Inspector Goole

Inspector Goole

1. The name

   • Sounds like 'spectre' and 'ghoul' which are ghostly words and suggest he is a supernatural, ghostly being
     • Explains his constant references to Eva's death
     • Explains how he can see into the future and predict the war
       • "The time will come when, if men will not learn that lesson, then they will be taught it in fire and blood and anguish."
       • Predicts Eva's death before it happens
         • Onmiscient
   • Is summoned when Birling does his capitalist speech about no responsibility, like the Inspector will teach him a lesson
   • Talks about seeing Eva's body, maybe he was summoned when she died to punish those who hurt her i.e the Birlings. He exists because of her death, she was first thing he saw when he was summoned from spirit world
   • An inspector is someone who examines things closely, this is what Goole does

2. Represents Priestley's socialist views

   • Contrasts in opinion with Birling - a capitalist man whose views are the opposite to his - and this alludes to their contrasting beliefs
   • Talks about social responsibility; Priestley was a left-wing supporter too
   • Priestley shows the Inspector to have the correct view, as he undermines Birling and makes him look like a fool e.g Titanic, so that Birling's capitalist views are undermined and look foolish too
   • The Inspector tries to change Birling's mind about responsibility a lot, but Birling doesn't budge
   • Conflicts with Birling, not intimidated by him
   • Priestley mocks Birling's capitalist values with irony when Birling wants everyone to be investigated at the same time, in an equal, socialist way

3. A catalyst

   • Speeds up a reaction without being permanently altered itself
   • The only character who isn't affected by the inquest into Eva's death
   • As he enters, stage lights are made brighter, suggesting light is truth or responsibility, and he is bringing the light into the morally wrong way the Birlings live, represented by darkness
   • Insists on characters hearing the stories of Eva from other characters so they are more likely to reveal theirs, so he is a catalyst because he moves the story along quickly

4. Represents the working class [with Eva]

   • The Birlings expect him to be intimidated when they drop names but he ignores them and treats them as he would with any other member of the public, regardless of their social standing
     • "I'm still on the Bench, so I know the Brumley police pretty well." (Birling) "My husband was Lord Mayor only two years ago and he's still a magistrate." (Mrs Birling)
   • Lower class than the Birlings

5. Social commentator

   • Treats others equally in accordance with his socialist morals
   • Opposed to sexist way the Birlings live e.g when they send out the women so as not to scare them
     • Points out that the capitalist 'look after your own' way means they are selfish and don't think about others, even if they were similar to their own family members e.g Sheila and Eva
       • "Your daughter isn't living on the moon. She's here in Brumley too."
   • Wants to show they all have responsibility and are "members of one body".