An Inspector Calls by J B Priestley Who

An Inspector Calls by J. B Priestley

Who was J. B Priestley? John Boyton Priestley was born in Bradford, Yorkshire in 1894 to a Victorian family. Sadly, his mother died the same year and his father remarried when he was a toddler. Priestley decided that he wanted to work rather than to go to university. He wanted to become a writer and he believed working and seeing how the world worked would inspire him. He became a junior clerk at a local wool firm. Unfortunately, it was during this time that WW 1 was declared and as a young and healthy man it was his duty to fight. In the trenches Priestley experienced horrifying and traumatic experiences. On one occasion he narrowly escaped being killed when a German shell exploded a few metres from him. He was also a victim of a gas attack. After surviving the war Priestley decided to go to Cambridge University to study History and Politics. But, Priestley did not enjoy being a student and left in 1921 to become a writer in London with his new wife. For the next decade Priestley became very successful in his writing and received some very positive reviews for his novels and plays. Many of his plays had political messages because Priestley was a socialist; he understood that people’s actions have an effect on other people and as a socialist Priestley believed that we must care for one another and be considerate to all people of all walks of life. WW 2 broke out in 1939 and the major cities of Britain were bombed. People began to realise that to survive they had to look out for one another and to care for not just family and friends but neighbours and strangers. It was during this difficult time that Priestley wrote An Inspector Calls. In 1945, the year that the war ended, the play was published and a production was put on. Priestley lived long past the war and passed away in 1984. Because we understand that we are responsible for one another the play is still enjoyable and relevant today.

1901 - Queen Victoria died. King Edward VII, her son, became king. The era changed from the Victorian era and became the Edwardian era. Context April 15 th 1912 the Titanic sank. Approximately 1, 500 people died. 1910 - King Edward VII died and his son, King George v, took the throne. Spring 1912 - The play is set two weeks before the Titanic sank and two years before WW 1 broke out. During this period there was a very strict social hierarchy where the rich and the poor were divided. The rich generally did not care about the poor. The capitalists took charge of the country; there was no welfare system so this was a laissez-faire society. 1918 - Germany surrenders and WW 1 ends. Approximately 8 million lost their lives. 1914 WW 1 broke out. During WW 1 no matter how rich or poor young men were they were forced to conscript to the armed forces and fight the Germans. What do you suppose the implication would be for the characters in the play? 1930 s- America is bankrupted which effects the rest of the world. It was named the Great Depression. Adolf Hitler becomes the Fuhrer (dictator) of Germany. 1920 s- A time of prosperity. 1939 - WW 2 broke out. 1918 - Women were given the vote and although men were still considered the superior gender this was a monumental step for women’s rights. 1916 - Priestley served during WW 1 and was wounded in 1916 by mortar fire. His experiences during the war, like so many other soldiers, changed his perception of society. 1945 Germany surrenders and WW 2 ends. 60 million people were killed including Holocaust victims, soldiers and civilians. This was 2. 5% of the world’s population. 1945 - ‘An Inspector Calls’ was published during a time when Britain was in great disorder. People had learnt to ‘pull together’ during this time they had to take care of one another and this is an important moral message in the play.

Terms to remember about the context of the play During the Victorian and Edwardian periods Britain was a laissez-faire society. This meant that there were no amenities available for the poor and the government did not interfere with people’s lives even if they were struggling to survive. If a person had a debt they could not pay they would go to debtor's prison there were no debt management organisations to help. Working class children often worked and did dangerous jobs such as chimney sweeping and cleaning out machinery in factories. Rows upon rows of terraced houses were built and often several families shared a couple of rooms between them. If a person was struggling to shelter, feed or care for themselves they could voluntarily go to a workhouse. The workhouses were horrendous places to live and many died there. Life in a workhouse was intended to be harsh, to deter the able-bodied poor and to ensure that only the truly destitute would apply. People were offered shelter –often a room with only straw or a small bed and a bucket for sanitation –and in exchange they had to work there. No help was provided for the poor and destitute and many people preferred being homeless than to be sent to a debtor’s prison or to go to a workhouse. It is suggested in the play that Eva Smith, when she loses her second job at the department store, goes to alehouses presumably because she is considering prostituting herself. Neither Gerald or Eric pay to have sexual intercourse with Eva which suggests that she has stood by her morals. When Mrs Birling refuses to give Eva welfare she kills herself rather than going to a workhouse voluntarily which shows how horrendous they were. During the Edwardian period a welfare system began to emerge. A welfare system is a concept of government in which the state plays a key role in the protection and promotion of the economic and social well-being of its citizens. The government realised that the working class were struggling to care for themselves and they began to think about how they could make their lives better. However, it took a long time for the welfare system to fully form and it was not until around the time that WW 2 broke out –when Priestley was writing –that the welfare system took shape. Priestley was a Socialist. During the 1930 s Priestley became very concerned about the consequences of social inequality in Britain, and in 1942 Priestley and others set up a new political party, the Common Wealth Party, which argued for public ownership of land, greater democracy, and a new 'morality' in politics. The party merged with the Labour Party in 1945, but Priestley was influential in developing the idea of the Welfare State which began to be put into place at the end of the war.

Social Hierarchy Social hierarchy is the way that society is ordered. Everybody fits into divided layers. Which layer a person fits depends on the family they are born into and the amount of money they earn or receive. The Birling family are upper class; they own a number of factories so are very wealthy but they were not born into money like the aristocratic class. Mr and Mrs Birling are keen for Sheila to marry Gerald because she would be marrying above her class. The royal family (kings and queens) Aristocracy (lords and ladies) Upper class Middle class Working class This is the class of people that Gerald’s family is from (his mother is referred to as Lady Croft) and Mrs Birling (who is noted as Mr Birling’s social superior. ) Mr Birling is keen to be knighted because he would automatically be moved up the social hierarchy into this higher class of people. Eva Smith is part of the ‘disposable’ working class and is at the bottom of the social hierarchy. The Birlings and Gerald treat Eva as disposable because she has no social status and they don’t realise how they effect her life.

The chain of events Mr Birling sacks Eva Smith Sheila has Eva fired from the department store Gerald takes Eva as his mistress Eric treats Eva like an object and she becomes pregnant Mrs Birling refuses to give Eva refuge “Inspector: what happened to her then may have determined what happened to her afterwards, and what happened afterwards may have driven her to suicide. A chain of events. ” Which family member is most to blame for Eva Smith’s suicide? Although some members of the family are arguably more cruel to Eva than others they are all responsible for Eva’s suicide: • If Mr Birling had not sacked Eva she would not have had to get a job at the department store and Sheila would not have demanded she be fired from that job • If Sheila had not done this then Gerald would not have met her in a dingy bar and taken her as his mistress • If Gerald had not dropped Eva she would not have returned to the dingy bar and met Eric • If Eric had not treated Eva as a disposable object she would not have become pregnant and needed charity • If Mrs Birling had provided welfare for Eva she would not have felt so desperate and would not have taken her own life. Each member of the family are links in the chain of events which leads to Eva’s suicide. If one link had been broken Eva would not have killed herself. 1. 2. Eva commits suicide. 3. 4. 5. Is Mr Birling the most to blame? If he had not sacked Eva the chain of events would not have been set in motion. Eva was happiest when working in the department store, to what extent is Sheila to blame for Eva’s downfall? Gerald made Eva happy but dropped her without any financial means. Is he the most to blame? Eric arguably treats Eva the worst is he the most guilty? Mrs Birling is the final link in the chain before Eva committed suicide, to what extent is she the most responsible?

Tension Task write a short scene about what happens to the Birlings after the curtain falls. You should include: • A script format with stage directions. Tip: Your scene could follow on from the moment the curtain falls or it could be set a few (or many) years later.

Irony is a difficult thing to define but you can often identify it when it happens. An Inspector Calls features a lot of irony and there a few different types of irony in the play. Definition: 1. A form of humour in which someone says the opposite of what is obviously true 2. An absurd contradiction. Examples: 1. “The irony of it is that Jennie would have given John the money if he hadn’t stolen it!” 2. In the first Sex and the City movie the women are on holiday in Mexico and Charlotte refuses to eat the Mexican food in fear of having a bad stomach and will only eat American chocolate mousse. The irony of it is that the mousse gives her explosive diarrhoea and she poops herself! In An Inspector Calls often the audience knows something that some or all of the characters don’t know and this is called dramatic irony. • An example of this occurs at the end of Act one and the beginning of Act two when Gerald and Sheila have a private discussion. Gerald confessed to Sheila about his love affair with Eva Smith but asks her not to tell. This is an example of dramatic irony because the other characters are not aware of it but the audience is. • Mr Birling boasts that the Titanic is “unsinkable”, that the Germans don’t want a war and by 1940 there will be “peace and Prosperity”. The audience knows that these bold statements are untrue and these are other instances of dramatic irony.

Generational sandwich The characters react differently when they realise what they have done to Eva Smith. What is interesting is that the characters reactions vary depending on their age. The older generation: Mr and Mrs Birling don’t feel that they are guilty of a crime against Eva Smith. They feel that if they have not broken the law they are not guilty. The middle generation: Gerald Croft Gerald is in his thirties. He understands how he effected Eva Smith’s life and feels guilty to a certain extent about his actions. He is however relieved to find out that the Inspector is a fake and no longer feels as guilty. The younger generation: Sheila and Eric Birling Sheila and Eric have very strong emotional reactions when they realise what they have done to Eva Smith. They both feel guilt stricken even after the family discovers that the Inspector was a fraud. They understand that the family will never be the same again. The siblings understand that they have not broken any laws in harming Eva but, unlike the other generations, they know they have broken a moral duty. There is a difference between breaking the law and moral duty. Only the younger generation (Sheila and Eric) understand the difference.

Stage directions Lighting • Until the Inspector’s arrival, the lighting should be pink and intimate. After the doorbell rings and the Inspector enters the lighting becomes “brighter and harder” as the events of the play take their dramatic course and the mood progressively changes. • Why would Priestley want the light to dramatically change when the Inspector enters? The lighting helps to reinforce the initially rose-tinted mood of the family. When the lighting becomes bright like a spotlight this demonstrates that the Inspector is interrogating the family. Setting • The opening stage directions instruct the director how the set should look: “the dining-room of a fairly large suburban house, belonging to a prosperous manufacturer. It has good solid furniture of the period. The general effect is substantial and heavily comfortable, but not cosy and homelike. ” • What does this initial description of the Birling’s home suggest about the family? • A detailed, naturalistic setting would be necessary in order to set the tone of comfort, success and self-satisfaction required thereafter.

In the opening stage directions Mr Birling is described as a "heavy-looking, rather portentous man in his middle fifties but rather provincial in his speech. “ Portentous: self important and pompous Provincial: Where an individual’s life has an impact on what they say making them biased or narrow minded towards people from other cultures or classes. What does this preliminary description suggest about Mr Birling? Mr Birling is aware of people who are his social superiors like Gerald’s family. He is proud that he is likely to be knighted, as that would move him even higher in social circles. He claims the party "is one of the happiest nights of my life. " This is not only because Sheila will be happy, but because the marriage will help unify his business with the Croft’s and will help to elevate his family socially. Mr Birling At the end of the play Mr Birling will be duly punished for what he did to Eva Smith: he has lost the chance of his knighthood, his reputation in Brumley will be shattered and there will be no alliance between Birling and Co. and the Crofts. However, crucially, Mr Birling has not identified that he has broken a moral code and takes no responsibility for his part in Eva’s death. He has worked his way up the social hierarchy and is now influential and powerful in the town. Although he owns a large factory and has been mayor he does not advocate socialism. Task To what extent is Mr Birling the most to blame for Eva Smith’s suicide? In your answer you should include: The chain of events How he reacts as the tension builds.

Key quotes for Mr Birling “Birling: I say there isn’t a chance of war. ” “Birling: the Titanic –she sails next week –every luxury –and unsinkable. ” “Birling: let’s say, in 1940 –by that time you’ll be living in a world that’ll have forgotten all these Capital versus Labour agitations and all these silly little war scares. There’ll be peace and prosperity and rapid progress everywhere –except of course in Russia. ” “Birling: 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: If we were all responsible for everything that happened to everybody we’d had anything to do with, it would be very awkward. ” “Inspector: (massively) Public men, Mr Birling, have responsibilities as well as privileges. ” “Birling: There’ll be a public scandal!” “Birling: the famous younger generation who know it all. And they can’t even take a joke – the telephone rings sharply –that was the police. A girl has just died –a police inspector is on his way here. ”

In the opening stage directions Sheila is described as "a pretty girl in her early twenties, very pleased with life and rather excited. “ What does this preliminary description suggest about Sheila? As the play progresses Sheila matures and becomes wiser as she accepts her responsibility. She is curious as to who the Inspector is and when the family discover he is not an Inspector she knows that his identity is not relevant and whether he is a legitimate inspector or not they have all broken a moral code and are collectively responsible for Eva Smith’s death. Although Sheila has never experienced the type of suffering that Eva Smith and the working class would have shows a compassion which her parents and older fiancée do not. Sheila, like her brother Eric, is from a younger generation who are more socially conscious and represent the new age of socialism that would begin after the collective experience of war. Sheila When the play opens the family are celebrating Sheila’s engagement to Gerald. However, it does not take long for the audience to notice that something is not quite right between the two lovebirds. Sheila is playful with Gerald but there are suggestions that there is suspicion and distrust beneath the surface of Sheila’s antagonisms: "last summer, when you never came near me. " Does this suggest that she is not as naive and shallow as she first appears? What does this foreshadow for the couple’s future? Task After the investigation ends Sheila retires to her room exhausted and upset. She takes out her diary and begins to write about what has happened. Write the entry in Sheila’s diary. You should include: How she feels about what she has done How she feels about her family now Whether she loves Gerald and if she intends to marry him.

Key quotes for Sheila “Sheila: But these girls aren’t cheap labour –they’re people. ” “Sheila: So I’m responsible? Inspector: No, not entirely –but you’re partly to blame. Just as your father is. ” “Sheila: Gerald, I think you’d better take this with you. (she hands him the ring. ) –I rather respect you more than I’ve ever done before. ” “Sheila: Between us we drove that girl to commit suicide. ” “Sheila: You’re forgetting one thing I still can’t forget. Everything we said happened really had happened –it frightens me the way you talk. ”

Gerald is described as "an attractive chap about thirty, rather too manly to be a dandy but very much the easy well-bred man-about-town. “ Dandy: A man devoted to style, neatness, and fashion in dress and appearance. (the Victorian metrosexual) What does this preliminary description suggest about Gerald? Gerald He is an aristocrat - the son of Lord and Lady Croft. We realise that they are not impressed by Gerald's engagement to Sheila because they declined the invitation to the dinner. They know that the Birlings are from a lower class in the social hierarchy and therefore believe that Gerald has made a poor choice making Sheila his fiancée. The audience may assume that Gerald is marrying Sheila because he is passionately in love with her. However, we know that this is not the case because he cooled off their relationship during the previous summer and engaged in a sexual relationship with Eva Smith. Why has Gerald chosen Sheila to be his bride? In Act 3 he tries to come up with as much evidence as possible to prove that the Inspector is a fake - because that would get him off the hook. It is Gerald who confirms that the local force has no officer by the name of Goole, he who realises it may not have been the same girl and he who finds out from the infirmary that there has not been a suicide case in months. He seems to throw his energies into "protecting" himself rather than "changing" himself (unlike Sheila). He is not as willing as Sheila and Eric to admit his part in the girl's death to the Inspector and initially pretends that he never knew her. However, he feels more guilty than Mr and Mrs Birling demonstrating the different attitudes of the various generations in the play. Task Write a letter addressed from Gerald to Eva explaining to her his reasons for breaking off their relationship. You should include: Appropriate letter format and language (formal).

Key quotes for Gerald “Gerald: (distressed) Sorry –I –well, suddenly realized –taken in properly – that’s she’s dead. ” “Gerald: I want you to understand that I didn’t install her there so that I could make love to her –I was sorry for her. ” “Inspector: were you in love with her, Gerald? Gerald: I didn’t feel about her as she felt for me. ” “Gerald: She told me she’d been happier than she’d ever been before –but that she knew it couldn’t last –she didn’t blame me at all. ” “Gerald: No girl has died in there today. Nobody’s been brought in after drinking disinfectant. They haven’t had a suicide for months. ”

Eric is characterised as being “in his early twenties, not quite at ease, halfshy, half-assertive. ” What does this preliminary description suggest about Eric? At the end of the play, like Sheila, he is fully aware of his social responsibility. He is not interested in his parents' efforts to cover everything up: as far as he is concerned, the important thing is that a girl is dead. He is appalled by his parents' inability to admit their own responsibility. He tells them forcefully, "I'm ashamed of you. " Eric drinks excessively although his parents are unaware. Gerald admits, "I have gathered that he does drink pretty hard. “ when drunk Eric became sexually aggressive towards Eva Smith and presumably forced himself upon her. Eric arguably treated Eva Smith/Daisy Renton the worst of all because he presumably raped her on the first occasion they had sexual relations and when she fell pregnant with his child he financed her with stolen money. Task It is 1916. Eric, along with so many other young men, has been sent to the front-line. Write a descriptive piece about Eric’s life. You should include: • How Eric has changed physically and mentally • The everyday sights, sounds and experiences Eric faces • How Eric now feels about what happened the night Inspector Goole came and how he feels about his and his family’s actions.

Key quotes for Eric “Sheila [referring to Eric]: He’s been steadily drinking too much for the last two years. ” “Inspector: You went with her to her lodgings that night? Eric: Yes, I insisted –she didn’t want me to go in –I threatened to make a row. ” “Eric: I wasn’t in love with her or anything –but I liked her –she was pretty and a good sport. ” “Birling: (angrily to Eric) You’re the one I blame for this. ”

In the opening stage directions Sybil is described as being “about fifty, a rather cold woman and her husband’s social superior. ” Only when she is faced with the realisation that her actions have led to the death of her grandchild does Mrs Birling break down. like her husband, she refuses to believe that she did anything wrong and doesn't accept responsibility for her part in Eva's death. Mrs Birling Sybil remains untouched by the Inspector’s questioning as she refuses to see how Eva Smith’s death was a result of her actions. Arguably Mrs Birling is one of the crueller characters in her actions toward Eva. She is the last link in the chain of events before Eva’s suicide and should not have discriminated Eva’s case for welfare. She admits she was "prejudiced" against the girl who applied to her committee for help and saw it as her "duty" to refuse to help her. Her narrow sense of morality dictates that the father of a child should be responsible for its welfare, regardless of circumstances. What is a monologue? A monologue is a long speech by one actor in a play or movie. Task Mrs Birling is on the stage alone. Write a monologue for Mrs Birling You should include: A script format with sage directions An explanation for the audience about how she feels about what has happened and about her actions.

Key quotes for Mrs Birling: You’re quite wrong to suppose I shall regret what I did. Eric: you killed her. She came to you to protect me – and you turned her away –yes, you killed her –and the child she’d have had too –my child- your own grandchild –you killed them both –damn you. Mrs Birling: (very distressed now) No –Eric –please –I didn’t understand.

When the Inspector enters the stage directions state: “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. ” His final speech is like a sermon. He leaves the family with the message "We are responsible for each other" and warns them of the "fire and blood anguish“ – Priestley’s reference to WW 1. Priestley gives the Inspector an almost supernatural quality. Inspector Goole Throughout his enquiries, the Inspector remains entirely in control and Sheila notes that no-one told him anything that he did not already know. This leads the audience to question the origins of Inspector Goole whether he is a ghoul, God, the voice of Priestley or social conscience itself. The effect of the Inspector whoever he may be, has been to split the Birling family unit. While Gerald, Birling and Sybil laugh at what they believe was a hoax, Sheila and Eric are horrified by the effects of their actions. Task: The Inspector is a mysterious character of whom we learn very little about. You must write a descriptive piece about what the Inspector does either before he goes to the Birling’s house or just after he leaves it. You must decide: • If Inspector Goole is really an Inspector or a fraud • If he is human or supernatural • If he knew Eva Smith personally (friend of family member perhaps) • Where he is from and why he presents himself as Inspector Goole.

Key quotes for Inspector Goole Inspector: what happened to her then may have determined what happened to her afterwards, and what happened afterwards may have driven her to suicide. A chain of events. Inspector [referring to Gerald’s responsibility]: I knew already. Inspector: Each of you helped to kill her. Remember that. Never forget it. (He looks from one to the other of them carefully. ) Inspector: One Eva Smith has gone –but there are millions and millions of Eva Smiths and John Smiths still left with us –all intertwined with our lives –we don’t live alone. We are member 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 anguish. Birling: he wasn’t an Inspector. Sheila: He inspected us all right.

we never see Eva Smith on stage in the play: we only have the evidence that the Inspector and the Birlings and Gerald give us. Eva’s name is symbolic. Eva is Latin for Eve. In the bible Eve was the first woman and ate the forbidden apple and in doing so cursed mankind for eternity. Her surname Smith is an incredibly common surname. The second name she takes, Daisy Renton, is also significant. Daisies are incredibly common, fields are often covered in daisies which suggests that she is not a special case but one of millions who have also gone through similar discriminations as her. Therefore, Eva Smith embodies the entire female working class who are not only repressed because of their low class but because of their gender. in Act 3 we begin to wonder whether Eva ever really existed. Gerald says, "We've no proof it was the same photograph and therefore no proof it was the same girl. " Birling adds, "There wasn't the slightest proof that this Daisy Renton really was Eva Smith. " Yet the final phone call, announcing that a police inspector is shortly to arrive at the Birlings' house to investigate the suicide of a young girl, makes us realise that maybe Eva Smith did exist after all. What do you think? Eva Smith The Inspector, Sheila Gerald and Eric all say that she was "pretty. " Gerald describes her as "very pretty - soft brown hair and big dark eyes. " The audience find out that Eva’s parents were dead so she had no loved ones and had to fend for herself. Eva was not from Brumley originally and we know this because Mr Birling speaks of her being "country-bred“ which indicates that not only was she without a family but also without a friendship group. Eva was working class making her vulnerable in this laissez-faire society. Task: The audience never see Eva Smith but she is the reason for the play and we learn snippets about her as each character is investigated in turn. The Inspector says that she had kept a sort of diary, which helped him piece together the last two years of her life. You must choose one of the events in Eva’s life when one of the Birlings or Gerald was cruel to her. Write a diary entry about what happened to her and how it has left her feeling. You should: Use emotive language Check the script to ensure you are being accurate as to what happened.

Structuring your essay During the exam you will have forty-five minutes to answer your chosen question on An Inspector Calls. It is vital that you spend the first ten minutes planning your answer, thirty minutes writing your answer and five minutes proof-reading your work. Make sure that when you use this structure in the exam to directly answer the question! Introduction Context: The play is set in 1912 – what was significant about this year and what was about to happen to Britain? What is the effect on the audience of the play? The play was published in 1945 – what state was Britain in during this time? What happened in England in the space between 1912 when the play is set and 1945 when it was published? How is the message of the play affected by this?

Structuring your essay Paragraph one Dramatic devices: How is the lighting used as a dramatic device? Why is it pinkish when the family are alone celebrating at the beginning of the play? Why are the lights made brighter when Inspector Goole enters the stage? Why are the stage directions so specific? Priestley uses a lot of description in his stage directions, why has he done this? Why is the play actually set in the Birling’s home? Each act ends on a cliff-hanger, why has Priestley used this dramatic device? Why does the Inspector only question one character at a time? Why does he only show the photograph to one person at a time? THERE ARE LOTS OF DIFFERENT DRAMATIC DEVICES IN THE PLAY SO FEEL FREE TO USE ANY THAT YOU FEEL CONFIDENT WITH!

Structuring your essay Paragraph two: Themes: Social hierarchy – why did the Birlings each in their separate ways harm Eva Smith? Why do they worry about what other people might think of them? The difference between the younger and older generations – how do Mr Birling and Mrs Birling react to the Inspector’s enquiries? How do Sheila and Eric react differently and why? Why is Gerald’s reaction to the Inspector’s enquires not as distressed as Eric and Sheila’s but is more upset than Mr and Mrs Birling? How does WW 1 fit into all of this? Moral duty – The Birlings have not done anything illegal to Eva Smith but they are guilty, what is the difference between breaking the law and acting immoral? Which characters are aware of the difference? What is Priestley’s message? THERE ARE OTHER THEMES THAT YOU COULD ALSO EXPLORE!

Structuring your essay Paragraph three Characters and their behaviour: The family are links in a chain of events which tragically lead to Eva Smith’s suicide. If there is a question on one specific character then concentrate on that character and how they interact with the other characters on stage and how they personally react to the line of enquiry. If the question refers to the family as a whole then ask yourself: how much tension is there between the family before the Inspector enters? How do the family interact with the inspector? Why do they turn on each other? Why do Mr and Mrs Birling take sides against Eric and Sheila?

Structuring your essay Conclusion Your personal response: Summarise your argument and refer to the question directly. End with a punchy sentence! And don’t forget to refer to the question in each paragraph to direct your answer! To round up the essay structure: Introduction: Context Paragraph one: Dramatic devices Paragraph two: Themes Paragraph three: Characters Conclusion: Personal response

Practice questions How does Priestley show that tension is at the heart of the Birling family? (30 marks) Priestley criticises the selfishness of people like the Birlings. What methods does he use to present this selfishness? (30 marks) “We don’t live alone. We are members of one body. We are responsible for each other”. How does the play present the need to take that advice? You should look closely at characters, language and action in your answer. (30 marks) How does Priestley present the character of Sybil? (30 marks) How does Priestley present the characters Sheila and Eric? (30 marks) How does Priestley present the character Gerald Croft? (30 marks)