The Inspector Flashcards
(20 cards)
How does the stage lighting change after the Inspector arrives?
After the Inspector arrives, the lightning changes from being âpink and intimateâ to âbrighter and harderâ.
Which of these words best describes the Inspectorâs personality?
A. generous
B. authoritative
C. Modest
B. The Inspector is authoritative. He manages to take control of the situation and get people to confess to things and they donât want to.
What does the play tell you about the Inspectorâs physical appearance?
He is described as being âin his fiftiesâ and he is wearing âa plain darkish suit of the periodâ. In Act Three, he is described as âtallâ and âclean-shavenâ, although the stage directions make it clear that this can be changed depending on the actor who plays the role.
The Inspector often uses emotive language. What effect does this have on the audience? Give reasons for your answer.
The Inspectorâs and emotive language makes the audience feel sorry for Eva / Daisy. For example, he describes her as âlonelyâ and âhalf-starvedâ. These words drew the audienceâs attention to how desperate her situation was and her lack of family and friends, which creates sympathy for her.
What is significant about the timing of the Inspectorâs arrival in Act One?
The Inspector rings the bell just after Arthur tells Eric and Gerald that a man has to âlook after himself and his ownâ. This makes it seem almost as if Arthurâs selfish attitude is what summons the Inspector, and hints that the Inspector will go on to contradict Arthurâs beliefs.
What tone does the Inspector use when he first tells Arthur about Eva / Daisyâs death?
The Inspector uses a harsh, blunt tone to describe Eva / Daisyâs death. This makes her death seem more shocking, because it is delivered in a direct manner with nothing to soften the unpleasant nature of the facts.
How does the Inspector explain his knowledge of Eva / Daisyâs life?
He claims he found that âletterâ and that âsort of diaryâ in Eva / Daisyâs room.
What reason does the Inspector give for showing Eva / Daisyâs photo to one person at a time?
The Inspector claims he wants to pursue âone line of inquiry at a timeâ.
According to the Birlings, how is the Inspector different to other police officers? Use examples in your answer.
Sybil doesnât believe a real police officer will talk to them in such a rude tone. She says he doesnât speak like a police inspector and ânever even looked like oneâ. Arthur doesnât believe a police officer would tell him to âshut upâ.
What tactics does the Inspector use to get the other characters to confess?
Give two tactics and explain your answer.
- He bluntly asked personal
questions, such as asking
Eric if he âmade loveâ to
Eva / Daisy. - He repeats the same
question multiple times or
asks follow-up questions
so that the characters canât
avoid answering fully. For
example, after Sybil avoids
explaining her role in Eva /
Daisyâs appeal being
rejected, he asks âwas it or
was it not your influence?â - He uses exits as a tactic.
For example, when he
leaves Sheila and Gerald
alone, Sheila and
interrogates Gerald herself,
making it easy for the
Inspector to get Gerald to
confess.
Give one example from the text where the Inspector appears to have knowledge about the future.
He predicts the upcoming world wars, claiming men will learn their lesson âin fire and blood and anguishâ.
The stage directions state the Inspector has a âdisconcerting habitâ. What is it?
The Inspector has a habit of âlooking hardâ at someone before he speaks to them.
What is the Inspectorâs surname, and why might it be significant?
The Inspectorâs surname is Goole. This sounds like âghoulâ, which could be a light-hearted hint that heâs a ghost or some other supernatural being.
Why do you think the Inspectorâs true identity is never fully revealed? Explain your answer.
Priestley never explains the Inspectorâs true identity because it isnât important. It doesnât matter whether the inspector is a real police officer, a ghost or something else â the Birlings should learn from the Inspectorâs visit because it is a moral thing to do, not because they are scared of a scandal or any legal consequences.
What impression does the Inspectorâs final speech have on the audience?
Use examples from the speech in your answer.
- The speech acts as a
moral lesson for the
audience. When the
Inspector tells the Birlings
that âWe are responsible
for each otherâ, the use of
the inclusive pronoun âWeâ
makes the audience feel as
if the lesson is also aimed
at them. - By linking Eva to the
âmillions of Eva Smithâsâ,
they Inspector to
emphasise the scale of the
suffering faced by the
people in society. This
might even leave the
audience feeling shocked.
True or false? The Inspector is impressed by Arthurâs social connections.
False. The Inspector doesnât appear impressed when Arthur tells him that he is friends with the Chief Constable or that he is used to be the âLord Mayorâ.
Give two ways the inspector shocks the Birlings with his impolite behaviour.
He interrupts other characters when they are speaking. Also he talked about taboo topics such as sex and politics.
Why is it significant that the Inspector doesnât play golf?
Many men of higher social status (e.g. The Chief Constable and Arthur) played golf, often as a social activity, so by saying he doesnât play, the Inspector shows himself to be an outsider.
What does the Inspector believe about social responsibility? Explain your answer using examples from the play.
The Inspector believes that all people at society are âmembers of one bodyâ who are âresponsible for each otherâ. This suggests that people from the higher classes, such as the Birlings and Gerald, have a duty to help working-class people.
Do you think the Inspector is a likeable character? Give reasons for your answer.
- The Inspector can be seen
as a likeable character
because he stands up for
someone who canât stand
up for themselves - In some ways he is a less
likeable, because he is
harsh with the Birlings and
Gerald. For example, he
purposely tries to make
them feel guilty for what
they did, telling them âeach
of you helped to kill herâ.
