Priestley uses a variety of methods to convey tension including utilising the effect of dramatic irony for Mr Birling and the Inspectors uncanny way of knowing the truth and consequently able to seamlessly extract information. Demonstrated through Mr Birling's speech about how the Titanic is unsinkable, absolutely unsinkable, the viewer not only discovers Mr Birling's apparent capitalist views but also Mr Birling's clear lack of good judgement. Priestley effectively uses dramatic irony and the confidence of Mr Birling to provide the audience with sufficient suspense to see how Mr Birling's ignorant personality becomes more damaging later on in the play. .
We also see the temperature rising with each interrogation as the Inspector seems to be able to provoke guilt and subsequently withdraw the truth from each character. Sheila is the first to realise the importance of the Inspector at the end of Act One: Why you fool he knows. Of course he knows. And I hate to think how much he thinks that we dont yet. Youll see. Youll see. This gives the audience an anticipation of whats yet to come, yet again creating tension throughout the play. As well, the significance of Sheila being the youngest member of the family is to indicate Priestleys point about the younger generation compared to the older generation and how the younger generation are the more impressionable ones. .
The Inspectors counterargument to Mr Birling's capitalist nature provides J. B. Priestley with the platform for expressing his own views. Priestley makes Mr Birling's political stance very clear through numerous comments and retorts including Mr Birling's rather ironic statement how some cranks say that everybody has to look after everybody else and its as if we were all mixed up together like bees in a hive community and all that nonsense. This is an evident attempt to refute the views of the Inspector, who crucially enters at this point, during Mr Birling's most extreme speech.