An Inspector Calls J.B.Priestley

1. An Inspector CallsJ.B.Priestley LO: To be able to develop your understanding of character so that you can make evaluative comments with detailed textual evidence

2. Birling: (solemnly) But this is the point. I don’t want to lecture you two young fellows again. But what so many of you don’t seem to understand now, when things are so much easier, is that a man has to make his won way – has to look after himself – and his family too, of course, when he has one – and so long as he does that he won’t come to much harm. But the way some of these cranks talk and write now, you’d think everybody has to look after everybody else, as if we were all mixed up together like bees in a hive – community and all that nonsense. But take my word for it, you youngsters – and I’ve learnt in the good hard school of experience – that a man has to mind his own business and look after himself and his own – and – (We hear the sharp ring of a front door bell. Birling stops to listen.) Task: Mr Birling LO: To be able to develop your understanding of character so that you can make evaluative comments with detailed textual evidence

3. Questions: • What does Mr Birling believe in? Capitalism or Socialism? • What evidence is there in the extract to suggest he believes this? Highlight/Underline. • How do you think a modern day audience feel about Mr Birling and his beliefs? • How do you think a 1940s audience would have felt about the character of Mr Birling and his beliefs? Why? • How do you think the following (contemporary) people would have felt about Mr Birling and his beliefs; Why? : • Working class audience living at the same time as Birling. • Middle class audience living at the same time as Birling. • Upper class audience living at the same time as Birling. Write your answers around your extract. LO: To be able to develop your understanding of character so that you can make evaluative comments with detailed textual evidence

4. 1. Mr Birling believes in……………………. 5. A lower class audience would feel… • Birling: (solemnly) But this is the point. I don’t want to lecture you two young fellows again. But what so many of you don’t seem to understand now, when things are so much easier, is that a man has to make his won way – has to look after himself – and his family too, of course, when he has one – and so long as he does that he won’t come to much harm. But the way some of these cranks talk and write now, you’d think everybody has to look after everybody else, as if we were all mixed up together like bees in a hive – community and all that nonsense. But take my word for it, you youngsters – and I’ve learnt in the good hard school of experience – that a man has to mind his own business and look after himself and his own – and – • (We hear the sharp ring of a front door bell. Birling stops to listen.) 5. A middle class audience would feel… 2. We know this because he says….. 5. A higher class audience would feel… 3. A modern audience would feel….. 4. A 1940s audience would feel….

5. Inspector Goole Read from page 10- bottom page 13. LO: To be able to develop your understanding of character so that you can make evaluative comments with detailed textual evidence

6. Birling’s status and position in society • 1. When Edna announces that there is a ‘police Inspector’ at the door, Birling uses the opportunity to boast, to Gerald, about one of his positions in society: ‘I’m still on the Bench.’ Given the class tensions of the period, Birling is acutely aware of the difference in class and status between himself and the Crofts and he therefore takes every chance to impress Gerald with his titles and positions – in this case as a magistrate of the courts. • 2. Birling welcomes the Inspector and offers him a drink, which the Inspector refuses. Birling therefore realises that the Inspector is not like the other ‘Brumley police officers’ and, as he is ‘new’, Birling feels compelled to give the Inspector an idea of his standing in Brumley. He refers to his positions as ‘alderman’ and ‘Lord Mayor’ and again refers to his position as a magistrate ‘ …on the Bench – ’. Birling seems keen to emphasise his status as a responsible and trustworthy member of society as all of these positions are linked to official and legal roles within the community of Brumley. However, and as we are aware, Birling’s earlier speeches about community and responsibility suggest that Birling is really referring to these positions in order to highlight his position of power to the Inspector – perhaps almost a veiled threat?

7. What belief does Priestley use the Inspector to represent? CAPITALISM? SOCIALISM? or How does the timing of the Inspector’s arrival suggest that Priestley is using him to represent this particular view? LO: To be able to develop your understanding of character so that you can make evaluative comments with detailed textual evidence

8. Read the above extract. Highlight any words that tell us something about the Inspector. The Inspector need not be a big man but he creates at oncean impression of massiveness, solidity andpurposefulness. He is a man in his fifties, dressed in a plain darkish suit of the period. He speaks carefully, weightily and has a disconcerting habit of looking hard at the person he addresses before actually speaking. First Impressions: Inspector Goole LO: To be able to develop your understanding of character so that you can make evaluative comments with detailed textual evidence

9. The Inspector need not be a big man but he creates at once an impression of massiveness, solidity and purposefulness. He is a man in his fifties, dressed in a plain darkish suit of the period. He speaks carefully, weightily and has a disconcerting habit of looking hard at the person he addresses before actually speaking.

10. The Inspector is portrayed by Priestley as an intimidating man. We see this when Priestley describes the Inspector as having an air of ‘purposefulness.’ and ‘has a disconcerting habit of looking hard at the person he addresses.’ These quotes suggest that the Inspector has entered the scene with a determined and firm attitude, suggesting he will not take any prisoners. The idea of the Inspector being daunting is seen in the word ‘disconcerting’ which suggests that the Inspector is aiming to unsettle the Birling family in an attempt to ensure they tell the truth. These quotes thus show us how Priestley portrays the Inspector as a character who is designed to make them feel uncomfortable and question themselves, linking to the Priestley’s political agenda which is designed to highlight the flaws of the capitalist society. PEEDL LO: To be able to develop your understanding of character so that you can make evaluative comments with detailed textual evidence

11. Extract question- May 2011. Foundation paper. Pgs 13-15 11. An Inspector Calls Answer both parts of (a) and either part (b) or part (c). You are advised to spend about 20 minutes on part (a), and about 40 minutes on part (b) or part (c). Read the extract on the opposite page, then answer the following questions: (i) What do you think of the way Mr. Birling speaks and behaves here? Give reasons for what you say. [5] (ii) What do you think of the way the Inspector speaks and behaves here? Give reasons for what you say. [5] LO: To be able to develop your understanding of character so that you can make evaluative comments with detailed textual evidence

12. INSPECTOR I think you remember Eva Smith now, don’t you, Mr Birling? BIRLING Yes, I do. She was one of my employees and then I discharged her. ERIC Is that why she committed suicide? When was this, Father? BIRLING Just keep quiet, Eric, and don’t get excited. This girl left us nearly two years ago. Let me see – it must have been in the early autumn of nineteen-ten. INSPECTOR Yes. End of September, nineteen-ten. BIRLING That’s right. GERALD Look here, sir. Wouldn’t you rather I was out of this? BIRLING I don’t mind your being here, Gerald. And I’m sure you’ve no objection, have you, Inspector? Perhaps I ought to explain first that this is Mr Gerald Croft – the son of Sir George Croft – you know, Crofts Limited. INSPECTOR Mr Gerald Croft, eh? BIRLING Yes. Incidentally we’ve been modestly celebrating his engagement to my daughter, Sheila. LO: To be able to develop your understanding of character so that you can make evaluative comments with detailed textual evidence

13. INSPECTOR I see. Mr Croft is going to marry Miss Sheila Birling? GERALD (smiling) I hope so. INSPECTOR (gravely) Then I’d prefer you to stay. GERALD (surprised) Oh – all right. BIRLING (somewhat impatiently) Look – there’s nothing mysterious – or scandalous – about this business – at least not so far as I’m concerned. It’s a perfectly straightforward case, and as it happened more than eighteen months ago – nearly two years ago –obviously it has nothing whatever to do with the wretched girl’s suicide. Eh,Inspector? INSPECTOR No, sir. I can’t agree with you there. BIRLING Why not? INSPECTOR Because what happened to her then may have determined what happened to her afterwards, and what happened to her afterwards may have driven her to suicide. A chain of events. BIRLING Oh well – put like that, there’s something in what you say. Still, I can’t accept any responsibility. If we were all responsible for everything that happened to everybody we’d had anything to do with, it would be very awkward, wouldn’t it? INSPECTOR Very awkward. LO: To be able to develop your understanding of character so that you can make evaluative comments with detailed textual evidence

14. BIRLING We’d all be in an impossible position wouldn’t we? ERIC By Jove, yes. And as you were saying, Dad, a man has to look after himself–– BIRLING Yes, well, we needn’t go into all that. INSPECTOR Go into what? BIRLING Oh – just before you came – I’d been giving these young men a little good advice. Now – about this girl, Eva Smith. I remember her quite well now. She was a lively good-looking girl – country-bred, I fancy – and she’d been working in one of our machine shops for over a year. A good worker too. In fact, the foreman there told me he was ready to promote her into what we call a leading operator – head of a small group of girls. But after they came back from their holidays that August, they were all rather restless, and they suddenly decided to ask for more money. They were averaging about twenty-two and six, which was neither more nor less than is paid generally in our industry. They wanted the rates raised so that they could average about twenty-five shillings a week. I refused, of course. INSPECTOR Why? BIRLING (surprised) Did you say ‘Why?’? INSPECTOR Yes. Why did you refuse? BIRLING Well, Inspector, I don’t see that it’s any concern of yours how I choose to run my business. Is it now? INSPECTOR It might be, you know. BIRLING I don’t like that tone. LO: To be able to develop your understanding of character so that you can make evaluative comments with detailed textual evidence

15. Act One • Objective: To understand the chain of events that leads to the death of Eva Smith as portrayed in act one • TASK: Reading- catch up with our reading pages 1-15

16. Read to the end of Act One.

17. Eva Smith is dead at the start of the play – but she is still a key character. What do we learn about her from the testimonies of Mr Birling and then Sheila in Act One? Make a separate character page for Eva Smith. Eva Smith LO: To be able to develop your understanding of character so that you can make evaluative comments with detailed textual evidence

18. Timeline of events Inspector Goole reveals a detailed timeline of Eva Smith’s life leading up to the spring evening in 1912 when the play takes place. Compile the timeline in your books Read pages 21-26. As we read add quotes to your character grids. LO: To be able to develop your understanding of character so that you can make evaluative comments with detailed textual evidence

19. Homework: What do we learn about Arthur Birling in Act 1? How is the character of Arthur Birling presented in Act 1? Think about: His views and opinions. His treatment of Eva Smith. His interactions with the Inspector. LO: To be able to develop your understanding of character so that you can make evaluative comments with detailed textual evidence

20. How does JB Priestley present ‘Arthur Birling’ in Act One? • Write about the impression created by: • Birling’s initial appearance • What he says during the engagement party (his views and opinions) • His treatment of Eva Smith • His interactions with the Inspector • His behaviour and speeches after the Inspector calls • Focus on how Priestley controls the audience’s reactions to Birling Homework: What do we learn about Arthur Birling in Act 1? LO: To be able to develop your understanding of character so that you can make evaluative comments with detailed textual evidence

21. Homework- Act 1