How the Inspector Functions as a Mouthpiece for Priestley’s Idea Essay Example

the guilt functioning as a metaphorical superego, by extension through the expressionist form, the Inspector is used as Priestley’s subjective perspective in order to criticise the Birling family and the abuse of power within the capitalist society. The Inspector functions as an external manifestation of their conscience.

The Inspector is introduced as a vehicle for social responsibility. A chain of events is acknowledged by the Inspector when he says ‘what happened to her then may have determined what happened to her afterwards, and what happened to her afterwards may have driven her to suicide’ which undermines Mr Birling’s pervious insular attitude. The introduction of the character also creates a dichotomy between the capitalist mentality of Mr Birling and the socialist mentality of the Inspector.

This is directly contrasted with the use of the collective pronoun of ‘we’ serving to create equality by forcing the Birling’s and audience to vicariously experience the poverty of these women. The use of the Inspector’s interrogatives throughout, for example ‘but suppose we do, what then? ’ encourage the Birling family to fall into the trap of their own ignorance creating schadenfruede in order to satirise the ignorance and people of her ilk which furthermore alludes the murder mystery form creating tension.