1. GCSE English Literature Unit 1 Modern Texts
An Inspector Calls
by J B Priestley
LO: to explore the techniques Priestley uses to present characters and themes
Key words:
Responsibility, morality, community, consequences
It would be advisable if you bought your own copy of the play so that you can write notes in your book.

2. Eva Smith
The first we hear of Eva Smith is the inspector’s description of her death.
Two hours ago a young woman died in the Infirmary. She’d been taken there this afternoon because she’d swallowed a lot of strong disinfectant. Burnt her inside out, of course.
Like a lot of these young women who get into various kinds of trouble, she’d used more than one name. But her original name – her real name – was Eva Smith.
What do you think the inspector means by ‘a lot of these young women who get into various kinds of trouble’?

3. Eva Smith
Questions:
What is a strike?
Why do people strike?

4. Why was Eva striking?
When Eva loses her job she is faced with a bleak future.

5. Any similarities with 1912?

6. Act 1- Eva Smith’s story After Mr Birling sacks Eva
Once Eva leaves the works how long is she unemployed?
2) What quote describes Eva’s situation? (p18)
Why doesn’t Eva go back to her parents?
How long do Eva’s savings last?
Where was Eva living?
Why didn’t Eva Smith just go on the dole?

7. Write a diary entry for Eva Smith once she is sacked from Mr Birling’s factory.
Include:
What conditions were like at the factory and how you felt about Mr Birling’s attitude to the workers and wages.
What was it like being on strike over Christmas and why you returned to work.
* How you felt at being sacked and what options you have

8. What was going through Eva’s mind
Conditions at the factory
How you felt about Mr Birling’s attitude to the workers and wages.

9. Eva’s diary entry
Dear diary, Work was terrible today because I had a meeting from hell with the devil himself. That Arthur Birling is a greedy pig! How does he expect his workers to continue to work under such terrible conditions; we get very little money, yet we have to work twenty four seven; he treats us like a piece of rubbish. I tell you what we will do-we will strike! Let us see what he will do then. When I met him today about a pay rise he said that twenty five shillings a week was too much-we would keep earning twenty two….

10. Band 4 B – confident writing: contains a high level of detail
Band 4 B – confident writing: contains a high level of detail. The writer manages to develop ideas and ‘crafts’ their language. Words are deliberately chosen for effect. Paragraphs link with each other and the narrative develops clearly.
Band 3 C– clear writing: presents ideas with some clear detail. The writer manages to develop ideas though is not always clear in their description. Uses vocabulary for effect. Clear evidence of paragraphing though this is not always used correctly.
Band 1/2 E/F/G – limited writing: some attempt at detail to inspire reader. The writer uses limited description to develop detail. Use of vocabulary is limited to commonly used words. Attempts to manage sentences and may attempt to use paragraphs to show structure.

11. Hot Seating Prep Write down 5 questions for each character. Sheila Eva
Criteria for questions
Grade E- What…?
Why?
Grade C/D-Why…?
What effect…?
Grade B+ -Reflect on…?
How…?
Imagine…

12. Act it out!
Groups:
Act out this scene where Sheila goes shopping and gets Eva sacked.
Think about :
how each character might act/speak
Success Criteria
All must either say/do something
Some of you might
take act out a part
One person needs to take overall responsibility to direct the task and help group to discuss ideas in detail

13. SUCCESS CRITERIA: SPEAKING AND LISTENING
Creating and sustaining roles
BAND 3 7-9
Sustain roles and characters using appropriate language, gestures and movements
Make contribution to the development of ideas and situations showing understanding and insight into relationships and issues
BAND 2
Show understanding of characters by creating strait forward roles using speech, gestures and movements
Engage with ideas and situations showing understanding of relationships and issues
BAND 3
Listen closely and attentively, engaging with what is heard through perceptive responses.
Make significant contributions that move discussions forward.

14. Success Criteria
B - confident and developed interpretations of texts engagement with writers’ ideas and attitudes understand and respond to different viewpoints relate to historical, social and cultural contexts
C - clear evidence of understanding significant meanings of the text
ability to explain writers’ ideas clearly
understanding of different viewpoints
reference to historical, social and cultural contexts