Social Class & Equality
Lower-class characters: eva and edna.
In An Inspector Calls , J.B. Priestley focuses on the different social classes and how they experience life differently. The play focuses on upper-class characters: the only lower-class characters are Eva Smith and Edna (the maid).
- We hear all about Eva's life and how she has suffered because of members of the upper-middle and upper classes.
- These people did not care about the consequences their actions may have had for lower-class people.
- All the characters treat Eva Smith as someone disposable (they can get rid of) and unimportant purely because she is lower-class. They don’t think she is worthy of their time or thought.
- We only see Edna a few times, each for a brief moment.
Upper-Middle-Class Characters - Birlings
Priestley shows how the upper classes generally only cared about themselves, their reputations, and how life affected them. The play centres on upper-middle-class characters, like Sheila, Eric and Mr Birling:
- E.g. fashion and clothing.
- She spends her father’s money to make herself look the part – her role is to look good so she makes her father and her future husband look good. She is an ornament (object of decoration).
- She is presented as a spoilt child at first, who uses her social status to get what she wants.
- He spends his time gambling and drinking too much.
- Because of his social status, he does not have to work for a living. He lives off his father’s money.
- He is presented as an immature, irresponsible little boy for most of the play.
- He is pleased about his daughter marrying into the upper class because it strengthens his ties with Lord and Lady Croft. It also improves his social status.
- He is keen to be knighted (given a rank of honour by a British king or queen because of his special achievements) and accepted into the upper class.
- He is worried about possible scandals (morally wrong events) that will stop this happening.
Upper-Class Characters - Gerald and Mrs Birling
In An Inspector Calls , J.B. Priestley shows that many upper-class people lived superficially (appearing to be true) happy lives. He tries to show that they did not know about the hard lives led by the lower classes or how much upper-class lives depended on lower-class workers. The play centres on upper-class characters, like Gerald and Mrs Birling:
Mrs Birling
- She has a higher social status than her husband.
- She gently tells him off for his improper (not in line with social standards) comments at the dinner table. She sees these as unsuitable dinner conversation.
- She has a position in a charity because it makes her look good.
- She doesn’t like Eva from the start because she pretends her name is Mrs Birling. Mrs Birling thinks this is incredibly offensive (possibly because of Eva’s lower-class position ruining her name) and refuses to help her.
- He highlights the selfish attitudes of the upper class at the time.
- After Sheila finds out, Gerald still feels that they should get married. This shows his selfish nature.
- By the end of the play, the audience hopes that Gerald will change his attitude, like Sheila and Eric did.
- But he shows the selfish egotism (self-absorbed attitude) of the upper class when he does not change.
- Instead, he tries hard to do everything he can to prove that Inspector Goole was fake and that he and the Birlings were completely innocent.
1 Plot Summary
1.1.1 Act 1 Summary
1.1.2 Act 1 Key Quotes
1.2.1 Act 2 Summary
1.2.2 Act 2 Key Quotes
1.3.1 Act 3 Summary
1.3.2 Act 3 Key Quotes
1.3.3 Act 3 More Key Quotes
1.3.4 End of Topic Test - Acts 1, 2 & 3
2 Context & Key Themes
2.1 Context & Key Themes
2.1.1 Social Class & Equality
2.1.2 Class Tension
2.1.3 Abuse of Power & Corruption
2.1.4 Socialism vs Capitalism
2.1.5 Blame & Responsibility
2.1.6 Attitudes to Women
2.1.7 Characterisation of Women
2.1.8 Dramatic Function of Characters
2.1.9 End of Topic Test - Context & Key Themes
2.1.10 End of Topic Test - Context & Key Themes 2
2.1.11 Grade 9 - Key Themes
3 Key Characters
3.1 Mr Birling
3.1.1 Mr Birling Analysis
3.1.2 Mr Birling Quotes
3.2 Mrs Birling
3.2.1 Mrs Birling Analysis
3.2.2 Mrs Birling Quotes
3.2.3 Exam-Style Questions - Mrs Birling
3.3.1 Sheila Analysis
3.3.2 Sheila Quotes
3.3.3 End of Topic Test - The Birlings & Sheila
3.4.1 Eric Analysis
3.4.2 Eric Quotes
3.5.1 Gerald Analysis
3.5.2 Gerald Quotes
3.6 Inspector Goole
3.6.1 Inspector Goole Analysis
3.6.2 Inspector Goole Quotes
3.6.3 End of Topic Test - Eric, Gerald & Inspector Goole
3.7 Grade 9 - Key Characters
3.7.1 Grade 9 - Key Characters
4 Authorial Method
4.1 Arrangement & Structure of the Play
4.1.1 Setting, Lighting & Dramatic Irony
4.1.2 Structure & Chronology
4.1.3 Structure & Chronology 2
4.1.4 End of Topic Test - Authorial Method
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End of Topic Test - Acts 1, 2 & 3
Class Tension
An Inspector Calls – Full Mark Essay L9 / A* grade
This is an example of a high grade A* / L9 essay for ‘An Inspector Calls’.
It was completed by myself, not in timed conditions, to set an example for high achieving students, so it is beyond the requirement of a high grade for GCSE. However, students are encouraged to read it and deconstruct it to get ideas for their own essays and structuring – it is also useful in terms of learning how to develop a sophisticated approach to essay phrasing, techniques, and vocabulary. I hope you enjoy reading it and find it helpful!
If you find this page useful you can take a look at our full ‘An Inspector Calls’ course here .
How does Priestley explore the issue of class in An Inspector Calls?
Class is arguably one of the central issues presented in the play, as it is because of her lower-class that Eva Smith is able to be so badly exploited, which leads to her tragic suffering and eventual suicide despite her intelligence, beauty, and kindness. We are exposed to the privileges that upper and middle-class men and women have, as well as the fact that they don’t always realise that they have greater opportunities and stability. As a socialist, Priestley certainly viewed the division between classes as a serious issue in his postwar society; the play ultimately tries to convey his message of social responsibility in order to minimise these rifts between the different classes.
According to Priestley, the upper classes cause issues in society due to their blind privilege. Gerald Croft, for instance, is an aristocrat whom Priestley describes as an ‘easy well-bred young man-about-town’. Priestley depicts Gerald as having an ‘easy’ lifestyle and demeanor due to his privileged social position; as a prominent up and coming businessman whose family are successful business owners, it could be argued that he has been handed his freedom and success without much effort or difficulty. The compound adjective ‘well-bred’ in particular displays Priestley’s socialist beliefs, as it implies that he is aware of yet disagrees with the fact that breeding is highly valued by the postwar British society and perhaps that family connections are more important than a person’s own character or intelligence; Sheila is only engaged to Gerald, after all, because Mr. Birling wants to secure business connections. Gerald’s flagrant exploitation of Eva’s kindness and beauty whilst being engaged to Sheila creates a layer of dramatic irony which criticises the idea that marriage for business purposes or family reasons is ever a positive or viable option. Though it could be argued that Gerald is a more sympathetic character than Sybil, he still demonstrates how the upper classes are so privileged and used to manipulate those around them that they are not even fully conscious of their behaviour. His excuse of continuing the affair with Eva because he felt ‘sorry for her’ could be interpreted as sensitivity, but it is likely that Priestley wanted to show instead how it demonstrates false sympathy, as he was only prepared to help Eva so long as she provided him with the affection that he craved. Additionally, Sybil as another upper-class figure demonstrates a different kind of high-class privilege: under the pretense of being charitable as she works for the ‘Brumley Women’s Charity’, using her prominent position in society to help only those she feels are deserving because they align with her own beliefs and values. She refuses to help Eva because she did not agree with Eva’s ‘elaborate fine feelings … that were simply absurd for a girl in her position’. The alliteration of ‘fine feelings’ emphasises Sybil’s snide superiority in that she is prejudiced towards Eva’s sensitivity and considers herself able to feel and experience more complex emotions than a lower class ‘girl’, a further diminutive term that underscores Sybil’s authoritative position and Eva’s own powerlessness in the situation where she is forced to finally seek charitable help after being thrown into a series of increasingly unfortunate positions. Therefore, whether they are consciously or unconsciously aware of their actions, the upper-class characters in the play are shown to manipulate the lower classes by abusing their privileged position; this demonstrates an inherent hierarchical structure in mid 20th-century British society which Priestley challenges and rejects. As a social realist play, the narrative represents a real-life situation that is familiar and known to the audience, so Priestley’s audience would have been aware of people holding the same values as Sybil and Gerald, looking down on lower classes or feeling like they could just exploit them as they pleased. In this way, Priestley asks his audience to question the fundamental beliefs of his society, by showing that they are not based on kindness and empathy, but instead superiority and oppression.
An Inspector Calls: Character Revision
Although Priestley exposes the problems with the upper classes in the play, he also draws equal attention to the plight of the lower classes. This is primarily shown through the character of Eva Smith, who is arguably less of an individual person and more of an everywoman or symbol for the exploited lower class workers: her name ‘Eva’ is a Biblical allusion to Eve, the first woman created by God in the book of Genesis, and her surname ‘Smith’ is the most common surname in Britain. The symbolism of Eva’s name also shifts as her situation deteriorates; being forced out of work several times, she changes her name to ‘Daisy Renton’, the surname perhaps suggesting the idea of a ‘rent girl’ or prostitute. Interestingly, the Inspector describes Eva as a ‘young woman’; the concrete noun ‘woman’ implies his respect for her regardless of her lower-class position. In contrast, the other characters refer to her using belittling or derogatory language, Sybil calls her a ‘wretched girl’, the adjective ‘wretched’ perhaps implying a double meaning of ‘doomed’ but also ‘repulsive’, once again highlighting Sybil’s upper-class snobbery. Arthur Birling also refers to her patronisingly as a ‘lively good-looking girl’ who ultimately ‘only had herself to blame’. Though the compound adjective ‘good-looking’ could be interpreted as a compliment, the audience feels that it is somewhat off-putting and patronising coming from a character such as Mr. Birling, who is in such a position of authority and privilege as a business owner relative to Eva being a mere worker who is replaceable and expendable in his eyes. The concept of ‘blame’ is pushed increasingly away from the lower classes as the play progresses when the Inspector, acting as a mouthpiece for Priestley’s own socialist views, exposes all of the Birling family and Gerald too to be partially culpable, doing so through the prop of the ‘photograph’ which he shows, in turn, to each family member before exposing their encounters with Eva. The fact that nobody sees the photograph at the same time heightens the dramatic tension of the play, and its importance as a plot device is underscored at the end when Gerald points out that ‘There were probably four or five different girls’, ironically failing to recognise that the statement is irrelevant because it still demonstrates that each family member acted exploitatively towards a lower-class person, even if they were different people in the end. Ultimately the Inspector’s fire-and-brimstone speech where he declares that there are ‘millions and millions of Eva Smiths and John Smiths’ reinforces to Priestley’s audience the irrelevance of whether Eva is an individual or a symbol, as the point remains that the continual exploitation of lower-class workers by upper and middle classes results in mass suffering and oppression.
However, Priestley does not only criticise the upper and middle classes, as his audience is educated and themselves part of those upper levels in society, he instead demonstrates their potential for change. Both Sheila and Eric certainly affect Eva’s life negatively, but crucially they demonstrate an acceptance of those and show remorse as well as a willingness to be more socially conscious in the future. Sheila outwardly admits her faults to the Inspector: ‘I know I’m to blame – and I’m desperately sorry’, causing the audience to sympathise with her and realise that as she was young, she was perhaps merely copying the behaviour of her mother when showing jealousy and cruelty towards Eva in the department store. Eric arguably is one of the worst characters in terms of his effect on Eva’s life; as an alcoholic who likes to get ‘squiffy’, he is shown to be irresponsible and selfish, to the point where he impregnates Eva and then abandons her. Yet he also shows maturity at the end, stating ‘The fact remains, I did what I did’ – the repetition of ‘did’ in the past tense perhaps emphasises that he is now going to change for the better and become a more considerate man rather than a selfish boy. Overall, the younger generation’s willingness to engage with the Inspector’s message is presented as positive, and they symbolically represent Priestley’s hope that future generations will be more kind and considerate towards one another.
Finally, Priestley uses the tensions between classes as a way of promoting his wider anti-capitalist and pro-socialist political stance. As a socialist, he believes that the typical views of a capitalist society where, as Arthur puts it, ‘a man must look after himself and his own’ are outdated and damaging to the population as a whole, because individuals feel no greater sense of responsibility to the wider community. The reflexive pronoun ‘himself’ and the possessive pronoun ‘his’ also underscore the selfishness that Priestley feels is inherent within capitalism, as in his view it encourages an individualist and anti-collectivist mentality that rewards people for selfish behaviour and discourages them from altruistic or compassionate behaviour. Arthur’s views are directly juxtaposed with the Inspector’s own, particularly towards the end of the play when he becomes more forceful with his opinions. He concludes that ‘we are all members of one body’, using the collective pronoun ‘we’ to reflect his universal perspective of being interconnected with all other individuals in society. The metaphor ‘members of one body’ further reinforces his socialist perspective, as it suggests that each individual is connected to a greater whole – perhaps also referencing Priestley’s own Christian beliefs about harmony within communities and taking care of others, particularly those less fortunate than ourselves. Though in modern British society it is common to be equally exposed to both capitalist and socialist perspectives, when the play was written in 1945 the Labour Party – of whom Priestley himself was a prominent member – had just won over the Conservative Party for the first time in history. Therefore, Priestley’s audience themselves were less accustomed to socialist opinions, and many of them continued to uphold the prewar Edwardian and even Victorian attitudes of class separation, rather than wanting to create a progressive society that encouraged equality between classes. By setting the play in 1912 but writing and performing it in 1945, Priestley also uses this time difference to demonstrate that views such as Mr and Mrs Birling’s are outdated in the modern world, encouraging his audience to distance themselves from a capitalistic mentality and instead embrace a more socialist and equalist approach to life. This double setting also allows Priestley to reinforce the absurdness of some of Arthur’s views – for instance, he declares that the Titanic is ‘absolutely unsinkable’; his assertive and confident tone is entirely undermined for Priestley’s audience by the situational irony that the Titanic sank soon after Mr. Birling made that statement. The effect is to demonstrate Mr. Birling’s idiocy as a whole and to deter the audience from believing his capitalist attitudes, as he is clearly so wrong about his other beliefs.
In summary, Priestley treats the issue of class as integral to the plot of ‘An Inspector Calls’. He criticises the upper and middle classes for their lack of awareness of their privileges and their misinformed judgment of the lower classes in an effort to create a harmonious future society where the problems of class difference and class oppression are greatly minimised, or ideally no longer exist. This is demonstrated within a political framework, in which the Inspector’s socialist views are encouraged in the audience, whereas Mr. Birling’s capitalist views are discouraged. Finally, Sheila and Eric, as younger generation characters, exemplify Priestley’s hope for the future as they show the potential to think for themselves and no longer just copy the entrenched values of their parents.
Thanks for reading! If you found this page useful you can take a look at our full ‘An Inspector Calls’ course , as well as ‘ An Inspector Calls: Story Summary ‘, where we break down Act by Act for easier understanding!
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Social Class
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Class has its roots in the opportunities you are given at birth - children from rich homes are given more opportunities than those from poorer backgrounds which means that, often, people from wealthier backgrounds go on to be more successful.
However, priestley believed that this was wrong and didn't reflect anyone's actual ability. in this play, he encourages us to look beyond class and see a society where everyone can be treated with respect., class at the dinner table:, though the play is primarily about the horrendous treatment of the lower classes by those who are wealthier than them, class divisions are clear right from the opening. the social divides and aspirations are evident around the dinner table:, mr birling has made his own money and, although he's rich, he doesn't have his wife's aristocratic roots. he dreams of marrying his daughter into the aristocracy and hopes of a knighthood for himself., mrs birling is a former aristocrat, but she is also a snob and we can't help but feel that she would have resented marrying a man who was her social inferior. she looks down quite aggressively at those who she deems as being from "that class.", gerald croft has the highest social standing at the table (as a man, and a member of the aristocracy) but mr birling clearly hopes that gerald's marriage to sheila will raise the social standing of the whole family. although birling lectures him, there is a real sense that he's desperate to be liked by gerald as well - the bit where he privately talks about his knighthood is a great example, eva smith and class, most of the play, however, is about the treatment of the working class eva smith / daisy renton by those above her, and each of the characters mistreats her in their own way:, mr birling casually fires her for trying to win a pay-rise for her and her colleagues. he can do this because he owns the business., sheila has her fired from her job, because she was jealous at how pretty eva was. she can do this because she's rich and the shop want to pander to her needs., gerald takes advantage of her situation - she was starving when he met her - and then uses her for sex, before casually dropping her when he's done. he can do this because he's rich and has a "spare house" she can live in., mrs birling was so offended that she used the birling name that she refused to help her. she can do this because she's rich and controls the decision over who gets support from her charity., like gerald, eric used her for sex (the suggestion is that he raped her.) he got away with this because by the time eva met him she had been so brutally treated by everyone else that she had no-where else to go., all the characters mistreat eva simply because they can., the inspector and class, the inspector, however, represents the newly formed middle class, a group who were educated and often had the law on their side. the inspector sees to it that the family do not get away with their treatment of eva without being forced to face what they have done., while the family see someone from eva's class as being something "other" the inspector makes them see that "we are all part of one body" and "we are all responsible for each other.", key quotes and moments from the play, “ perhaps i ought to warn you that the inspector is an old friend of mine, and that i see him fairly frequently .” mr birling trie s to bull y the inspector by using his relationship with other upper class men . the inspector is not impressed., mr birling sees eva as just one of “ several hundred young women ” who worked at his factory - he says " i don't know, they keep changing ." this highlights the vulnerability of the working class in those times, something that was socially acceptable., mrs birling’s snobbery develops to a point later in the play when she calls eva a “ girl of that sort. ” she represents the ignorant, older generation who still cling on to the class system that put them in then position they were in., mrs birling also refers to eva saying " girls of that class " - the determiner " that " really highlights how she sees the working classes as being fundamentally different to her., mr birling is keen to be knighted to cement his hard-fought rise to the upper class., birling, like a lot of the upper classes, simply uses eva smith as cheap labour - shei la argues against this recognising that there is more to eva than just her class - " but they're not cheap labour, they're people .", sheila used her position as some from the upper classes when she became jealous of eva's good looks and had her fired from milwards ., gerald is prepared to marry sheila , beca use she was of a similar class to him; eva, however, was of a much lower class than gerald and so he used her when he wanted to and then discarded her when he was done., eric is awkward about his " public-school-and-varsity " life, and , like sheila he has been " spoilt " by his parents to the extent that he has never grown up. in the end, eva patronises him for being childish because he has been so protected by his class that he has never grown up ., mrs birling was disgusted that someone socially inferior to her used her name and used this as a reason to pun ish someone she was prejudiced against ..
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An Inspector Calls
J. b. priestley.
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Welcome to the LitCharts study guide on J. B. Priestley's An Inspector Calls . Created by the original team behind SparkNotes, LitCharts are the world's best literature guides.
An Inspector Calls: Introduction
An inspector calls: plot summary, an inspector calls: detailed summary & analysis, an inspector calls: themes, an inspector calls: quotes, an inspector calls: characters, an inspector calls: symbols, an inspector calls: theme wheel, brief biography of j. b. priestley.
Historical Context of An Inspector Calls
Other books related to an inspector calls.
- Full Title: An Inspector Calls
- When Written: 1945
- Where Written: England
- When Published: 1945 (play premiered in Soviet Union)
- Literary Period: mid-20th century British drama, social realism
- Genre: Mystery drama
- Setting: 1912; a comfortable home in Brumley, England
- Climax: Gerald returns to the Birling home after Goole has left, to report that the Inspector wasn’t actually a real inspector, and to hypothesize that the whole thing was a hoax—that there was no single girl that all of the Birlings had offended, and no suicide that they precipitated.
Extra Credit for An Inspector Calls
Ghoulish Goole. Many interpretations of the text consider the Inspector’s ghostly name to be symbolic of the mystery that surrounds his character.
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“An Inspector Calls”: Theme of Social Responsibility Essay
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Introduction
“An inspector calls” is one of the plays produced immediately after the end of the Second World War in 1946. During this period, most scholars and human activists were majorly concerned with the welfare of the less privileged individuals within society (Priestly et al., 1992).
The poor individuals in the United Kingdom did not have people who could fight and address their grievances, leading to most leaving a low-quality life. Priestly wanted to address the issue of classism and how poor individuals can be empowered to climb up the social ladder. He advocates for successful individuals to help poor individuals to live a quality life in the community (Priestly et al., 1992).
Priestly also encourages that it is an individual’s responsibility to ensure that those close to them are safe and always available for each other when need be. This paper strives to highlight how Priestly has portrayed the theme of responsibility in different scenarios within the play.
Good neighborliness is when one cares about the well-being of those who are around them when things seem not to be okay on their side. One of the major points where Priestly portrays the theme of social responsibility is whereby Sheila feels a sense of duty when she realizes that she has a role to play in the death of Eva Smith. She tells Gerald to stop looking at her angrily since he also has once been involved in circumstances that are shameful (Priestly et al., 1992).
Sheila finally admits and agrees to be held culpable for her actions and talks out the truth. However, Gerald is also blaming her for various faults while he has declined to take responsibility for his actions that also contributed to the demise of Eva Smith (Priestly et al., 1992) . The target audience can learn the importance of taking responsibility for various aspects and how their actions may impact the well-being of other individuals.
When one lives a responsible lifestyle, members of the community will not be worried much about them compared to those who are careless with their lives. Priestley also explores the theme of social duty when Mr. Birling fails to take responsibility for various actions that led to Eva Smith’s death. His sentiments suggest that everyone should be held responsible for their own life and well-being (Priestly et al., 1992).
Individuals who take the responsibility of taking care of others mostly land into awkward situations in case an unlikely event with a devastating effect occurs to the individuals. Dr. Priestley strives to encourage the target audience to ensure utmost self-care and responsibility to maintain a good relationship with others within the community since there will be no unnecessary blames.
Putting one in an individual’s shoes is one of the major ways of understanding other people’s struggles. In the play, some of the characters also display social responsibility in some instances. For example, Erick feels socially responsible for some of his actions in the final parts of the play (Priestly et al., 1992). This indicates that Erick possesses some sense of social responsibility to ensure that other individuals within the society are always safe.
Erick’s mother and Gerald have withdrawn from being involved in Eva Smith’s incident, but he still insists that something could have been done to salvage Eva Smith’s actions that cost her life (Priestly et al., 1992). He takes Eva Smith’s Matter very seriously and even urges her mother to be responsible for the unfortunate occurrence too. The reader can learn that nobody can understand other people’s struggles unless they go through the same experience.
Responding quickly to other individuals’ struggles is also a major aspect of ensuring effective social responsibility and good neighborliness. Mrs. Birling, who is a close individual to Eva Smith as well, also elaborates on the theme of social responsibility when she fails to take control over the events that contributed to the death of Eva Smith. Even after being questioned by the inspector and the inspector elaborating that she had a responsibility to undertake during the process, Sybil Birling still does not want to take the responsibility. This can be seen when he negatively remarks on Erick’s sentiments by saying that he is ashamed of him (Priestly et al., 1992).
Telling Erick that she is ashamed of him indicates that she does not care about the inspector’s investigation and the impact the investigations have on other members close to Eva Smith (Priestly et al., 1992). This context enables the reader to stop being greedy and self-centered individuals and instead act responsibly when dealing with other individuals in the community.
In conclusion, responsibility is considered one of the most significant social characteristics since it enables individuals to care for other people. Human beings have universal rights, ensuring that no individual is subjected to circumstances against human rights.
Priestly also highlights how individuals in higher positions and social class should effectively use their influence by positively impacting community members. One should always adhere to the principle of supreme morality when dealing with fellow human beings. The target audience can understand that social responsibility begins with good and productive neighborliness.
Priestly, J. B., John Braine Priestly, & Bezant, T. (1992). An inspector calls . Heinemann.
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Bibliography
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An Inspector Calls
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Notes || Exam Prep || Character Profiles || Themes || Additional Reading & Videos
This topic is included in Paper 2 . You can find notes and guides for it below.
- Overview and Key Scenes
- Glossary of Key Terms
- Definitions Flashcards
- Guide to Paper 2
- How to plan and write a top mark essay
- Question Bank - Characters
- Question Bank - Relationships
- Question Bank - Themes
Additional Reading & Videos
- An Inspector Calls (2017 film version)
Character Profiles
- Eric Birling
- Gerald Croft
- Mrs Birling
- Sheila Birling
- The Inspector
- Capitalism vs Socialism
- Exploitation
- Generations Young vs Old
- Social Class
- Social Responsibility
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An Inspector Calls Essay Plan (Sentence Starters)
Subject: English
Age range: 14-16
Resource type: Other
Last updated
21 September 2024
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Full framework for any essay on Priestley’s An Inspector Calls . It is based on having to answer either a thematic or character question [no extract] where a variety of quotations need to be referenced.
Essay structure includes:
- Introduction
- 3 chunky analytical paragraphs
There are also some keywords listed underneath the introduction, to be used in it or throughout the essay. Context specific keywords already embedded in the sentence starters so students don’t forget to include.
Easy to edit should you need, but these are lifesavers for my students. Great for revision , or for when first teaching students model essay structure , so they can use as reference materials in their books. For students who prefer a ‘formula’ to follow, I encourage them to memorise sentence starters to use as a ‘checklist’ when writing their paragraphs, so they know if they’re ‘writing enough’.
I have these available for other texts and questions, so please take a look. =)
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AQA Literature Paper 2 Essay Plans (Sentence Starters) Pack
Essay Plans/Sentence Starters Pack for ALL Sections of the AQA Literature Paper 2 Based on the following texts: * Modern play - *An Inspector Calls* * Poetry Anthology [can be used for any cluster] * Unseen Poetry {24 + 8 marker questions] Can purchase separately or altogether for discounted price.
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The Inspector is used as a figure of morality; he is there to make the family realise that they have an easy life resting upon the hard and difficult work of the lower class. As JB Priestley was a socialist and a founder of the Socialist Commonwealth Party, he wanted to see the collapse of the class system. The Inspector tries to make the other ...
This is an exemplar An Inspector Calls essay - Grade 9 GCSE standard - based upon the AQA English Literature June 2018 exam question. The essay analyses the importance of social class in the play. The An Inspector Calls essay has been well structured and would achieve full marks - the equivalent of a Grade 9.
'An Inspector Calls' was set in 1912, a time in which society was divided by not only gender but by social class. Priestley wants the middle and upper classes to transform from abusing their power to dominate and exploit the working class to instead being more responsible for their actions and treating people more sympathetically .
Changing Character Attitudes to Hierachy. 1. Social Class Theme Notes. In An Inspector Calls, the cast of the play does not include any lower class characters (apart from Edna The Maid - the name 'The Maid' emphasises the distinction between the upper and lower class). We see only the rich, upwardly mobile Birlings and the upper class Gerald Croft.
In An Inspector Calls, Priestley explores the importance of social class by emphasizing the precarious social position of the Birlings, who have recently become rich and are attempting to buy ...
Instead, he tries hard to do everything he can to prove that Inspector Goole was fake and that he and the Birlings were completely innocent. In _An Inspector Calls_, J.B. Priestley focuses on the different social classes and how they experience life differently. The play focuses on upper-class characters: the only lower-class characters are Eva ...
Studying 'An Inspector Calls'? Dr Aidan, PhD, analyses the theme of 'social class' in J. B. Priestley's An Inspector Calls, along with key quotes and in-dept...
This free An Inspector Calls (AQA) English Literature essay explores how J B Priestley explores the importance of social class in the play. This GCSE An Inspector Calls essay is based upon the AQA English Literature exam format. This An Inspector Calls essay is a top band, Grade 9 response, linked to the June 2018 AQA exam.
EXAMPLE INTRO: Responsibility is a very important theme in An Inspector Calls, as the Inspector reveals one by one that all the Birling family are partly responsible for Eva's death. Eva represents the lower classes, and Priestley uses the tragic ending of her character to spread his message about social responsibility, a message which is ...
This is an example of a high grade A* / L9 essay for 'An Inspector Calls'. It was completed by myself, not in timed conditions, to set an example for high achieving students, so it is beyond the requirement of a high grade for GCSE. However, students are encouraged to read it and deconstruct it to get ideas for their own essays and ...
Gerald Croft has the highest social standing at the table (as a man, and a member of the aristocracy) but Mr Birling clearly hopes that Gerald's marriage to Sheila will raise the social standing of the whole family. Although Birling lectures him, there is a real sense that he's desperate to be liked by Gerald as well - the bit where he privately talks about his knighthood is a great example
Summary: J. B. Priestley's play "An Inspector Calls" delves into themes of social responsibility and socialism by examining the interconnectedness of society and the impact of individual actions ...
The first way Priestley explores the theme of social responsibility is by using the characters as vessels, and the Inspector as a 'mouthpiece' of his socialist views, to transport his moral message to the audience and readers. Priestley introduces the Inspector as someone who "creates an impression of solidarity, massiveness and ...
Sheila uses the metaphor 'not to build a wall'. She is trying to tell her mother not to stop the Inspector's inquiries, but Sybil Birling does not understand and she is annoyed. She is also rude to the Inspector, saying that his comments are 'a trifle impertinent'. The word 'impertinent' shows how her attitude to others is a ...
Key Facts about An Inspector Calls. Full Title: An Inspector Calls. When Written: 1945. Where Written: England. When Published: 1945 (play premiered in Soviet Union) Literary Period: mid-20th century British drama, social realism. Genre: Mystery drama. Setting: 1912; a comfortable home in Brumley, England. Climax: Gerald returns to the Birling ...
Introduction. "An inspector calls" is one of the plays produced immediately after the end of the Second World War in 1946. During this period, most scholars and human activists were majorly concerned with the welfare of the less privileged individuals within society (Priestly et al., 1992). Get a custom essay on "An Inspector Calls ...
Chartered English Teacher of over 13 years. | Experienced Tutor and Examiner. £40 / hour. Qualified Teacher. Examiner. SEND. Graduate. Book Tutor. This topic is included in Paper 2. You can find notes and guides for it below.
Full framework for any essay on Priestley's An Inspector Calls. It is based on having to answer either a thematic or character question [no extract] where a variety of quotations need to be referenced. Essay structure includes: Introduction; 3 chunky analytical paragraphs; Conclusion
Social class is very important in an inspector calls as its influence can be seen throughout the criminal play. Priestley presents social class by using different characters. These characters are made up by priestley to convey his ideas and views. At the beginning of the play (act 1) the stage directions indicate the various social classes of ...
English as a Second Language (Speaking Endorsement) Past Papers. Edexcel. English Language A. Paper 1 (Non-fiction Texts and Transactional Writing) Paper 2 (Poetry and Prose Texts and Imaginative Writing) Paper 3 (Coursework) English Language B.