An Inspector Calls: an Analysis of Inspector Goole

The Inspector introduces himself as Inspector Goole, a police officer who has come to scrutinize about a young woman called Eva Smith/Daisy Renton. Half way through act one when the Inspector arrives, J.B Priestley describes him as a man of “massiveness, solidity and purposefulness” this shows that he is an imposing figure who will control the play and be the centre of the it too.

The Inspector knows how to make an entrance and an exit too. Firstly he interrupts the Birling family gathering this shows that his timing is crucial. Priestley has the Inspector ring the bell just as Arthur says “a man has to mind his own business”. It’s as if Birling’s statement summons the Inspector to prove the exact opposite. The Inspector uses exits as a clever tactic. At the end of act one the Inspector Leaves Sheila and Gerald alone together this lets Sheila question Gerald and allows the time for mistrust to break them apart. The stage directions where “as Eric moves, the Inspector looks from Sheila to Gerald, then goes out with Eric.” This also makes it easier to get Gerald to confess when the Inspector returns. The Inspector says that if the Birlings don’t learn their lesson, they will be taught it in “Fire and Blood and Anguish”. After his last exit there’s a sudden silence because no one else is speaking. The audience, like the characters on stage, are left “starring, subdued and wondering”.

The Inspector arrives very unexpectedly which shows he’s a man of mystery that’s why in the last act Mr Birling says “Was it a hoax”. He is described as authoritative and imposing. He’s not a big man – but his presence fills the room.

Inspector Goole has come to the house to stir the consciences of the Birlings. He does this when he first mentions what happened to Daisy Renton is an example of emotive language “Two hours ago a young woman died in the infirmary. She’d been taken there this afternoon because she swallowed a lot of strong disinfectant. Burnt her inside out, of course.” He says that she’s now lying “with a burnt-out inside on a slab”. This has been mentioned several times which is shocking for the audience and should also be for the Birlings. Sheila and Eric are the characters most affected by what the Inspector says unlike their parents.

His “Authority” strengthens his strong Ethical tone. He makes sure that everyone recognises that he’s in charge; he does this by showing he is not impressed with Mr Birling’s achievements but also by “massively” interrupting which means that he cuts into the dialogue “with authority”. His authority makes people take him more seriously and makes everything he says sound more important.

The Inspector happens to be more ruthless to some people than others for example Mr and Mrs Birling need firmer treatment. Firstly he answers his own questions for example when Sybil refuses to confess there was a committee meeting he says, “You know very well there was, Mrs Birling” this shows that it he doesn’t like their answers he will answer for them. Secondly in order to piece up a confession he asks question after question for example when Sybil won’t say she convinced the committee to reject Eva Smith’s application he asks “Was it or was it not your influence?” Lastly he says he’s found “a rough sort of a diary” which was written by Daisy/Eva.

The Inspector is the driving force of the play because he’s the one who asks the questions but he knows all the answers. The Inspector forces more information out of the family by bluntly saying what the other characters try to hide. For example when Gerald’s describing how he met Daisy Renton, the Inspector asks “and then you decided to keep her – as your mistress?” but it’s not a real question, it just makes Gerald admit the truth. Being blunt is one of the Inspectors tactics. He also tells new information which heightens the drama, such as when he drops it into the conversation “that girl was going to have a child”.

Priestly uses the Inspector as a mouthpiece. The Inspector doesn’t have a neutral position in the play because he’s on Eva/Daisy side, and he tells the Birling what he thinks of them. Priestley’s own views are reflected in the opinions of the Inspector. This is made clear during the last speech the Inspector said because the way he is speaking to the Birling family, Priestly could be saying the speech to the play’s audience.

Toward the end of the play, the audience aren’t sure who or what the Inspector is. His name sounds like the word “Ghoul” which means ghost. Or he could be religious or moral figure. The Inspector also has the attitude of a philosopher and social observer and has a good knowledge of Daisy Renton/Eva Smith. Also Mr and Mrs Birling together don’t think he has the authority to tell them off because he isn’t a police officer. The only people who realise the Inspectors moral judgement is just as important as his legal power is Sheila and Eric. But Sheila and Eric don’t know that he is not an Inspector and that he has no legal power until the end. The Inspector leaves the family with a message “We are responsible for each other” which shows that he is becoming to sound less like an Inspector. Also his final speech is said as though he is a Politician.

The Inspector summarises that Arthur Birling started it all by sacking Eva Smith. Sheila Birling turned her out of her second job. Gerald kept her as a mistress and made her happy for a while. Eric “used her” because he was drunk. And lastly Sybil Birling refused her a “pitiable little bit of organized charity”. Lastly the play has a strong message about looking after one another, and it was the Inspector’s job to deliver it.