How important is the role of the Inspector in An Inspector Calls Essay Example

a former Alderman and Lord Mayor. However, the Inspector is unimpressed. As a result, Mr Birling becomes more aggressive and begins threatening the Inspector by mentioning his connection to Chief Constable, Colonel Roberts, as an old friend. Again, the Inspector remains unbothered. It is evident that the Inspector has control over who he questions and who can leave or stay. He even overrides Mr Birling's refusal to let Eric have a drink. As a significant element of the play, the Inspector aims to expose the hypocrisy of the middle class during the early 20th century, characterized by their snobbish attitudes and self-centredness.

Priestley intentionally portrays the middle class through the characters of Mr and Mrs Birling as foolish. The author emphasizes their foolishness by highlighting instances such as Mr Birling's misguided beliefs about the unsinkability of the Titanic and how the Germans want peace. Readers, with the advantage of hindsight, realize how ridiculous these ideas are. Through these examples, Priestley showcases their sheer stupidity, and Mrs Birling's blindness is also apparent. Another example is Mrs Birling's denial of Alderman Meggarty's womanizing tendencies because of his respectable position. Similarly, her misguided beliefs about Eva Smith's lack of morals due to her social status are also exposed. The Inspector exposes how each member of the Birling family contributed to Eva Smith's pain and suffering. Furthermore, Mr and Mrs Birling are exposed for abusing their power and influence over Eva Smith.

By constantly maintaining a condescending and arrogant attitude, the Birlings and Gerald are compelled by the Inspector to confess how their actions affected Eva Smith, who paid the price for them. Eva lost her job due to Sheila's

jealousy, Eric's drinking problem led him to steal money from his father's business, and though Eva knew how Eric obtained the money from theft, she refused to accept it. Gerald's affair with Eva caused her emotional pain and exposed his unfaithfulness to Sheila. Priestly uses the Inspector to expose the Birlings' true nature. Although the Inspector delivers a final speech stating that "we are responsible for each other," Mr. and Mrs. Birling act as if nothing happened and are relieved there won't be a public scandal. Sheila remarks that they are pretending everything is just as it was before, revealing their true colors. Priestly continues his critique of the middle class through this plotline, as the older Birlings remain oblivious to their responsibility for someone's death and see the Inspector as a hoax.

Despite Sheila's revelation that all that was confessed was true, and the fact that the older Birlings are ignoring what happened, it is clear that Sheila and Eric have learned from their mistakes. Though they belong to the younger generation, more susceptible to learning according to the Inspector, they have learned their lessons in a painful way.

The text highlights the willingness of Sheila and Eric to embrace new ideas and learn from their mistakes, instead of denying them. They take full responsibility for their actions when Sheila admits that "between us we drove that girl to commit suicide." Eric supports her by stating that ignoring the consequences of their actions when a girl has killed herself is unacceptable. Both young Birlings are willing to own up to their mistakes and accept responsibility for them.

Priestley's play has a thought-provoking ending

that prompts reflection. The audience is led to believe that the Inspector's existence does not alter the fact that private actions have public consequences. Through the character of the Inspector, Priestley exposed and critiqued the hypocritical views of the early 20th century middle class, highlighting their foolishness. Ultimately, Priestley emphasized the importance of taking responsibility for our actions as they can impact others in the future.