Inspector Goole - The Mysterious Investigator

Inspector Goole isn't your typical detective - he's mysterious, intimidating, and deeply purposeful. Despite being described as "not a big man," he creates an immediate impression of "massiveness, solidity and purposefulness" that commands respect from the wealthy Birling family.

His appearance is deliberately plain and serious - dressed in a "plain darkish suit" and speaking "carefully, weightily." This contrasts sharply with the Birlings' flashy wealth, making his moral authority even more powerful.

There's something unnaturally morbid about his fascination with death and disaster. His secretive nature leaves both the characters and audience questioning whether he's truly what he claims to be.

Key Point: The Inspector represents moral conscience - he forces everyone to face the consequences of their selfish actions.

The Inspector's Message of Social Responsibility

The Inspector's core belief is simple yet revolutionary: we should all be responsible for each other. His use of words like "us" and "we" breaks the fourth wall, speaking directly to you as the audience and making you feel involved in the moral lesson.

His investigative methods are brilliant - he doesn't just ask questions, he forces the characters to admit their actions and face their guilt. Each revelation builds upon the last, creating a devastating chain of responsibility.

This character represents Priestley's socialist ideals, challenging the individualistic attitudes of the wealthy Birling family.

Key Point: When the Inspector uses "we" and "us," he's talking to the audience too - making everyone consider their own social responsibilities.

Setting - A World of Wealth and Status

The action takes place in "the dining room of a fairly large suburban house, belonging to a prosperous manufacturer" - immediately establishing the Birlings' wealth and social status. The setting is deliberately placed outside the main town, suggesting their separation from ordinary working people.

This suburban mansion represents the comfortable world of the middle-class family who've insulated themselves from the harsh realities faced by people like Eva Smith.

The grand dining room setting creates the perfect contrast for when their comfortable world gets shattered by the Inspector's revelations.

Key Point: The wealthy setting makes the family's treatment of Eva Smith even more shocking - they had everything, yet showed her no mercy.

Edna - The Invisible Working Class

Edna the maid represents the silent working class - she's discreet, hardworking, and essentially invisible to the Birling family. Her presence shows off the family's wealth (they can afford servants), but she remains "seen but not heard."

She gets paid very little despite her essential work, highlighting the unfair class divisions that the play criticises. Edna's minimal role reflects how the wealthy often ignore the people who serve them.

Her character serves as a reminder that Eva Smith could have been any working-class woman struggling to survive in this unequal society.

Key Point: Edna's invisibility mirrors Eva Smith's treatment - both working-class women are disposable to the wealthy characters.

Sheila and Gerald's Relationship

Sheila's excited "Look mummy, isn't it a beauty!" when showing off her engagement ring reveals her initial materialism and naivety. The engagement isn't just about love - it's a business arrangement that will merge two wealthy families.

After discovering Gerald's affair with Eva, Sheila becomes distant and snappy with her fiancé. This shows her growing maturity and unwillingness to accept his betrayal just because of their class status.

The Croft family's even wealthier background makes this engagement particularly attractive to the social-climbing Birlings.

Key Point: Sheila's transformation from excited bride-to-be to disillusioned young woman shows how the truth changes her perspective on relationships and class.

Socialism - Priestley's Vision

Socialism means all companies are owned by the government, with profits going to society rather than individuals. In a socialist country, there should be no unemployment because everyone's needs are considered.

Priestley believed we all have a right to look after each other - if we work together, we'd achieve much more than working alone. This directly challenges the selfish individualism shown by characters like Mr Birling.

The Inspector represents these socialist ideals, arguing that society's problems require collective solutions, not individual wealth-building.

Key Point: Priestley uses the play to argue that socialist cooperation is morally superior to capitalist competition.

Capitalism - The System Under Attack

Capitalism describes an economy where companies are owned by private individuals or shareholders for profit. Owners set wages and keep profits (minus taxes) for themselves, which can lead to unfair treatment of workers.

This system means a minority of people make lots of money while others struggle with potentially unfair wages. Mr Birling believes capitalism is the best system because he wants to keep all profits for himself.

The play criticises this selfish attitude, showing how capitalist greed directly contributed to Eva Smith's death.

Key Point: Birling's capitalist beliefs are presented as morally bankrupt - his pursuit of profit destroys lives.

Eric - The Troubled Son

Eric starts the play "half-shy, half-assertive" but harbours dark secrets - he got Eva pregnant and raped her. His heavy drinking and youth make him unpredictable and dangerous to vulnerable women like Eva.

His speech is full of hyphens, showing his distressed mental state. By Act 3, he's terrified of his family discovering his actions, desperately asking "you know, don't you?"

Eric misuses his power by assaulting Eva, then tries to make amends with stolen money - showing he understands wealth can solve problems but not the moral implications of his actions.

Key Point: Eric represents how privilege can corrupt young men, leading them to abuse their power over vulnerable people.

Eric's Consequences

Eric's father is appalled when he discovers his son stole money from the business to give to Eva. This reaction shows Mr Birling cares more about the theft than about Eric's treatment of Eva.

The stolen money represents Eric's desperate attempt to fix his mistakes with wealth rather than taking proper responsibility for his actions.

Key Point: The focus on stolen money rather than sexual assault reveals the family's twisted priorities.