english literature an inspector calls (sets 1-3)
TRANSCRIPT
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Crofton Academy
English Literature
An Inspector Calls
(sets 1-3) The key thing for Literature is that you know the texts really
well.
Work through the booklet of activites. It has a range of tasks to help revision and retrieval – plus the answers along
the way for you to check that you are on track. You might need to do some research for some of the context quiz answers.
I. Context Quiz : approximately 30 minutes
Answer the questions that explore the context of the play. You will need to draw on your contextual knowledge and might need to do some research to support you in completing this.
1. In what country was An Inspector Calls first performed?
2. Where did Priestley grow up and how did this inform his political opinions?
3. When was the Welfare State created and what did it mean?
4. What was surprising about the 1945 election result?
5. List five things that contributed to the Labour Party winning the 1945 election.
6. How were women’s roles different in 1912 (when the play is set) and 1945 (when the play was written)?
HARDER QUESTIONS: 7. What are Aristotle’s ‘Unities’ and how do they relate to An Inspector Calls?
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8. What is your understanding of the term ‘denouement’ in reference to the play?
9. Define the term ‘social conscience’ in your own words.
10. What is symbolic about Mr Birling’s reference to the Titanic?
II. Multiple Choice Questions
Answer these questions. The nine quizzes work through the text chronologically (i.e. the first quiz will deal with the opening of the play). You could choose to do a set of questions each session, or alternatively you could answer multiple quizzes at a time.
Each quiz should take about 10 minutes please.
Quiz One 10 minutes
1. What are the men wearing at the opening of the play?
a. Slacks b. Dinner jackets c. Tuxedos d. Tails
2. In the opening stage directions, who is described as Mr Birling’s social superior?
a. Gerald b. Sir George c. Mrs Birling d. The Inspector
3. What is the name of the Birlings’ housekeeper?
a. Edna b. Edith c. Sybil d. Susan
4. What doesn’t Gerald pretend to know much about?
a. Caviar b. Business c. Politics d. Port
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5. What does Sheila not want Gerald to be like?
a. These red-faced old men b. These purple-faced old men c. These yellow-faced old men d. These pink-faced old men
6. What is the special occasion that the Birlings are celebrating?
a. Eric’s promotion b. Mrs Birling’s birthday c. Mr Birling’s knighthood d. Eric and Sheila’s engagement
7. What, according to Mrs Birling, do men sometimes need to spend all their time and energy on?
a. Their marriage b. Their business c. Their family d. Their clients
8. What does Sheila accuse Eric of being when he says ‘suddenly I felt I just had to laugh’?
a. Hysterical b. Squiffy c. Clumsy d. Immature
9. What reason is given for Sir George and Lady Croft’s absence?
a. Lady Croft is ill b. Sir George is away on business c. They are abroad d. They had an accident
10. What did Sir George and Lady Croft send to Mr Birling?
a. A cable b. A letter c. A hamper d. A telegram
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Quiz Two 10 minutes
1. What is Mr Birling’s business called?
a. Birling and Company b. Birling Limited c. Birling and Son d. Birling Incorporated
2. What is the name of Sir George’s business?
a. Croft and Sons b. Crofts Incorporated c. Crofts Limited d. The Croft Company
3. Who has a nasty temper according to Eric?
a. Mrs Birling b. Mr Birling c. Sheila d. Gerald
4. What happened ‘last month’ that caused the ‘wild talk about possible labour trouble in the near future’?
a. A factory strike b. A women’s rights march c. A mining strike d. New workers’ rights legislation
5. When did the Titanic set sail in relation to the events in the play?
a. Next week b. Last week c. Two weeks ago d. Next month
6. Mr Birling says that by 1940 there will be peace, prosperity and rapid progress everywhere except for which country?
a. China b. Mexico c. Russia d. Germany
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7. Who does Mr Birling feel objects to Sheila and Gerald’s engagement?
a. Sir George b. Mrs Birling c. Eric d. Lady Croft
8. What position did Mr Birling hold two years ago?
a. Lord Chancellor b. Lord Mayor c. MP for Brumley d. Local Councillor
9. What are Mrs Birling and Sheila talking about when Eric leaves them to return to Gerald and Mr Birling?
a. Clothes b. Lady Croft c. Gerald d. Sheila’s engagement ring
10. How does Mr Birling describe people who ‘think everyone has to look after everyone else’?
a. Squiffy b. Jobsworths c. Cranks d. Goody-two-shoes
Quiz Three 10 minutes
1. From which institute does Mr Birling say he has learned about the way of the world?
a. School of hard knocks b. Hard school of experience c. University of life d. University of hard experiences
2. What is Mr Birling doing when the doorbell rings?
a. Lecturing Gerald and Eric b. Congratulating Sheila and Gerald c. Offering Gerald a cigar d. Telling Gerald about the Honours List
3. What does Eric say that Mr Birling has ‘piled on a bit’ tonight?
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a. Compliments b. Port c. Criticism d. Advice
4. What does Mr Birling offer the Inspector when he arrives?
a. A cigarette b. A seat c. A cigar d. A drink
5. What has the girl’s death been ruled as?
a. Murder b. Manslaughter c. Suicide d. Accidental
6. What did the young girl swallow?
a. Ethanol b. Disinfectant c. Glass d. Razor blades
7. How long ago did the young girl die according to the Inspector?
a. Two hours ago b. Yesterday c. This morning d. Four hours ago
8. What had the young woman left in her room?
a. A sort of diary and a photo album b. A photo album and a letter c. A letter and a sort of diary d. A letter and an address book
9. If the Inspector doesn’t take one line of enquiry at a time, what does he say will
happen?
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a. There’ll be a mess b. There’ll be a muddle c. There’ll be chaos d. There’ll be confusion
10. When did the young girl stop working for Birling?
a. End of September b. End of August c. Beginning of September d. Middle of October
Quiz Four 10 minutes
1. How does Mr Birling describe a situation in which everyone is responsible for everyone else?
a. Uncomfortable b. Undesirable c. Awkward d. Hellish
2. What did the striking machine workers want to be paid?
a. Twenty two shillings a week b. Twenty four shillings a week c. Twenty five shillings a week d. Twenty seven shillings a week
3. Fill in the blanks for these two statements. INSPECTOR: It’s my duty to _________________
BIRLING: Well, it’s my duty to __________________
a. Ask questions/ Turn a profit b. Uncover the truth/ Keep labour costs down c. Uncover the truth/ Turn a profit d. Ask questions/ Keep labour costs down
4. How many of the women who went on strike were fired?
a. Four or five b. One or two c. About half of them d. All of them
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5. What activity does Mr Birling sometimes engage in with Colonel Roberts at West Brumley?
a. Bowls b. Golf c. Tennis d. Shooting
6. Why did Mrs Birling send Sheila back to the dining room?
a. To bring Eric back to the Drawing Room b. To bring some port to the men c. To fetch some cigarettes d. To find out what was delaying the men
7. How old was the girl when she died?
a. 21 b. 22 c. 23 d. 24
8. What is the name of the department store where the young girl used to work?
a. Millers b. Miltons c. Milwards d. Mellors
9. For whose benefit was Sheila visiting the department store that afternoon?
a. Eric’s b. Lady Croft’s c. Her own d. Gerald’s
10. What year did the young girl start working at the department store?
a. 1911 b. 1909 c. 1910
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d. 1912
Quiz Five 10 minutes
1. INSPECTOR: ‘Often, if it was left to me, I wouldn’t know where to draw the line’ What two groups of people is the Inspector talking about drawing a line between?
a. Respectable citizens and criminals b. Criminals and journalists c. Politicians and respectable citizens d. Politicians and criminals
2. Why did the Inspector suspect it was Sheila who got the girl fired?
a. A letter from the store b. Speaking to the employers at the store c. Something the girl wrote d. Something Eric said
3. How does Gerald react when the Inspector mentions Daisy Renton?
a. Leaves the room b. Lights a cigarette c. Laughs nervously d. Fixes himself a drink
4. How long has it been since Gerald saw the girl?
a. Six months b. Six weeks c. A year d. Two months
5. How is Mrs Birling described as entering the dining room in Act Two?
a. Quickly and confidently b. Slowly and self-confidently c. Briskly and self-confidently d. Briskly and aggressively
6. For what reason does Mrs Birling think Sheila should go to bed?
a. She’s hysterical b. She’s tired
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c. She’s drunk d. She’s over-excited
7. What ‘silly word’ that Mrs Birling says makes Sheila laugh?
a. Reputation b. Investigation c. Impertinent d. Aristocracy
8. Mrs Birling accuses the Inspector of conducting his inquiry in what manner?
a. Peculiar and insulting b. Peculiar and offensive c. Strange and offensive d. Strange and insulting
9. Eric has been steadily doing too much of what for the past two years?
a. Eating b. Gambling c. Womanizing d. Drinking
10. Where did Gerald first meet the girl?
a. Milwards b. Palace Variety Theatre c. County Hotel d. Crofts Limited
Quiz Six 10 minutes
1. What euphemism for prostitutes does Gerald use?
a. Women of the town b. Working women c. Ladies of the night d. Fallen women
2. Who does Gerald describe as a ‘notorious womanizer’?
a. Eric b. Colonel Roberts c. Old Joe Meggarty d. Charlie Brunswick
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3. Where had Charlie Brunswick gone for 6 months?
a. Canada b. America c. France d. Germany
4. What phrase does Sheila use to describe Gerald and how he helped the girl?
a. Perfect Fairy King b. Knight in shining armour c. Wonderful Fairy Prince d. Perfect Hero
5. When did Gerald’s affair with the girl end?
a. First week of October b. First week of November c. Last week of September d. First week of September
6. Where did the girl spend two months after Gerald ended their affair?
a. The seaside b. The country c. London d. The lakes
7. What does Sheila give Gerald before he goes out for a walk?
a. A kiss b. Her locket c. A drink d. Her engagement ring
8. Of what organisation is Mrs Birling a prominent member?
a. The Brumley Women’s Institute b. The Brumley Women’s Service c. The Brumley Women’s Charity Organisation d. The Brumley Christian Charity
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9. When was the meeting of the interviewing committee?
a. Two weeks ago b. Last week c. A month ago d. Three weeks ago
10. Why did the girl go to Mrs Birling’s organisation for help?
a. Because she lost her job b. Because she was pregnant c. Because she had been evicted d. Because she was being abused
Quiz Seven 10 minutes
1. What three names does the young girl use?
a. Eva Jones, Daisy Renton, Miss Birling b. Eva Smith, Daisy Renton, Mrs Birling c. Eva Smith, Daisy Railton, Mrs Birling d. Eva Jones, Daisy Railton, Miss Birling
2. Whose responsibility is it to look after the girl and her child according to Mrs Birling?
a. Her parents b. The government c. The father of the child d. A women’s refuge
3. What concerns Mr Birling about Mrs Birling’s involvement in the girl’s fate?
a. That she might lose her position b. That the Press might find out c. That she might go to prison d. That he might lose business
4. What does Mrs Birling claim caused her to ‘finally lose her patience’ with the girl?
a. She used the Birling name b. She lied c. She gave herself airs d. She was disrespectful
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5. Why didn’t the girl want to marry the father of her child?
a. He was immature b. He was already married c. He was abusive d. He was poor
6. What does Eric drink when he returns to the house?
a. Coffee b. Whisky c. Port d. Brandy
7. In what order do the characters see the photograph of the girl?
a. Sheila, Mr Birling, Mrs Birling, Gerald b. Mr Birling, Sheila, Gerald, Eric c. Mr Birling, Gerald, Sheila, Eric d. Mr Birling, Sheila, Mrs Birling, Eric
8. When did Eric meet the girl?
a. Last September b. Last October c. Last November d. Last December
9. Why did the girl let Eric into her lodgings on the night they met?
a. She liked him b. He had nowhere else to go c. She wanted his money d. He threatened to make a row
10. How much money did Eric give the girl?
a. Fifty pounds b. Twenty pounds c. Sixty pounds d. Forty pounds
Quiz Eight 10 minutes
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1. The Inspector says that Mr Birling is offering what at the wrong time?
a. An apology b. Higher wages for his workers c. The money d. A defence of his actions
2. What is Sheila doing when the Inspector leaves?
a. Wailing loudly b. Crying quietly c. Tidying anxiously d. Sitting silently
3. What is Mrs Birling doing when the Inspector leaves?
a. Standing at the fire b. Leaning on the door frame c. Collapsed in a chair d. Comforting Sheila
4. What is Eric doing when the Inspector leaves?
a. Brooding b. Sulking c. Crying d. Drinking
5. Who does Mr Birling say will suffer most if there is a public scandal?
a. Sheila b. Eric c. Himself d. Gerald
6. Which character refuses to believe that the Inspector ‘made’ them confess?
a. Gerald b. Mrs Birling c. Mr Birling d. Eric
7. What does Mr Birling say the Inspector ‘probably’ was?
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a. A Socialist b. A Communist c. A Liberal d. A Marxist
8. Why does Gerald return to the house?
a. To apologise to Sheila b. To tell them the girl is not dead c. To accuse Eric of causing the girl’s death d. To tell them that the Inspector is not real
9. How does Mr Birling describe the Inspector to Colonel Roberts over the phone?
a. Tall with dark hair b. Average build and clean shaven c. Tall, clean-shaven d. Tall and broad
10. Mr Birling says that Eric must do what if he wants to stay in the Birlings’ house?
a. Hold his tongue b. Find a wife c. Apologise to the girl’s family d. Give up drinking
Quiz Nine 10 minutes
1. Which character is the most receptive to Gerald’s theory that the evening has been a hoax?
a. Mrs Birling b. Sheila c. Mr Birling d. Eric
2. What does Gerald suggest to confirm if the evening has been a hoax?
a. By retracing their steps b. By calling the police c. By going to the Palace Variety Theatre d. By ringing the Infirmary
3. How does Mr Birling fear Gerald’s suggestion will look?
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a. Odd b. Suspicious c. Queer d. Guilty
4. After the Birlings discover that the girl is not dead, what effect does the way they speak have on Sheila?
a. It frightens her b. It upsets her c. It amuses her d. It angers her
5. Mr Birling says the whole story is just a lot of what?
a. Poppycock b. Moonshine c. Rubbish d. Twaddle
6. Who does a jovial impression of the Inspector after finding out that the girl is not dead?
a. Gerald b. Mrs Birling c. Mr Birling d. Eric
7. What excuse does Mrs Birling make for Eric and Sheila’s frustrations?
a. They’re drunk b. They’re young c. They’re hungry d. They’re tired
8. What does Mr Birling accuse Eric and Sheila of before the phone rings?
a. Being spoiled b. Being over-sensitive c. Not being able to take a joke d. Not being as clever as him
9. Who answers the phone when it rings?
a. Mrs Birling
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b. Gerald c. Eric d. Mr Birling
10. Who is on the phone when it rings?
a. Inspector Goole b. The police c. The Infirmary d. Colonel Roberts
The Answers So Far: I. Context Quiz
1. In what country was An Inspector Calls first performed? How might this be significant? It was first performed in Moscow, after Priestley did not receive a positive response from British theatres. 2. Where did Priestley grow up and how did this inform his political opinions? Priestley grew up in Bradford. He saw first hand the consequences of a class of people working long underpaid hours, living in crowded and squalid houses. He once said ‘I have tried to make myself – and other people – aware of the harsh economic realities of our time.’ 3. What is the Welfare State and when was it created? How does it reflect the themes in An Inspector Calls? In 1942 the Beveridge Report outlined a system of social insurance that was to cover every citizen regardless to income. It was described as a ‘cradle-to-grave’ welfare system. 4. What was surprising about the 1945 general election result? Given that the Nazis surrendered less than 12 weeks earlier, many believed that Churchill would be chosen to continue as the country’s leader. It was a surprise to many when Labour won, especially as they had only previously held office on two occasions. 5. List three things that contributed to the Labour Party winning the 1945 election. • The Beveridge Report and the promise of a Welfare State • People wanted an end to wartime austerity • Labour leaders acquired more experience during the war, which gained public trust • Labour’s proposal to nationalise parts of the economy seemed less radical after the war • The military vote: millions of men and women in the armed services voted for Labour as they yearned for change and a better civilian life more than others • The tabloid The Daily Mirror is considered to have swayed public opinion by publishing Philip Zec’s ‘Don’t lose it again’ cartoon. 6. How were women’s roles different in 1912 (when the play is set) and in 1945 (when the play was written)?
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In 1912, women were still considered to have a mostly domestic purpose and were subservient to men. Upper class women were married off, and lower class women were seen as cheap labour. As a result of the wars, with women taking on a more active role to fill the jobs left by men fighting on the front lines, women seemed to have earned a more valued place in society. 7. What are Aristotle’s ‘Unities’ and how do they relate to An Inspector Calls? Aristotle’s Unities are derived from his writing Poetics. They outline how Aristotle believed drama should be constructed. There are three Unities: Unity of Action: A play should have one action that it follows, with minimal subplots. In An Inspector Calls the Inspector ensures the focus is kept rigorously on his questioning. Unity of Time: The action in a play should occur over a period of no more than 24 hours. An Inspector Calls takes place over a single evening. Unity of Place: A play should exist in a single physical space and should not attempt to compress geography, nor should the stage represent more than one place. The entirety of An Inspector Calls is set in the Birlings’ home. 8. What is your understanding of the term ‘denouement’ in reference to the play? A denouement is the final part of a narrative, when all the strands of the plot are drawn together. Priestley subverts this initially by allowing the Birlings and Gerald to ‘unpick’ the narrative. They are brought sharply back together when the phone rings at the close of Act Three. 9. Define the term ‘social conscience’ in your own words. Having a sense of responsibility for the problems others face in society, even though they might not affect you personally. 3 10. What is symbolic about Mr Birling’s reference to the Titanic? In the timeline of the play, the Titanic has not yet set sail and everyone is still lauding it as a great feat of British engineering. However, this is ironic as anyone watching or reading the play will know that the ship sinks. This is symbolic of Mr Birling’s certainty in his political ideology. In his opinion, both the Titanic and Capitalism are unsinkable. I II. Multiple Choice Questions Quiz One Quiz Two Quiz Three Quiz Four Quiz Five 1. D 1. A 1. B 1. C 1. A 2. C 2. C 2. A 2. C 2. C 3. A 3. C 3. D 3. D 3. D 4. D 4. C 4. D 4. A 4. A 5. B 5. A 5. C 5. B 5. C 6. D 6. C 6. B 6. D 6. B 7. B 7. D 7. A 7. D 7. C 8. B 8. B 8. C 8. C 8. B 9. C 9. A 9. B 9. D 9. D 10. A 10. C 10. A 10. C 10. B
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Quiz Six Quiz Seven Quiz Eight Quiz Nine 1. A 1. B 1. C 1. C 2. C 2. C 2. B 2. D 3. A 3. B 3. C 3. C 4. C 4. C 4. A 4. A 5. D 5. A 5. C 5. B 6. A 6. B 6. B 6. C 7. D 7. D 7. A 7. D 8. C 8. C 8. D 8. C 9. A 9. D 9. C 9. D 10. B 10. A 10. A 10. B Make a list here of some of the key things that you now realise (or had forgotten) please:
Activity 1 : Retrieval Grid Your 5 a Day 30-40 minute task Consider the following questions in the retrieval grid and answer them in the blank grid below. Consider the amount of points each question is worth. The higher the amount of points, the longer ago we studied the content. Attempt to answer in as much detail as possible. You can check your answers at the back of this booklet when you have finished. No peeking!
What is the significance of the
name Daisy Renton?
How is an audience meant to react to
Gerald?
Why is Mr. Birling excited for his
daughter’s engagement to
Gerald?
Sheila says she complained about Eva because she thought
Eva was making fun of her. What is the real
reason? What is dramatic
irony and how is it used by Priestley to
make Birling unlikeable?
How is power explored in the play?
Why does Priestley name the victim of
the play ‘Eva Smith’?
What is Priestley exploring with the
concept of ‘dual self’?
Why does Sheila become the voice of the Inspector when he leaves the room?
What is Eva and Eric’s baby symbolic of?
Why does the play happen in real time?
What is symbolic about the way Eva
Smith uses disinfectant to end
her life?
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One Point Two Points Three Points Four Points
Activity 2: Dual Coding One hour task – think hard and be detailed please! Consider the following icons. Each icon relates to one of Priestley’s ‘big ideas’ or themes that he explores in the play. Assign each icon a ‘big idea’OR theme from the following list and then explain what each one means and where it appears in the play. One has been done for you. Check your answers at the back of this booklet when you have finished.
BIG IDEAS/THEMES: Power, Guilt, Social Responsibility, Cause and Effect, Time, Dual Self, Capitalism, Socialism, Younger Generation vs Older Generation, The Supernatural, Morality vs Legality, Class
Capitalism – Mr. Birling is a capitalist. Priestley uses the play to highlight the dangers
of a capitalist society. Eva becomes a victim of
capitalism as the Birlings are only interested in self-
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never
sight
instant
Activity 3: Quotation Retrieval – Spend AT LEAST 1 hour on this please The grid below contains a selection of quotations with words missing. Fill in the missing gaps in each quotation with the correct words and complete the rest of the grid with information on who says the quotation and what it tells us about each character. One has been completed for you. Check your work with the answers at the back of the booklet and correct any mistakes you have made in a different colour.
If you cannot remember a quotation, try and find it in your script before looking at the answers. Haven’t got a script? Find it on Google!
Quotation Who says it? What does this tell us about their character?
‘Careful! I’ll ___________ let it out of my
__________ for an ___________.’
This tells us that Sheila is very materialistic at the beginning of the play. She is very immature because she has been protected by her family.
‘We’re in for a _________ of steadily
increasing _____________.’
‘You’d think ____________ has to look
after ______________ else.’
‘But these __________ aren’t cheap
___________. They’re _____________.’
‘And you think ___________ women
ought to be _____________ against
unpleasant and ___________ things?’
‘You were the ______________ Fairy
___________. You must have
___________ it, Gerald.’
Sheila
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‘Public men, Mr Birling, have
______________ as well as
_____________.’
‘Mother, I think it was _________ and
_________.’
‘I blame the young man who was the
_________ of the __________ she was
going to have.’
‘Because you’re not the kind of _________
a chap could go to when he’s in
___________.’
‘We don’t live __________. We are
members of one _____________.’
‘If men will not learn that __________,
then they will be taught it in ___________
and ____________ and ____________.’
‘Now look at the pair of them – the
___________ younger ____________ who
_____________ it all.’
Now mark your answers at the back of the booklet. Add in any missing gaps in your knowledge in a different colour pen and focus your revision on what you got incorrect.
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Activity 4: Further Questions Please spend one hour AT LEAST on this. Answer the following questions on the article. These questions require shorter answers and can be answered as notes and brief annotations. If you need extra space, write on a different piece of paper and attach it to this booklet. If you need a copy of the script, you can find one online. Check your answers at the back of the booklet when you have finished.
‘Priestley’s play revolves around a central mystery, the death of a young woman, but whereas a traditional detective story involves the narrowing down of suspects from several to one, An Inspector Calls inverts this process as, one by one, nearly all the characters in the play are found to be guilty.’
1. How did Eva die? Retrieve a short quotation.
2. In which order are the characters questioned by Inspector Goole?
3. In what ways are each of the characters ‘guilty’ of playing a part in the death of Eva Smith?
‘In this way, Priestley makes his larger point that society is guilty of neglecting and abusing its most vulnerable members. A just society, he states through his mysterious Inspector, is one that respects and exercises social responsibility.’
4. Birling says to the Inspector, ‘It’s a free country, I told them.’ How does Eric respond? Retrieve a short quotation.
5. After questioning Birling, what does the Inspector reveal about how Eva spent ‘the next two months’?
6. Why was Eva ‘lucky to get taken on’ at Milwards?
‘Social responsibility is the idea that a society’s poorer members should be helped by those who have more than them. Priestley was a socialist, and his political beliefs are woven through his work.’
7. How do Birling’s views on social responsibility differ from the Inspector’s views? Retrieve a short quotation.
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8. The Inspector says to Birling, ‘it’s better to ask for the earth than to take it.’ Which page is the quotation on?
‘Socialism stands in opposition to a capitalist society, such as ours, where trade and industry is mostly controlled by private owners, and these individuals or companies keep the profits made by their businesses, rather than distributing them evenly between the workers whose labour produced them.’
9. Gerald says to Birling, ‘Hear, hear! And I think my father would agree to that.’ What is Gerald talking about?
10. Birling says, ‘And we’re in for a time of steadily increasing prosperity.’ Which page is the quotation on?
11. By how much did Eva and the workers want their ‘rates raised’? Retrieve
a short quotation.
‘When Inspector Goole arrives everything changes.’
12. How should the stage be lit before the Inspector arrives?
13. How should the lighting change when he enters during act one?
‘Throughout the course of the Inspector’s investigation, and the testimony of Gerald and each of the Birlings, the supposedly respectable city of Brumley is revealed to be a place of deep class divisions and hypocrisy.’
14. Which character is referred to as a ‘notorious womanizer’?
15. Mrs Birling says, ‘we are learning something tonight.’ What does she mean?
16. Mrs Birling also says, ‘It’s disgusting to me’. What does she mean?
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Here’s some answers:
Retrieval Grid Mark the answers to the following questions:
What is the significance of the
name Daisy Renton?
How is an audience meant to react to
Gerald?
Why is Mr. Birling excited for his
daughter’s engagement to
Gerald?
Sheila says she complained about Eva because she thought
Eva was making fun of her. What is the real
reason? What is dramatic
irony and how is it used by Priestley to
make Birling unlikeable?
How is power explored in the play?
Why does Priestley name the victim of
the play ‘Eva Smith’?
What is Priestley exploring with the
concept of ‘dual self’?
Why does Sheila become the voice of the Inspector when he leaves the room?
What is Eva and Eric’s baby symbolic of?
Why does the play happen in real time?
What is symbolic about the way Eva
Smith uses disinfectant to end
her life?
One Point Two Points Three Points Four Points
Daisy is a reference to a flower that can easily be crushed emphasising the character’s vulnerability. ‘Rent’ is another word for torn suggesting Daisy has been torn from her identity with force.
Gerald is the most ambiguous character in the play. Our views on him depend who he is with on stage. For example, audiences dislike him when he aligns himself with Birling and hurts Sheila yet sympathises with him when he is shown to truly love Daisy.
Mr. Birling is excited for the business
opportunities between his company and Gerald’s parents’
company.
Sheila really complains about Eva Smith
because she is jealous of the way she looks.
Sheila is rich; money can buy her anything. This time, however, she has come across something that money cannot buy
her.
Dramatic irony is when the audience know something that the characters on stage don’t. This is reflected through Mr. Birling’s discussion of the Titanic, labour troubles, the Great Depression, war and Russia’s status as a super power.
Power is explored through wealth and class but also through male lust and physical power.
Smith is a common surname, meaning Eva is
a microcosm for all people whose lives have been dictated by those
more powerful than them.
‘Dual self’ means the idea of having more
than one identity. Eva takes on many identities for survival. The Birlings
take on public and private persona. In
public they are a well to do family but in private they have many secrets
they do not want revealed.
Sheila becomes the voice of the Inspector to symbolise how the
Eva and Eric’s baby could be symbolic of a bridge between the upper and
The play happens in real time to show how
quickly capitalism can be
Eva uses disinfectant to cleanse herself of the effects of capitalism.
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younger generation are Priestley’s hope for the future.
lower classes. It has the power to bring them two classes together and yet Mrs Birling destroys the baby because she is only interested in self preservation.
pulled apart by socialism.
Disinfectant is used to clean. It is like she is cleaning herself from the Birlings’ actions.
Dual Coding
Mark the ‘dual coding’ activity by seeing if you matched the correct ‘big idea’ to the correct icon:
Capitalism – Mr. Birling is a capitalist. Priestley uses the
play to highlight the dangers of a capitalist
society.
Power – The Birlings have power because of their wealth and
status. The Inspector has power because of his socialist morals. Eva
is the victim of physical power, usually at the hands of males.
Morality vs Legality: Priestley explores the idea
of whether should do something just because the law does not stop us from
doing so.
Cause and Effect: All actions have
consequences. All the Birlings are acting alone
but collectively, they damage Eva in a way which is irreversible.
Class: Priestley partially blames the class system for dividing
society. The lower classes are trampled under the foot of the
upper classes who remain ignorant to the suffering of the
poor.
Guilt: Each member of the Birling family and Gerald are guilty of
Eva’s death in some way. Only Eric and Sheila accept their guilt
meaning the process of interrogation begins again at the
end of the play.
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never
sight
instant
Activity 3: Quotation Retrieval Mark your answers for the quotation grid:
Quotation Who says it? What does this tell us about their character?
‘Careful! I’ll ___________ let it out of
my __________ for an ___________.’
This tells us that Sheila is very materialistic at the beginning of the play. She is very immature
The Supernatural: There is an element of the
supernatural in the play. The inspector is omniscient (meaning he is all knowing).
His surname ‘Goole’ is a play on the word ‘ghoul’ leaving the audience to
Social Responsibility: Priestley aims to teach us about social
responsibility through the play and how we all have a duty to look
after everyone else.
Socialism: The Inspector is the voice of socialism in the play. Priestley uses the Inspector to
spread the message of socialism, saying it would be better for
society if everyone looked out for everyone else.
Time: Priestley explores ideas about time. He was particularly
concerned with how events in the past are still felt keenly in the present. The end of the play
promises the possibility of events playing out once more.
Dual Self: Priestley explores the idea of a dual self. Each character has more than one identity. The Birlings have a public and private
persona in which they act very differently. Eva has multiple
identities which she adopts in order to survive.
Younger generation vs older generation: As the play
progresses, Priestley explores a divide between the younger and older generation. The views of
both groups differ, with the younger generation taking on
more of a socialist stance by the end of the play.
Sheila
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because she has been protected by her family.
‘We’re in for a time of steadily
increasing prosperity.’
Mr. Birling
This quotation shows us that Mr Birling does not know what he is talking about. This means the audience will not trust him and as a result, will not trust capitalism.
‘You’d think everybody has to look
after everybody else.’
Mr. Birling
Mr. Birling is denouncing the principles of socialism. Priestley hopes that by making him unlikeable, audiences will side with socialism. Mr. Birling is a selfish and self-centred man, concerned only with self-preservation.
‘But these girls aren’t cheap labour.
They’re people.’
Sheila
This tells us that Sheila has a conscience. She recognises that Mr. Birling does not treat the girls who work for him as he should. She recognises human value in people, something which Mr. Birling does not.
‘And you think young women ought to
be protected against unpleasant and
disturbing things?’
The Inspector
This tells us that the Inspector believes the upper classes are ignorant to the suffering of the poor. He questions Mr. Birling on his decision to protect Sheila from disturbing things in the world.
‘You were the wonderful Fairy Prince.
You must have adored it, Gerald.’
Sheila
This shows that Sheila is beginning to mature. She listens to Gerald’s role in events calmly and even begins to read situations perceptively, something she was not able to do at the beginning of the play. She understands why Gerald did what he did.
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‘Public men, Mr Birling, have
responsibilities as well as privileges.’
The
Inspector
This quotation shows audiences that the Inspector is an advocate for those who do not have a voice. This means he speaks out in support of them and his aim is to get others to realise they can be supporters of those less fortunate as well.
‘Mother, I think it was cruel and vile.’
Sheila
Sheila has matured. As she comes to understand the principle of responsibility, she grows more and more distant from her mother and father.
‘I blame the young man who was the
father of the child she was going to
have.’
Mrs Birling
Mrs Birling unwittingly condemns her unborn grandchild to death by refusing Eva help. Mrs Birling has yet to realise that actions have far reaching consequences. Her unborn grandchild is a victim of her callous ways.
‘Because you’re not the kind of father
a chap could go to when he’s in
trouble.’
Eric
Eric also grows more distant from his father as the action of the play progresses. He does not see eye to eye with his father, unlike Gerald and by the end of the play, their relationship is irreparable.
‘We don’t live alone. We are members
of one body.’
The Inspector
The Inspector’s message is simple. We all need to look after one another. We are all responsible for each other’s well-being and welfare.
The Inspector
The Inspector issues a prophetic warning here. He says that if we do not look after others, we will pay the price. The
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‘If men will not learn that lesson, then
they will be taught it in fire and blood
and anguish.’
image he paints of our punishment is almost biblical, conjuring images of hell but could also be a reference to the word wars which will happen in later years. The Inspector is giving society a chance to improve.
‘Now look at the pair of them – the
famous younger generation who know
it all.’
Mr. Birling
Mr. Birling has not learned his lesson. He is just as selfish and self-centred as ever. The difference is that the Birling family is now splintered. Sheila and Eric do not see eye to eye with their father and mother and never will.
Activity 4: Further Questions Check your answers to the questions:
1. How did Eva die? Retrieve a short quotation. ‘She’d swallowed a lot of strong disinfectant.’
2. In which order are the characters questioned by Inspector Goole? Mr. B, Sheila, Gerald,
Mrs B, Eric 3. In what ways are each of the characters ‘guilty’ of playing a part in the death of Eva Smith?
Mr Birling fires Eva for being ringleader in a strike, Sheila gets Eva sacked after making a complaint, Gerald has an affair with her, Mrs Birling refuses to support her through her charity, Eric forces himself on her.
4. Birling says to the Inspector, ‘It’s a free country, I told them.’ How does Eric respond?
Retrieve a short quotation. ‘It isn’t if you can’t go and work somewhere else.’ 5. After questioning Birling, what does the Inspector reveal about how Eva spent ‘the next
two months’? Eva found no work, had no money and lived in lodgings with no relatives to help her. She had ‘few friends’, was lonely and ‘half-starved.’ She was feeling desperate.
6. Why was Eva ‘lucky to get taken on’ at Milwards? There was lots of influenza about and
Milwards needed staff after finding themselves short-handed. 7. How do Birling’s views on social responsibility differ from the Inspector’s views? Retrieve
a short quotation. ‘A man has to mind his business and look after himself and his own.’
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8. The Inspector says to Birling, ‘it’s better to ask for the earth than to take it.’ Which page is the quotation on? Page 15.
9. Gerald says to Birling, ‘Hear, hear! And I think my father would agree to that.’ What is Gerald talking about? Gerald is talking about Birling and his father working together ‘for lower costs and higher prices.’
10. Birling says, ‘And we’re in for a time of steadily increasing prosperity.’ Which page is the
quotation on? Page 6
11. By how much did Eva and the workers want their ‘rates raised’? Retrieve a short quotation. ‘They were averaging about twenty-two and six… they wanted the rates raised so that they could average about twenty-five shillings a week.’
12. How should the stage be lit before the Inspector arrives? Pink and intimate. 13. How should the lighting change when he enters during act one? It should become ‘brighter
and harder’.
14. Which character is referred to as a ‘notorious womanizer’? Alderman Joe Meggarty 15. Mrs Birling says, ‘we are learning something tonight.’ What does she mean? Alderman
Meggarty has a dual self. He appears respectable but has a darker side which he adopts in private. People are not always who they appear to be.
16. Mrs Birling also says, ‘It’s disgusting to me’. What does she mean? Gerald’s affair with Daisy.
In the exam we have to do a source based question. Remember how we do these:
You look at the title and decide its focus.
Make notes about the title and put the plan into chronological order.
Read the extract and annotate it in line with the focus of the question.
Put it in the right place on the plan.
Write your answer! In the Lit folder are two source based question sheets that look like the next screenshot. Optional to use them.
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You should use the extract below and your knowledge of the whole play to answer this question. Write about the character of Sybil and the way she is presented in An Inspector Calls. Should we sympathise with her?
In your response you should:
• refer to the extract and the play as a whole; • show your understanding of characters and events in the play.
[35+5]
Inspector: (sternly) I warn you, you're making in worse for yourself. What reason did she give for not taking any more money? Mrs Birling: Her story was – that he'd said something one night, when he was drunk, that gave her the idea that it wasn't his money. Inspector: Where had he got it from then? Mrs Birling: He'd stolen it. Inspector: So she'd come to you for assistance because she didn't want to take stolen money? Mrs Birling: That's the story she finally told, after I'd refused to believe her original story – that she was a married woman who'd been deserted by her husband. I didn't see any reason to believe that one story should be any truer than the other. Therefore, you're quite wrong to suppose I shall regret what I did. Inspector: But if her story was true, if this boy had been giving her stolen money, then she came to you for help because she wanted to keep this youngster out of any more trouble – isn't that so? Mrs Birling: Possibly. But it sounded ridiculous to me. So I was perfectly justified in advising my committee not to allow her claim for assistance. Inspector: You're not even sorry now, when you know what happened to the girl? Mrs Birling: I'm sorry she should have come to such a horrible end. But I accept no blame for it at all. Inspector: Who is to blame then?
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Mrs Birling: First, the girl herself. Sheila: (bitterly) For letting father and me have her chucked out of her jobs! Mrs Birling: Secondly, I blame the young man who was the father of the child she was going to have. If, as she said, he didn't belong to her class, and was some drunken young idler, then that's all the more reason why he shouldn't escape. He should be made an example of. If the girl's death is due to anybody, then it's due to him. Inspector: And if her story is true – that he was stealing money- Mrs Birling: (rather agitated now) There's no point in assuming that- Inspector: But suppose we do, what then? Mrs Birling: Then he'd be entirely responsible – because the girl wouldn't have come to us, and have been refused assistance, if it hadn't been for him- Inspector: So he's the chief culprit anyhow. Mrs Birling: Certainly. And he ought to be dealt with very severely- Sheila: (with sudden alarm) Mother – stop – stop! Birling: Be quiet, Sheila! Sheila: But don't you see- Mrs Birling: (severely) You're behaving like an hysterical child tonight. Make a plan and then please attempt this task.Spend 45 minutes on this please. (For help look at the revision booklet for literature.)