An Inspector CallsJ.B Priestley

Written: 1945 Set:1912

• What’s the order in which the family are interrogated?• How will you remember this?

• What are 5 key words to use in any exam question on this play?

Order of Interrogation

• MSG ME!• Mr Birling• Sheila Birling• Gerald Croft• Mrs Birling• Eric Birling• How were they all connected to Eva

Smith/Daisy Renton’s death/suicide?

Key Terms for ‘An Inspector Calls’

Capitalism

Socialism

responsibility

classwar

Priestley

morals

mystery

prejudice

conscience

Quoting: write out the essential quote in this speech on P.56

• “But just remember this. One Eva Smith has gone - but there are millions and millions and million of Eva Smiths and John Smiths still left with us, with their lives, their hopes and fears, their suffering and chance of happiness, all intertwined with our lives, and what we think and say and do. We don't live alone. We are members of one body. We are responsible for each other. And I tell you that the time will soon come when, if men will not learn that lesson, then they will be taught it in fire and blood and anguish. Good night.”

Goole’s Speech: P56How does this speech sum up Priestley’s messages

across the whole play?• But just remember this. One Eva Smith has gone - but

there are millions and millions and millions of Eva Smiths and John Smiths still left with us, with their lives, their hopes and fears, their suffering and chance of happiness, all intertwined with our lives, and what we think and say and do. We don't live alone. We are members of one body. We are responsible for each other. And I tell you that the time will soon come when, if men will not learn that lesson, then they will be taught it in fire and blood and anguish. Good night.

Goole’s Speech: P56Quotes to LAL on:

• But just remember this. One Eva Smith has gone - but there are millions and millions and millions of Eva Smiths and John Smiths still left with us, with their lives, their hopes and fears, their suffering and chance of happiness, all intertwined with our lives, and what we think and say and do. We don't live alone. We are members of one body. We are responsible for each other. And I tell you that the time will soon come when, if men will not learn that lesson, then they will be taught it in fire and blood and anguish. Good night.

Unicef 2012: The Girl Effect

Watch this. How is the situation it describes similar or different to that of Eva Smith in 1912/(1946)?A* Extension: Think of one big social question it

raises ?e.g. What are the effects of poverty on girls?

Social Conscience: What are some of the great social questions raised by Priestley in An Inspector Calls?

E.g. • Is Mr Birling right in his ‘every man for himself’ view of the

world?• Workers’ rights?• Individual’s personal responsibility & responsibility to

society?• The class system?• unmarried mothers? Women's’ rights?• Criminal responsibility?

Big Idea? One word!

Tackling an exam question

• “

“• What is Priestley's main aim in An Inspector

Calls?

Which quote?

Your point: Priestley’s main aim is to ….

language

Structure (where/when/who says it? – significance?)

Form (Why a detective play?)

Link back to question: What is Priestley’s main aim?

Meaning: which characters demonstrate this best? How?

“

“

Priestley’s main aim is to show how we are responsible for each other in a just society:

BIRLING You'll apologize at once ... I'm a public man -INSPECTOR [massively] Public men, Mr. Birling, have responsibilities as well as privileges.

Here the Inspector, who by this middle act of the play is gaining in power and control over the situation, "massively" silences Birling with a putdown. It is not the first or last time that Birling is cut off mid-thought. It is also important because Priestley points an extra finger of blame at Birling not just for his actions, but for his failure to see that his public position entails a duty of responsibility to other people. Priestley uses the detective genre to investigate the traditional notion of the upper classes taking responsibility for the welfare of the lower classes. However, in the newer, more democratic life of 1940’s Britain, the "public men" are not necessarily of higher social class even if they have more wealth and public privileges (Birling is middle class); at any rate, Priestley wants to show how real Justice means each character must be responsible to all of society.

Exam Questions:• Question 17• 1 7 How does Priestley show that tension is at the heart of the Birling

family? (30 marks)• OR• Question 18• 1 8 Priestley criticises the selfishness of people like the Birlings. What

methods does he use to present this selfishness? (30 marks)

• Choose one and create a 5-part essay plan.• Remember the format?

Your A grade Literature essay looks like this:

Intro (A few sentences summary of the text, question + details of history)

↓Main Analysis

5x PEED/LAL paragraphs on well selected quotes from the text that answer the question

↓Conclusion

(Directly link all of your points back to the question & summarise the answer.

Explore the moral / purpose of the text)

Q18. Priestley criticises the selfishness of people like the Birlings. What methods does he use to present this selfishness?

(30 marks)

Essay Plan

INTRO: - dramatic tension &irony- Emotional

reactions- Hypocrisy &

selfishness of the upper class

CONCLUSION: - Priestley intends to change audiences & selfishness of people though the play; to instruct the morals of society

Mr Birling:- Confrontational reaction;

‘look after himself’ = selfish- Drama & tension of

conflicting Capitalism & Socialism

Mrs Birling:- Denial; hostile reaction

= drama & tension- Hypocrisy of the upper

class; selfishly protecting her own kind

Sheila Birling:- Spoilt & selfish upper-class girl- U.class & working class prejudices & hostilities- Emotional outbursts & potential for change

Exam Questions:• Question 17• 1 7 An Inspector Calls has been called ‘a play of contrasts’.• Write about how Priestley presents some of the contrasts in the play. (30

marks)• OR• Question 18• 1 8 How does Priestley present the change in Sheila during the course of

the play• An Inspector Calls? How do you think this change reflects some of

Priestley’s ideas? (30 marks)

• Choose one; plan and write the answer – 45 mins!

Exam Questions:• Question 17• 1 7 What do you think is the importance of Inspector Goole and how

does Priestley present him? (30 marks)• OR• Question 18• 1 8 Remind yourself of the stage directions below from the start of Act

1.• The dining-room of a fairly large suburban house, belonging to...

Themselves.• In the rest of the play, how does Priestley present and develop some of

the ideas shown here? (30 marks)

• Choose one; plan and write the answer – 45 mins!