priestley (the playwright) have made him more obviously spooky?

One Eva Smith has gone - but there are millions and millions of Eva Smiths and John Smiths still left with us, with their lives, their hopes and fears, their suffering and chance of happiness, all intertwined with our lives, and what we think and say and do. We don't live alone. We are members of one body. We are responsible for each other. And I tell you that the time will soon come when, if men will not learn that lesson, then they will be taught it in fire and blood anguish. Good night. § What are the key words in the speech? § Annotate the speech by finding the following techniques and noting their purpose: Ø Repetition Ø Metaphors Ø Rule of three Ø Pronouns Ø Short Sentences

One Eva Smith has gone - but there are millions and millions of Eva Smiths and John Smiths still left with us, with their lives, their hopes and fears, their suffering and chance of happiness, all intertwined with our lives, and what we think and say and do. We don't live alone. We are members of one body. We are responsible for each other. And I tell you that the time will soon come when, if men will not learn that lesson, then they will be taught it in fire and blood anguish. Good night. • • • Repetition Metaphors Rule of three Pronouns Short sentences

Goole’s Speech Repetition Metaphors Rule of Three Short Sentences Pronouns

What do the following lines and stage directions suggest about Goole’s character? 1 2 3 MRS BIRLING: You seem to have made a great impression on this child, Inspector. INSPECTOR: (coolly) We often do on the young ones. They're more impressionable. MRS BIRLING: (severely) You're behaving like an hysterical child tonight. And if you'd take some steps to find this young man and then make sure that he's compelled to confess in public his responsibility – instead of staying here asking quite unnecessary questions – then you really would be doing your duty. INSPECTOR: (grimly) Don't worry Mrs Birling. I shall do my duty. ( He looks at his watch. ) MRS BIRLING: (triumphantly) I'm glad to hear it. INSPECTOR: No hushing up, eh? Make an example of the young man, eh? Public confession of responsibility – um? MRS BIRLING: Certainly. I consider it your duty. And now no doubt you'd like to say good night. INSPECTOR: not yet. I'm waiting. MRS BIRLING: Waiting for what? INSPECTOR: To do my duty. INSPECTOR: No. she told me nothing. I never spoke to her. BIRLING: (angrily, to Inspector) Look here, I'm not going to have this, Inspector. You'll apologize at once. INSPECTOR: Apologize for what – doing my duty? GERALD: (showing annoyance) Any particular reason why I shouldn't see this girl's photograph, inspector? INSPECTOR: (coolly, looking hard at him) There might be. 4 5 INSPECTOR: (sternly to them both) You see, we have to share something. If there's nothing else, we'll have to share our guilt. SHEILA: (staring at him) Yes. That's true. You know, (she goes close to him, wonderingly) I don't understand about you. INSPECTOR: (calmly) There's no reason why you should. 6 BIRLING: Perhaps I ought to warn you that he's an old friend of mine, and that I see him fairly frequently. We play golf together sometimes up at the West Brumley. INSPECTOR: (dryly) I don't play golf. BIRLING: I didn't suppose you did. ERIC: (bursting out) Well, I think it's a dam' shame. INSPECTOR: No, I’ve never wanted to play. 7

Inspector as a Mouthpiece How could the Inspector be serving as Priestley's mouthpiece? § Mouthpiece = representative, agent, ambassador, messenger

Inspector as a Mouthpiece • In his final speech, the Inspector tries to show both the First and Second World Wars, which had just ended when Priestley wrote the play, were the result of attitudes and behaviour shown by powerful and wealthy families like the Birlings. • This may explain why all the worst features of such families seem to be present in the Birlings: they represent the worst qualities of their class. Has Priestley made the play’s argument and message more convincing by the inclusion of such people in it, or are they too awful to be believable?

How does Priestley use Goole as his mouthpiece? 2 PEELAC PARAGRAPHS