An Inspector Calls by J B Priestley

1. An Inspector Calls by J B Priestley

2. Learning Objectives: • Understand the exam requirements • know the premise of the story, and understand some facts about the social and historical context

3. Paper 2: Modern texts and poetry What's assessed: •Modern texts • Poetry • Unseen poetry How it's assessed: •written exam: 2 hour 15 minutes •96 marks •60% of GCSE Questions Section A Modern texts: students will answer one essay question from a choice of two on their studied modern prose or drama text.

4. Reading comprehension and reading critically • Literal and inferential comprehension: understanding words, phrases or sentences in context; exploring plot, characterisation, events & settings; distinguishing between explicit & implied meanings; explaining motivation, sequence of events & the relationship between actions or events •Critical reading: identifying themes; supporting a POV by referring to evidence; recognising the possibility of & evaluating different responses to a text; understanding writers’ social, historical & cultural contexts; making an informed personal response. • Evaluation of a writer’s choice of vocabulary, grammatical & structural features: analysing & evaluating how language, structure, form & presentation contribute to quality & impact; using linguistic & literary terminology for evaluation Writing • producing clear & coherent writing ; commenting effectively about literature for a range of purposes suchas: to, analyse & evaluate; discussing & maintaining a POV; selecting & emphasising key points; using relevant quotation & using detailed textual references • Accurate Standard English: accurate SPaG

5. How your work will be assessed: • Level 6 Convincing, critical analysis and exploration 26–30 marks • Level 5 Thoughtful, developed consideration 21–25 marks • Level 4 Clear understanding 16–20 marks • Level 3 Explained, structured comments 11–15 marks • Level 2 Supported, relevant comments 6–10 marks • Level 1 Simple, explicit comments 1–5 marks

6. Modern Dilemma • Who is to blame for the girl’s death?

7. J B Priestley

8. Biography • Born 13th September 1894 died 14th August 1984. • Mother died in the year he was born. • Left school at 16 ‘to write’ and began work in 1910 as a junior clerk at a wool firm. • Priestley stated that it was the period 1911-1914 that ‘set their stamp upon me’ (the time before the first world war).

9. Biography • Priestley surrounded himself with ‘people who read a great deal, cared a lot for the arts and preferred real talk and hot argument to social chit chat’. • He found himself having political discussions with his father’s socialist friends.

10. Socialism What is socialism?

11. Socialist principles “The establishment of a system of society based upon the common ownership and democratic control of the means and instruments for producing and distributing wealth by and in the interest of the whole community.” The Socialist party of Great Britain.

12. Back to Priestley… • World war one broke out in 1914. • Priestley joined the infantry at age 20. • He left the army in 1919 after seeing active front line service in France. • He narrowly escaped being killed when a German shell exploded near him and was the victim of a gas attack. • His experiences in the war affected his writing; “I was lucky in that war and never ceased to be aware of the fact.”

13. After the war… • Priestley took a degree in Modern History and Political Science at Cambridge University. • In 1921 he completed his degree, married and left for London with his wife. • He began his writing career with essays and achieved success with novels and plays

14. His work • With the outbreak of WW2 in1939, Priestley continued writing and worked for BBC radio. However, his programmes were cancelled by the British Government for being too critical of their actions in the war. • The play, An Inspector Calls was written in 1945.

15. An Inspector Calls • Was set in 1912 (before WW1) and first performed in London in 1946. • A thriller, An Inspector Calls has been running in theatres ever since….

16. The Theatre • Before WW2 theatres were very popular. • Since the introduction of cinemas, theatres had been competing with musicals with lavish sets, costumes and budgets. • With the coming of WW2, theatres opened and closed erratically due to air raids. • Performances were relocated to the North or the Midlands. • By 1944 the Old Vic Theatre Company had returned to London and the play was first staged in 1946.

17. What can you tell about the play from the book covers? The Play itself…

18. The Play itself… • A straightforward detective thriller……....or is it?

19. Trailers • https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bWvwdxJeYCc • https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=inspector+calls+trailer+&safe=active • https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c2Ff4t2HuAE

20. Social and Historical Context • What effect did poverty have on children’s weight and height? • Why did only 25% of 3rd class passengers get saved (as compared to 62.46% of the 1st class passengers)?

21. Learning Objective: Understanding of Act 1 (characters, dramatic techniques, plot)

22. Staging the Play • Priestley leaves the director and actors much less room than usual to choose how to set the stage or act their roles – he does this by providing many and very clear stage directions. • Look at the opening stage directions and work out what Priestley seems to have wanted the audience to think about the Birling family before any words are spoken? • Such a setting evokes certain “cultural narratives” in the audience’s mind – narratives that Priestley knew would work in his favour to help make the play’s themes yet more persuasive. • Be sure to consider all stage directions as you revise.

23. What effects does Priestley create in Act 1 and why? Consider both plot and theme. • The reactions to the stage setting. • The Birling family celebrate Sheila’s engagement to Gerald. • A police inspector calls. • Mr Birling and Sheila are questioned.

24. What effects does Priestley create in Act 2 and why? Consider both plot and theme. • The Inspector questions Gerald. • Sheila breaks off her engagement to Gerald. • Mrs Birling is questioned. • Sheila and, eventually, the others realise that Eric is involved.

25. What effects does Priestley create in Act 3 and why? Consider both plot and theme. • Eric confesses his involvement in Eva’s death. • The inspector leaves after making a key speech about social responsibility. • Gerald raises doubts about the “inspector” and makes phone calls to the Chief Constable and local hospital. • Some lessons are learned; some are not. • The play closes with the telephone ringing. It’s the police; a girl has died and a police inspector is about to call…

26. Characters Key points to consider: • Character are created to have effects on the audience for two broad purposes – plot and theme. • Think about Priestley’s use s of the main characters at these two key levels.

27. Arthur Birling:‘hard-headed business man’ • ‘Portentous & rather provincial in his speech’ – given a northern accent. Consider Priestley’s use of accents – how might Gerald speak in comparison? How might Mrs. Birling and Sheila speak? And what about Eric? • What is the effect and purposes of this use of accents? Consider once again the idea of “cultural narratives” and how these can be invoked just by the way a person speaks. • Birling wants: ‘lower costs and higher prices’ and thinks ‘there isn’t a chance of war’. How is Priestley creating effects on the audience and why. Think – as always – in terms of bothplot and themes?

28. Arthur Birling • Thinks every man should ‘look after himself and his own’ • ‘not the kind of father a chap could go to’ – Gerald

29. Arthur Birling • Sacks ‘Eva Smith’ because she helped lead a strike at Birling’s factory. Thinks she had ‘far too much to say’ • Attempts to assert power over the Inspector by name dropping: he and the Chief Constable ‘play golf together’ • A character who Priestley ensures never changes in significant ways: he learns nothing from the Inspector’s actions: ‘I only did what any employer might have done.’

30. Gerald Croft • An aristocrat – a member of the “landed gentry”. The son of Sir George and Lady Croft – ‘Croft’s Limited is both older and larger than Birling and Company’ • Has an affair with Daisy: ‘wonderful Fairy Prince’; but the Inspector says, ‘at least he had some affection for her’ • Is genuinely shocked at her death • Doesn’t seem to learn from the Inspector’s visit: ‘We’ve been had’ – but if he marries Sheila?

31. Mrs Sybil Birling • Created to be an arrogant and controlling woman who speaks ill of both the Inspector and “Eva”: “girls of that class.” • Lacks understanding of even her own children, ‘[Eric]’s only a boy’ • Chairs a charitable committee but fails to understand the distress of “Eva/Daisy” and refuses to help her. • Sees no reason to share responsibility: “[S]he had only herself to blame.”

32. Miss Sheila Birling • Is responsible for Eva losing her job; uses her ‘power’ ‘to punish the girl’ • Shows shock and distress on learning of Eva’s death: ‘Oh, horrible, horrible!’ • Recognises her responsibilities: ‘...I’m to blame – and I’m desperately sorry’ • Created as character who develops and changes as the action of the play progresses: “[W]e really must stop these silly pretences... at least you’ve [Gerald] been honest.”

33. Eric Birling • Dominated by overpowering parents, probably drinking excessively to overcome feelings of inferiority: “squiffy”. • Meets Eva/Daisy in the “Palace Bar” and forcibly seduces her: “threatened to make a row”. • Used [Eva/Daisy] “as if she was an animal”. • Helps Eva/Daisy by stealing cash from his father’s business to help her out. • Created to be a character who changes and develops as the action of the play proceeds. He accepts responsibility for his actions and the results these produced: “[W]e all helped to kill her.”

34. Eva Smith/Daisy Renton Why is there no image of Eva Smith? • Young and “very pretty”. • “All she wanted was to talk – a little friendliness” • “very gallant” • Realised that Eric “didn’t love her” and refused to marry him. • Refused the offer of cash from Eric– created as a woman of honesty and dignity even though she suffered such degradation.

35. Inspector Goole • Far-sighted, “prophetic”. • Authoritative: “one line of inquiry at a time”. • “[P]ublic men have responsibilities as well as privileges” • Recognises the way a “chain of events” can lead to effects on others. • Wants the Birlings and Gerald – symbolising the upper and middle classes – to understand and take their share of responsibility or suffer “fire and blood and anguish” if society chooses revolution as predicted by Marx.

36. THEMES Consider the following themes. Can you link characters to each theme and explain how and why Priestley created them: • Social responsibility • Power • Social class • Men’s and women’s roles • Morality

37. Dramatic Devices • Dramatic ironyThis is created by the playwright when the audience is allowed to know more than a character on stage. It is a key device that creates engagement and suspense and tension. • SymbolismThe use of images or ideas (sometimes recurring as motifs) to develop deeper levels of meaning . • Questions and answersA device to engage the audience in the action of the play.

38. Dramatic Devices • Suspense and tensionThe use of a “plot” to create the desire in the audience to want to know “what will happen next”.\ • HyperboleThe use of acceptable exaggeration used for effect. • The “Secretive Photo” device. • “Coups de theatre”The use of a sudden turns of events.

39. Structure • Priestley carefully sequences the action of the play to build up suspense and tension and ends with a “coups de theatre”.

40. Read p10-18 Comprehension questions P10-18 How did the girl die? (P11) When did Eva Smith leave Mr Birling's firm? (P13) What did Eva Smith do that lead to her being sacked? 
(P14) How old was Eva Smith? (P18) On P14, Mr Birling says: " If we were all responsible for 
everything that happened to everybody we'd had 
anything to do with, it would be very awkward" What do you think? Do you agree with Mr Birling?
Why/why not?

42. The exam • The exam is 2 hours, 15 minutes long. • For section A, you have 45 minutes to answer a question on “An Inspector Calls”. • You will have a choice of two questions, but you must only do one.

43. Your task What do we learn about Gerald and Sheila’s relationship in Act 1 of “An Inspector Calls”? Using the notes and quotations you will have gathered today, you will be producing a written response to the question above.

44. An Inspector Calls – Sheila’s turn Sheila • Make a list of facts you know about Sheila from the play so far. • How do you feel about Sheila? Describe your impression. • How do you think the writer intends for the audience to receive Sheila? “Yes, go on, Mummy. You must drink our health.” p2 “(same tone as before) Yes, that’s what you say.” p3 “You’re squiffy.” p3 “(quiet and serious now) All right then. I drink to you, Gerald.” p5

45. An Inspector Calls – Gerald and Sheila Sheila • Make a list of facts you know about Sheila and Gerald’s relationship so far in the play. • Find a positive exchange that they have and describe how this is shown. • Find a more negative exchange that they have and describe how this is shown. Extension question • Why might the class difference between the characters be significant in the play?

46. Gerald and Sheila Think about: How does Sheila first talk? How does Sheila’s talk change through out the first act? How does Gerald respond to Sheila? How does Act One end? Why is this important to our understanding of their relationship? How has Priestley used language and structure for effect in this stage direction? She looks at him almost in triumph. He looks crushed. The door slowly opens and the Inspector appears, looking steadily and searchingly at them. p26

47. Your task What do we learn about Gerald and Sheila’s relationship in Act 1 of “An Inspector Calls”?

48. What should an essay plan look like? • Start with a mini mind map of all the ideas you want to include • Then organise your ideas into a list: make sure your ideas are in a logical order • List the quotations you intend to use (around 4 or 5). • You should now be ready to write 

49. Exploring Language Use How does this quotation show that Sheila is angry? “Were you seeing her last spring and summer during that time when you hardly came near me and said you were so busy? Were you?” How does this quotation show that Gerald is not really sorry? “I’m sorry Sheila. But it was all over and done with last summer”

50. How your work will be assessed: • Level 6 Convincing, critical analysis and exploration 26–30 marks • Level 5 Thoughtful, developed consideration 21–25 marks • Level 4 Clear understanding 16–20 marks • Level 3 Explained, structured comments 11–15 marks • Level 2 Supported, relevant comments 6–10 marks • Level 1 Simple, explicit comments 1–5 marks