Goole's Three Functions in Three Words

Part of Inspector Goole (character) · Section 14 of 17

Memory AidUnit: An Inspector CallsGCSE

This memory aid covers Goole's Three Functions in Three Words within Inspector Goole (character) for GCSE English Literature. Revise Inspector Goole (character) in An Inspector Calls for GCSE English Literature with 12 exam-style questions and 15 flashcards. This topic shows up very often in GCSE exams, so students should be able to explain it clearly, not just recognise the term. It is section 14 of 17 in this topic. Use it for quick recall, then test yourself straight afterwards so the memory aid becomes usable in an answer.

🧠 Goole's Three Functions in Three Words

MORAL VOICE → METHOD → MYSTERY

Moral Voice: his speeches ARE the play's argument — Priestley's thesis stated directly. Method: he already knows; he asks to force confrontation, not to discover. Mystery: identity withheld deliberately — the unanswerable question keeps the audience focused on the moral question, not the detective question. All three functions point the same direction: Goole is a device, not a character.

Practice questions for Inspector Goole (character)

What does Inspector Goole's name suggest to the audience?

  • A. That he is a senior officer with many years of experience
  • B. That he is connected to the supernatural, as 'Goole' sounds like 'ghoul'
  • C. That he comes from a working-class background
  • D. That he is a fictional character invented by the Birlings
1 markfoundation

Explain one technique Priestley uses to make the Inspector a powerful moral and dramatic force in An Inspector Calls. [2 marks]

2 marksstandard

Quick recall flashcards

What are Inspector Goole's three functions in the play?
MORAL VOICE → METHOD → MYSTERY. Moral Voice: his speeches deliver Priestley's thesis directly — 'one body', 'fire and blood and anguish'. Method: he already knows the answers; his interrogation is designed to force confrontation, not discover facts; he controls who hears what and when. Mystery: his identity is never resolved — no police record, his name sounds like 'ghoul', he may be supernatural. All three functions point the same way: Goole is a dramatic device for moral reckoning, not a realistic character.
Mnemonic for Inspector Goole's three functions?
MORAL VOICE → METHOD → MYSTERY. Moral Voice: his speeches deliver Priestley's thesis — 'one body', 'responsibilities as well as privileges', 'fire and blood and anguish'. Method: prior knowledge, forces confrontation rather than discovering facts, stages revelations strategically, targets the young. Mystery: no police record, name = ghoul, identity deliberately unresolved — to keep focus on moral question not detective question. All three functions make the same argument: Goole is Priestley's device for moral reckoning.

12 questions on Inspector Goole (character) — practise free

Instant marking, adaptive difficulty and spaced-repetition flashcards — all aligned to your exam board.

Start revising free →