Who and What is Inspector Goole?

By Holly Lamb.

The significance of the Inspectors Name.

An Inspector is someone who investigates or looks at cases very closely to try and find out reasons behind the occurrence of certain situations. The Inspectors surname is very significant to his role in the play and the persona which surrounds him. Goole sounds like Ghoul which suggests the Inspector is perhaps a Ghost or something paranormal. This of course increases the mystery surrounding his character. For example he may be a spokesmen for the dead girl trying to plead her case or something haunting the family to teach them a lesson about the extravagant and materialistic life they have been leading. The name Goole sounds like Ghost. Some readers may interpret the Inspector as sinister or evil as he is invading a private family celebration.

The Significance of the Inspectors arrival.

In the play Priestly gives very deliberate directions about the lighting before and after the Inspectors arrival. The lightening is pink and intimate and becomes brighter and harder when the inspector enters. These stage directions show that the Inspector is obviously a very important and vital part of the play and possible the strongest and most intimidating character. It is quite clear from now on that the Inspector will inspect the Birlings and most likely quite critically when it comes to their values and attitudes on life. The timing of the Inspectors arrival is crucial to the play. Just as Mr Birling has been proudly voicing his viewpoint on life that a man has to look after himself and his own the Inspector rings the bell. This interruption shows that the Inspector is going to challenge and undermine the families philosophy on life. This is a good example of Priestlys uses of Dramatic Irony.

The significance of the Inspectors Appearance.

An impression of massiveness, solidity and purposefulness. The solidity that the Inspector possesses is necessary if he is be a match for the Birlings. He is calm and determined and speaks weightily. All these traits contribute to the fact that it is obvious that the Inspector is a man who is serious about his mission. His appearance suggests that nothing distracts the Inspector from under covering the truth about the Birling family and their relations to Eva Smith/Daisy Renton.

What is the Inspectors purpose?

Through out the play the Inspectors main purpose is to show the Birling family and the audience that everyone is responsible for one another and that we work like bees in a hive. The Inspector is the mouthpiece for Priestly as he voices a lot of Priestlys belief about society to the Birling family and the audience. He gives a moral perspective on the way the family have behaved. Although the Inspector only plays one character in the play he has several functions such as a story teller and a father confessor. The Inspector undermines the Birling family and finds a way in which they all fit into the girls suicide. He has an influence over the younger family members (Shelia and Eric) but does not seem to have much effect over the older family members (Gerald, Mr Birling and Mrs Birling.)