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An Inspector Calls
J.B.Priestley
By the end of these series of lessons you will have:
Re-read most of the play.
Looked in detail reactions to the Inspector’s interrogation.
Completed mini – tasks that will prepare you for you forthcoming exam.
Completed quote searching tasks that will improve your response in the exam.
Completed an essay question on Who is to blame for Eva's death?
Had an opportunity to work on your own, as a pair and in a group in order to develop your speaking and listening skills.
Homework!
Individual writing task
Homework task
Paired activity
Group activity
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2. How much can you remember of the play?
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An Inspector Calls
J.B.Priestley
It is a spring evening in 1912 at the Brumley home of the Birlings, a prosperous industrial family in the North Midlands.
The family is enjoying a dinner party celebrating the engagement of their daughter to a man who is heir to the most successful family business in the North -- but they are about to be interrupted by the persistent Police Inspector, Inspector Goole.
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THE PLOT
In brief, the plot is as follows.
Arthur Birling, a wealthy businessman, and his family are celebrating the engagement of his daughter Sheila.
The play begins with the idea that all is well at the Birling household.
They receive a visit from an Inspector, Inspector Goole, who has come to inform them that a young working class girl called Eva Smith has been found dead and that he is there to investigate her sudden suicide.
The family are, in turn, interrogated by the Inspector, and evident cracks appear in their relationships with one another.
Under the pressure of the Inspector’s interrogation, every member of the family turn out to have a shameful secret linking them with Eva’s death.
The Inspector leaves the house, the phone then rings, informing the family that a Police Inspector is to visit them that evening The curtain falls.
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5. Key events that lead to Eva Smith's death.
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6. Key events in Eva’s life.
Year and month
What happens
September 1910
Eva sacked by Birling & Co.
December 1910
Eva employed by Milwards.
Late January 1911
Eva sacked by Milwards.
March 1911
Eva becomes Gerald's mistress.
Early September 1911
Gerald breaks off the affair.
Eva leaves Brumley for two months.
November 1911
Eric meets Eva.
December 1911/January 1912
Eva finds she is pregnant.
Late March 1912
Mrs. Birling turns down Eva's application for help.
Early April 1912
Eva's suicide/the Inspector calls*
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An Inspector Calls
THINK!
Who is to blame for the death of Eva Smith/Daisy Renton?
Who is to blame for Eva's death?
Think carefully how each of the Birlings and Gerald Croft influence what happens to Eva.
Name
What role does the character play in Eva’s death?
How prepared is the character to accept blame?
Mr Birling
Mrs Birling
Sheila
Gerald
Eric
Who is to blame work sheet.
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Search for quotes. . .
On your own, look again at the play as a whole and find quotes to support your findings on the Who is to blame worksheet.
Homework!
By the next lesson: Re-read Act 1 of the play looking closely at Mr Birling’s character, Sheila’s character and that of the Inspector.
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9. Defensive – behaving in a way so as to protect yourself.
Moralistic – Being very aware of what is right or wrong, good or bad.
Find 3 other comments by both characters.
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Sheila Birling. . .
In Act 1 Sheila Birling is also interrogated by the Inspector. Look at what she says in response to the Inspector’s questioning and how the Inspector behaves again in a moralistic manner.
Sheila Birling Inspector Goole
SHEILA (rather distressed) Sorry! It’s just that I can’t help thinking about this girl…
INSPECTOR She wasn’t pretty when I saw her today…
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Father and Daughter. . .
Extended question: How does Mr Birling’s reaction to the Inspector’s interrogation differ to that of his daughter, Sheila?
Think and find in the dictionary as many adjectives as you can to describe Mr Birling and to describe Sheila.
Record these on your mini white boards.
Think!
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self-righteous
self-satisfied
arrogant
pompous
boastful
condescending
patronising
domineering
ostentatious
discriminatory
unscrupulous
unfair
Mr Birling
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Sheila
ashamed
crestfallen
guilty
regretful
enlightened
affluent
greedy
jealous
selfish
resentful
naïve
shallow
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14. P E E
Make your point, give an example then explain its effect.
Example – The audience can see that Sheila is jealous when, while at Milwards, she is rude towards Eva Smith. In the play the inspector asks her ‘ you might be said to have been jealous of her’ and Sheila replies with ‘Yes, I suppose so.’ This has a positive effect on the audience’s attitude towards Sheila as they see she is willing to admit how she felt.
NOW complete the task by finding quotes to support your adjectives for both characters.
Homework!
By the next lesson: Finish the quote search task in your work books.
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Eric Birling
Gerald Croft
Study closely both character’s relationship with Mr Birling. Consider what is said and how it is said and how each character reacts to one another. Use the boxes below for your notes.
Eric Birling
Gerald Croft
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Like father like son ?
Think of Eric’s relationship with his father. Now find quotes that show how they feel for one another. Do they like each other? Explain your answer.
Eric Mr Birling
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Birds of a feather ?
Think of Gerald’s relationship with Mr Birling. Now find quotes that show how they behave with one another. Do they like each other? Explain your answer.
Gerald Mr Birling
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Mrs Birling . . .
Mrs Birling is described at the beginning of the play as "about fifty, a rather cold woman and her husband's social superior”.
Consider how Mrs Birling behaves towards the Inspector and his interrogation.
Mrs Birling . . .
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Themes in the play.
The generation gap . . .
The older generation and the younger generation take the Inspector's message in different ways.
While Sheila and Eric accept their part in Eva's death and feel huge guilt about it, their parents are unable to admit that they did anything wrong.
Look at these contrasting ideas:
Mr and Mrs Birling Sheila and Eric
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Now look at the table below and search for quotes to support the findings. Two quotes have already been found.
The Old (Mr and Mrs Birling)
The Young (Sheila and Eric)
The old are set in their ways. They are utterly confident that they are right and they see the young as foolish.
The young are open to new ideas. This is first seen early in Act 1 when both Eric and Sheila express sympathy for the strikers - an idea which horrifies Birling, who can only think of production costs and ignores the human side of the issue.
The old will do anything to protect themselves: Mrs Birling lies to the Inspector when he first shows her the photograph; Mr Birling wants to cover up a potential scandal.
The young are honest and admit their faults. Eric refuses to try to cover his part up, saying, "the fact remains that I did what I did.
They have never been forced to examine their consciences before and find they cannot do it now - as the saying goes, 'you can't teach an old dog new tricks'
Sheila and Eric see the human side of Eva's story and are very troubled by their part in it. They do examine their consciences.
Mr and Mrs Birling have much to fear from the visit of the 'real' inspector because they know they will lose everything.
Sheila and Eric have nothing to fear from the visit of the 'real' inspector because they have already admitted what they have done wrong, and will change.
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Where does Gerald fit in. Young or old?
Consider where Gerald fits into the theme of The generation gap.
In what ways is his reaction similar to that of Eric and Sheila?
In what ways is his reaction similar to that of Mr and Mrs Birling?
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Gerald Croft
Consider where Gerald fits into the theme of The Generation Gap.
You may begin like this.
After reading An Inspector Calls it is clear to the audience that Gerald Croft represents the________ as regards the theme of The Generation Gap…..
Mention what you have found out about the other characters and how he is similar to the or different
Discuss the way he behaves toward the Inspector and towards the other characters in the play.
Use quotes to support your findings ( PEE)
Write about a page and a half.
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23. Who is to blame for the death of Eva Smith/Daisy Renton?
With reference to the work completed in this unit, plan your essay.
Beginning - Background
Mention essay title
Look at each character in turn – quotes
Conclusion.
Homework!
By the next lesson: Complete the planning of your essay.
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