Who is the most interesting character?

Which one would you feel most comfortable about discussing in an essay?

Sample exam question:How does JB Priestley present the character of

Sheila in An Inspector Calls?

Write for 15 minutes about one of the Birlings. Write about:

What first impression does Priestley create?Write about Priestley’s use of stage directions and

dialogue?1 mark for:

the use of adjectives to describe your character, the use of quotations, use of the writer’s name, use of connectives

2 marks for: complex vocabulary we used last lesson, an embedded quotation, a language feature, comment on Priestley’s

purpose with this character3 marks for:

evaluative comment on how the audience respond to the character at this stage

Eric Birling is presented as immature and foolish by Priestley. In the introductory stage directions he is

described as being ‘not quite at ease’. This implies that Eric lacks the social confidence of the older characters, but his ‘half shy, half assertive’ nature also suggests that he is

uncertain of what type of man he wants to be.Furthermore, in the character’s dialogue he is also shown

to be slightly immature. He responds to the scene of affection between Sheila and Gerald with the exclamatory ‘Steady the Buffs!’ Priestley’s use of this informal language further reveals the character’s immaturity and silliness to the audience. It also intrigues the audience to see how

this immaturity could have contributed to the death of Eva Smith.

Eric Birling is presented as immature and foolish by Priestley. In the introductory stage directions he is

described as being ‘not quite at ease’. This implies that Eric lacks the social confidence of the older characters, but his ‘half shy, half assertive’ nature also suggests that he is

uncertain of what type of man he wants to be.Furthermore, in the character’s dialogue he is also shown

to be slightly immature. He responds to the scene of affection between Sheila and Gerald with the exclamatory ‘Steady the Buffs!’ Priestley’s use of this informal language further reveals the character’s immaturity and silliness to the audience. It also intrigues the audience to see how

this immaturity could have contributed to the death of Eva Smith.

Writer’s name

Adjectives to describe the character

Analysis words

Embedded quote

Evaluative comment on audience response

Connective

Dramatic devicesWhat does Priestley use to build an atmosphere and foreshadow

the events of the play?

PropsLighting

Ostentatious setsDramatic irony

An Inspector Calls

Scene one: interviewing Mr

Birling

On the Line Place Mr Birling’s key qualities on the scale

----------------------------------------------------------------

Ambitious, pompous, arrogant, competitive, sense of self importance, ill-informed

Least endearing

Most endearing

To the play

Now read from page 6 to page 7: Mr Birling’s rather long speech.

As you read, note down any observations about him in your Mr Birling section.

After reading, sum him up in five words.

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Birling's errors

Mining strikes across country

Titanic sinks

WWI beginsStocks and shares

become more unstable

Up rise in Socialism

In his speech, Mr Birling is incredibly arrogant and naive in stating that none of these things will ever happen.

Through dramatic irony (when the audience know something the characters don’t), we know these do in fact all happen in history.

How then does Priestley make him sound? Add all points we discuss to your Birling ‘head’.

Let’s read some more...

Now read from the rest of page 7 to the bottom of page 11.

As we read, continue to write down your observations of Birling in his ‘head’ – particularly on his knighthood.

Then pay specific attention to his comments on how every man should look after himself and how the inspector is described in the stage directions.

[10]

The questioning

Vs

As we read from p12 – p17, when the Inspector questions Birling, you have a new placemat to complete in pairs. Label yourselves A and B.

Person A must write down observations about how Goole questions Birling and how he commands the stage and person B must make notes on how Birling

responds and how he comes across. Read until Birling states that he does not want Sheila to become a part of it.

[10]

A further question

Still in the same pairs, answer the following question on the last section of your placemat:

What does this questioning and response expose about the characters and society

at the time?

Consider the areas of context we have explored today and any observations you have made of character and setting.

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