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ACT 3 (INSPECTOR GOOLE ("they will be taught it in fire and blood and…
ACT 3
INSPECTOR GOOLE
"they will be taught it in fire and blood and anguish"- The "it" refers to the inspectors lesson that " We are responsible for each other". The characters are shocked by his final speech- they are left 'staring subdued and wondering'. The repetition of the word "and" makes it seem as if the destruction the Inspector predicts will be extensive. The hellish imagery is shocking as it echoes the idea that people who fail to show kindness may go to hell, making the Inspectors message more memorable. An audience of 1945 may be affected by the quote as they have just experienced " fire and blood and anguish"in WW2. People today may still be affected by the events of the play and be prompted to think about social responsibility and inequality.
"We are members of one body" the meaning behind this statement is that everyone is connected because they are all part of the same society. The short, simple sentence increased the impact of the message because it is so abrupt. This makes it stand out and seem ore important. Even though the Inspector addresses the Birlings, the message is also aimed at the audience. The use of the first person plural "We"encourages the audience to the think about themselves as part of "one body" and makes the Inspectors message seem more universal. By describing everyone as being "members of one body". Priestley suggests that despite differences such as social class everybody is the same. This shows a reflection in Priestley's political beliefs - he was a socialist that thought social class didn't matter.
The Inspector has gained power, which has shifted from Arthur who is know not firmly in control over everything. E.g Arthur tells Eric that he cannot have a drink, but the Inspector directly contradicts him. The Inspector also speaks to both Eric and Arthur as if they are like children telling them "I don't want any of it from either of you"* when they start arguing.
The Inspector waits until all of the characters have confessed to their role in Eva's death before giving his speech on social responsibility. By this point he has broken down all of their defences and shown them what they have done wrong, making it more likely that they will listen to his message.
ARTHUR BIRLING
the famous younger generation who know it all. And can even take a joke"- the choice of the word "famous" emphasises the sarcasm and the meanness to his tone. The quote is ironic because Arthur is joking that the "younger generation" aren't as clever as the older generation in the play well in fact they are actually more intelligent. Sheila is the first character to understand the Inspectors tactics and both Sheila and Eric understand the Inspectors lessons in social responsibility unlike the elder Birling's
Arthur is horrified by the fact that Eric has stolen money from him but then offers the Inspector "thousands" of pounds as a bribe, this suggests that Arthur is more concerned about protecting himself and his reputation than his own son. He is angry that Eric wasted money but is willing to pay any amount to save his reputation. Although his is greedy and profit driven, he values his reputation and status above everything else.
Arthur is described three times as speaking "eagerly " when Gerald suggests that it is a hoax. This suggests that Arthur didn't understand the Inspector's message at all because he thinks that everything can go back to normal as the Inspector was fake. He is only concerned about protecting his reputation and avoiding a scandal.
SHEILA
"You're just beginning to pretend all over again"- It signifies Sheila's change throughout the play. At the beginning the she appeared more obedient towards her parents saying "I'm sorry Daddy" when he thinks that she is not listening to his speech. However when she accuses her parents of "beginning to pretend all over again" she challenges her parents behaviour which shows that she has become more assertive. It shows that the older generation are willing to forget their mistakes as there wont be any social or legal repercussions. Higher classes dont care about social responsibility- they will only help others if it will benefit them.
Sheila claims that he parents "are being childish", she realises that the Inspector has taught them a lesson and that they cant just "pretend that nothing much has happened". She recognises that everything the Inspector told them was true, even though he wasn't a real police Inspector. She doesn't start blaming other members of the family but realises that they need to accept responsibility.
When Gerald offers Sheila the ring again, she replies "No, not yet. It's too soon. I must think". This suggests that Sheila is becoming more mature and realises that she needs to think for herself. In Act 1, Sheila takes the ring from Gerald and kisses him 'hastily'- she appears childish and naive by agreeing to marry him even though she thinks that he has been lying to her. In contrast to this, at the end of the play she is willing to simply accept Gerald again- her short , disjointed sentences show her uncertainty about him
ERIC
" you killed them both- damn you, damn you-"- The use of the curse "damn you" towards Sybil reveals his anger to what she done. The repetition of the curse emphasises his fury and suggests that he is so emotional, that he is struggling to find the words to express himself. The use of the blunt language when he directly accuses Sybil of having "killed them both" suggests that he isn't trying to spare her feelings- he wants her to be upset which reinforces how angry he is.
Before Eric tells his story about what happened he "goes for a whisky"- this suggests that Eric is feeling nervous and stressed. The Inspector suggests that he needs a drink "just to see him through", so he can steady his nerves and tell his story. Eric has decided to let his parents see how dependent he is on alcohol because there is no point continuing to hide the truth from them
"He was a police inspector all right"- this means that even though the Inspector may not have been a real police inspector he still discovered a lot about the family, he uncovered secrets, lies and even showed them that they were guilty of contributing to the death of Eva.
GERALD
"Everything's all right now, Sheila"- Gerald believes that everything is fine because the Inspector wasn't a real police officer and no girl committed suicide, meaning that they are less likely to be in a public scandal. He thinks that everything is fine with Sheila and that they can pretend none of the events actually happened. The fact that Gerald suggests that everything is "all right"shows that he doesn't see his affair as an obstacle to his engagement. It suggests that men were able to be unfaithful and women had to accept this.
The final call creates tension as the audience has to wait to find out what's happening. The combination of the telephone ringing **"sharply" and the "complete silence"** that follows is unsettling and Arthur's broken sentences add to the sense that something is wrong.