Inspector Goole character profile GCSE

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  • The Inspector
    • Arrives unexpectedly and to ask questions
      • An outsider with little in common to the Birlings - 'The rude way he spoke to Mr Birling and me - it was quite extraordinary'
        • Delivers a speech on social responsibility- 'we don't live alone. We are members of one body'
          • Described as a man who is authoritive and imposing, his presence fills the room. - 'All in good time'
    • The driving force of the play
      • Starts with the summary of the events - 'suicide of course'
      • Bluntly states information when characters try and skirt around information - 'And the you decided to keep her - as your mistress?'
        • Reveals new information which heightens the drama - 'that this girl was going to have a child
    • The world calling is ominous
      • Sounds casual
        • The phrasing is deceptive as he appears casual and spontaneous though is single minded and calculating. He 'calls' the shots.
      • The calling of an inspector may refer to the one who rings the telephone at the end of the play
    • He uses emotive and personal language
      • Eva is describe as 'lively' and 'pretty' which create sympathy as it is an attractive image
        • Sympathy is strengthened with blunt and harsh words -  'with a burnt out inside on s slab'
      • Sheila is 'rather distressed' by his language
    • Uses shock tactics
      • Answers his own questions  if he doesn't like others
        • He follows up questions with more questions until he has pieced together a confession - he forces them to answer him
          • he is prepared to ask personal questions - to Gerald 'Were you in love with her?'
    • Makes a good entrance and exit
      • The timing is crucial and the inspector arrives just to contradict Mr Birling's point
        • Leaving Gerald and Sheila alone to seperate them makes it easier to get a confession
        • The language gets more dramatic which builds on tension in the final scene
          • At the end in the silence- both the audience and the characters are left, ' silent, subdued and wondering'
    • Who is inspector Goole?
      • The diary could be a bluff to stop anyone asking him questions
      • Why he has so much knowledge and power is never fully explained - he could be a ghost, or represent a spirit of a religious or moral figure like in medieval morality plays
      • In a way he represents the courts and is just tracking down the truth
      • When they find he is not a police officer they believe that means he has no authority to remind them of wrongs they commited
      • He is confident which gives him control - he never allows himself to become confused
        • His air of authority makes what he says sound more important
    • From a different world than the Birlings
      • Doesn't play golf or impressed by their public profile
      • he talks about taboo subjects like sex and politics
      • He doesn't follow the normal middle class etiquette which was the norm
      • Appears to not belong to any class, he doesn't recognise it and treats everyone the same

Comments

Beth_Alice

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These Inspector Calls character profiles are great! I am just revising for English Literature and they have been a big help, thank you! 

Adeel.A.Ejaz

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Just using them for homework big help

thx

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