Exposition

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J.P Priestley in the play, An Inspector Calls successfully creates a

significant exposition that serves a gentle introduction and provides basic
information on main characters, background and context as well as themes
and ideas of the play. In this essay, I am going to discuss the extent to which
An Inspector Calls meets these criteria.
To start with, an overview of the characters is presented in the prologue
of Act One, displaying short character summaries of the main characters.
Arthur Birling is described as a heavy looking, rather portentous man which
gives an insight of him being an authoritative man and associated with a place
in power as suggested by the word portentous. Thus, in this perspective, An
Inspector Calls successfully provides basic information on the character and
thus fulfils the criteria required by an exposition of a well-made play.
Also, Sheilas joyful and playful nature is foreshadowed by the short
description of her in this exposition. She is described as a pretty girl who is
very pleased with life and rather excited hence depicting her playful nature.
An exposition should be able to convey basic information on the characters
and once again, An Inspector Calls fulfils the criteria required.
Next, Erics description seems to bring a lot of significance later in the
play. He is described as not quite at ease perhaps due to the decanter and
port around him, depicting that maybe he has a bad history with alcohol usage
and this hypothesis seems to be correct later in the play, thus conveying a
successful use of foreshadowing as well as sufficient background and context
to Erics character. In this viewpoint, An Inspector Calls fully satisfies the
criteria as the exposition provides the required basic information.
The dialogue at the exposition of the play shows togetherness and a
sense of joy and the Birling family are seated and seem to be a family of class
and prestige, as shown by their clothing, speech and behaviour. This fulfils
criteria of basic information on the main characters and gives a hint or two
about the background and context of the play.

Next, the focus on port at the exposition of the play connotatively

shows the theme of distinction of class in society by showing the division of
roles due to place in industry. For example, Mr. Birling (a businessman), his
family and the son of a highly reputed businessman celebrate together
drinking port while Edna keeps moving around, serving, doing her job. She is of
a lower class in society and hence she is always on her feet. The stage
directions show Edna moving about a lot as seen at line 7, 10, 17, 20, and 21
from the start of dialogue. This connotatively shows the struggles of the labour
class as the people of upper class (Mr. Birling and the rest) are seated,
comfortably, drinking port and celebrating while Edna (a maid) is doing her
best to ensure they are relaxed. In this scenario, I think An Inspector Calls fulfils
the criteria required by an exposition as he immediately tries to portray his
ideas through this theme.

Entrances & Exits

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J.P Priestley in the play, An Inspector Calls successfully heightens the

suspense and tension by the use of perfectly timed entrances and exits within
the play. In this essay I am going to discuss the impact and significance of these
perfectly timed entrances and exits and how they help heighten the suspense
and tension in the play, as well as who controls the entrances and exits from
the dining room.
To start with, I will examine the impact of Inspector Gooles entrance.
The Inspector enters with an impression of massiveness, solidity and
purposefulness" that adds to the curiosity and suspense of why the Inspector
has arrived. This is shown by Mr. Birlings questioning of An Inspector? What
kind of Inspector? which also mildly shows that he is both insecure as well as
curious due to the arrival of the Inspector and hence adding dramatic tension
to the scene.
This particular entrance has a significantly great impact because it
entirely changes the mood throughout the play. At the exposition of the play,
The scene opens up with them celebrating the engagement and this shows the
overall harmony and happy mood. After the entrance of the Inspector the
harmony changes and the mood alters to the opposite as well. There is
increased dramatic tension due to the Inspectors assertion of words and sharp
looks as he speaks carefully and weightfully and thus this entrance helps
heighten the suspense and tension in the play.
Next, another entrance that significantly heightens the suspense and
overall tension in the play is Sheilas entrance. She enters after the Inspector
has begun his sharp questioning and as a result of this there is a lot of curiosity
as to what the inspector has to ask. Everyone is surprised and rather
annoyed by the Inspector. Mr. Birling, as noted, was already troubled due to
Inspector as shown by his stage directions: Somewhat impatiently and
surprised as well as by dialogue: I dont like that tone which shows his
uneasiness around the Inspector and thus after Sheila entering and trying to
meddle with whats going on, Mr. Birling heightens the dramatic tension by
denying the Inspector from letting Sheila be part of the conversation. Mr.
Birling angrily says I consider this uncalled-for and officious which

heightens the dramatic tension because of the distress Mr. Birling is

undertaking.
In my opinion, the entrance that has the highest impact on the plot and
dramatic tension within the play is that of Eric. He enters at a moment where
everyone is in quite a shock, and this is expressed effectively through the stage
directions which show Mr. Birling being thunderstruck and Mrs. Birling
agitated. There is already a lot of tension at this scene and the entrance of
Eric, only seems to distress the situation even more. This particular entrance is
timed perfectly at a highly distressing situation and the scene is upsetting both
before and after the entrance as there is an array of mixed emotions towards
Eric from the+family. Denial and disbelief: you are not that type from Mrs.
Birling, and Mr. Birling explosively denying Eric a drink adds with great
significance to the drama, and heightens the tension.
Within the play, I think the Inspector controls who enters and leaves the
dining room. He has a very sharp appearance and exerts vibes on all the
characters. For example at the start, he controlled Sheilas entrance when he
was talking about streets, causing Sheila to enter asking Whats this about
streets? Next, the inspector also controls when Sheila and Gerald leave the
dining room by dropping the fact of Geralds activities in summer. The
inspector has everything planned in the play and therefore he controls most of
it.
All in all, these three entrances have the greatest impact and significance
on heightening dramatic tension and suspense by factors such as curiosity and
changes in mood due to the entrances, mainly. The inspector controls who
enters and leaves the dining room by his accusations and questions, he has
everything planned out in a well-structured way allowing him to control it.

The Obligatory Scene

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J.P Priestley in the play, An Inspector Calls successfully creates an

obligatory scene which serves to add to the drama significantly. In this essay, I
am going to discuss when an obligatory scene was portrayed in the play and
how it impacted the drama within the play.
The obligatory scene is where a secret is revealed and the Inspector Calls
fulfils the criteria by having such a scene in the play. In my opinion, the
obligatory scene in An Inspector Calls is when its revealed that Eric is involved
in the death of the girl. At the point when this secret is revealed, there is
increased tension within the play as shown by the reactions of other
characters. Mrs. Birling for instance, calls it ridiculous and Mr. Birling takes
pauses while talking as shown by the hyphens in the dialogue for example
that my boy is mixed up in this ?
Next, the reactions of the family shown by the stage directions add to
the impact by the obligatory scene. For example Mr. Birling is thunderstruck
and Mrs. Birling is agitated show their distress at this situation due to Erics
involvement. The impact on Mrs. Birling is shown greatly by the repetition of
her dialogue: I dont believe it. I wont believe it shows how surprised she is
and thus all this adds to the dramatic tension within the play.
Also, when all the characters wait looking towards the door and a
moment of silence is brought, it brings a lot of tension as all the characters are
still in shock waiting for Eric and he comes in looking pale and distressed
which echoes everyone elses situation. The situation at this moment carries a
lot of dramatic tension and thus the obligatory scene has played its role on all
the characters and the situation as well making it distressing.
The obligatory scene strikes the characters and the readers as a
very shocking one, because, so far the death of the girl was blamed on each
character and it was hard to find a sole reason for the death. Mrs. Birling
blames it on the young man and says he must be made an example of and
he ought to be dealt with severely, only to realise that the young man is her
own son. This scene has a lot of powerful emotions to it creating a bit of

conflict for the characters, for example Mrs. Birling is fighting disbelief with
possibly love and perhaps guilt as well since she called the young man entirely
responsible for the death. Hence, there is a lot of drama during this scene due
to the conflict and array of emotions being displayed and hence the obligatory
scene achieves its role.

Another obligatory scene in An Inspector Calls, in my opinion, is when

Gerald Croft reveals that there is no Inspector Goole on the task force. The
sharp appearance and peculiar behaviour had raised some concerns to Mrs
Birling as she says that the inspector is conducting it in a rather peculiar and
offensive manner and after the inspector links the death with everyone and
the mood is quite distressing as the adults are worrying about their reputation
in society and the children are being reflective over what theyve done. When
Gerald reveals the secret saying that man wasnt a police officer, the whole
plot of the story twists and there is increased dramatic tension, suspense and
curiosity.
The follow up to this secret being revealed shows one of the major
themes of the play. The distinction in age. In reaction to this secret being
revealed by Gerald, Mr and Mrs Birling meet the news excitedly and
triumphantly as shown by the stage directions and it makes all the
difference to them which Sheila greets with sarcasm I suppose were all nice
people now showing the distinction in their reactions and nature between the
two age groups.
The obligatory scene successfully serves to add drama because it creates
another conflict. Between Mr and Mrs Birling to Sheila and Eric due to the
difference in the way they think. Mr and Mrs Birling are feeling triumphant by
the fact that the man wasnt an Inspector while it still makes Sheila and Eric
feel horrible about what happened. The internal conflict and portrayal of one
of the themes in the play helps serve to the drama and hence a successful
obligatory scene is created.