An Inspector Calls is a play with many political messages as well as social messages. JB Priestley believed in socialism and he used many of his plays to try to convince people to follow his way of thinking. The Inspector's name is Goole, which means "ghoul", signifying someone who has a morbid interest in death or a spirit. Her appearance in the play is the result of the girl's death. Goole is also a port town and perhaps suggests he's fishing for information. Both explanations could explain why Priestly chose the name Inspector Goole, to give the reader a clue about the character himself. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get an original essay The Inspector, from his introduction, is commanding and authoritative. From the moment he enters, he creates “…at the same time an impression of massiveness, solidity and determination”. The inspector continues to create this impression as he progresses in his speeches and in his interrogation of the family. The inspector remains confident, sturdy and composed, while the people around him crumble and fall apart. His "solidity" is proven by the fact that he remains focused on his task despite Birling's numerous attempts to distance himself from the arguments he is making. The inspector is told to appear “determined”; this is shown when he explains to Birling that Birling's way of thinking "Every man must look after himself only" is not the case and that all facets of society are interrelated. This view is best illustrated in the Inspector's final speech, where he states: "We do not live alone...We are responsible for each other." » This idea Priestley himself believed deeply in, and much of Priestley's writings shared this same theme. The time in which this play was written helps us understand the opinions and feelings expressed by Priestley. Priestley had a very socialist view of the world and wanted to reduce the differences between social classes – a complete contrast to the views of the main characters, namely Arthur Birling. For example, the inspector describes how each of the Birlings influenced someone from a completely different background and social class. Additionally, the Inspector is also there to persuade the audience that the quest for power and wealth is destructive. We must notice how much control the Inspector has over the Birling family, in their own home and how sympathetically the Inspector is presented in the writing as Birling is shown to be extremely stupid in his actions. It's a way of belittling capitalists. Priestley made his point subtly but clearly; this is a key role of the inspector. Continuing on from the Inspector showing Birling the error of his ways, the Inspector is the one and only person who shakes things up and moves his and the ensemble's story forward. Without the Inspector, it's all but assured that none of the secrets revealed would have ever been revealed without the Inspector's gentle nudging that tied the plot together. However, the Inspector never explicitly blamed anyone for any incident, rather it was the characters themselves who filled in the missing gaps in the Inspector's story. For example, it is shown, on page 55, that the Inspector and Eric are discussing who killed Eva Smith. At first, Eric assumes that he killed her because of the situations with the baby, but then the inspector suggests that it was actually Mrs. Birling who influenced Eva Smith's death. This is closely related to the theory..