1. An Inspector
Calls
J.B.Priestley
Lesson 2

2. Will be able to analyse Priestley’s intention.
Introduction to the Play
To analyse what the opening stage directions have on our understanding of the play. (where are you?)
ALL
Will be able to understand the importance of stage directions to our understanding of the play.
MOST
will be able to explain what the stage directions tell us about the Birling family.
SOME
Will be able to analyse Priestley’s intention.

3. Stage Directions:
Close reading of stage directions can make a real difference to your exam grade.
Use them as much as you can!
Examiner Tip:
- Remember to use the stage directions as well as the dialogue to support your answer.

4. An Inspector Calls: plot.
The Birling family are spending a happy evening celebrating the
engagement of Sheila Birling to Gerald Croft - a marriage that will
result in the merging of two successful local businesses. Yet, just
when everything seems to be going so well, they receive a
surprise visit from an Inspector Goole who is investigating the
suicide of a young girl. One by one, it is revealed that all
members of the family have a shameful secret which
links them with her death.
Arthur Birling; Sybil Birling; Sheila Birling; Eric Birling;
Gerald Croft; Inspector Goole

5. Stage Directions Why are stage directions used? Why are they important
to a writer?
to an actor/director?

6. Task: Keywords: Pompous Provincial
Use a dictionary to help you understand these terms.
Pompous
Provincial
Assertive
Read the stage directions for Act One.
Use your highlighter to emphasise and annotate anything that we learn about the Birling Family:
what their appearance tells us about them.
what their household tells us about them.

7. This word suggests they are wealthy.
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….
This word suggests that Birling is good at what he does and has earned a lot of money as the breadwinner of the house.
This tells us that Birling is the owner of a factory.

8. At rise of curtain, the four BIRLINGS and GERALD are seated at the table, with ARTHUR BIRLING at one end, his wife at the other, ERIC downstage, and SHEILA and GERALD seated upstage. EDNA, the parlour maid, is just clearing the table…of dessert plate and champagne glasses etc, and then placing them with decanter of port, cigar box and cigarettes. Port glasses are already on the table. All five are in evening dress of the period, the men in tails and white ties, not dinner-jackets.

9. ARTHUR BIRLING is a heavy-looking, rather portentous man in his middle fifties with fairly easy manners but rather provincial in his speech. His wife is about fifty, a rather cold woman and her husband’s social superior. SHEILA is a pretty girl in her early twenties, very pleased with life and rather excited. GERALD CROFT is an attractive chap about thirty, rather too manly to be a dandy but very much the easy well-bred young man-about-town. ERIC is in his early twenties, not quite at ease, half shy, half assertive. At the moment they have all had a good dinner, are celebrating a special occasion, and are please with themselves.

10. What do these stage directions suggest about the character?
Most will be able to discuss the effect of a single word and its implied meaning. (Grade 5+)
What do these stage directions suggest about the character?
Inspector (cutting in)
Eric (miserably)
Eric (suddenly startled)
Mrs B (alarmed)

11. Lesson Objectives To develop an understanding of Act 1.
Lesson Outcomes
(Expected progress…) To read Act 1 and devise a character mind map.
(Better than expected progress…) To begin to develop interpretations of character and make links to themes.

12. Starter Activity:
Write down five bullet points explaining why stage directions are important to a writer, the actors and the director.
Write down five things we learn about the Birling household from the stage directions.
Explain what we learn about the Birling family from the stage directions. Use quotes to support your ideas.

13. Group Work
What do we learn about the character of Mr Birling in this section?
Challenge: Can you identify the themes of Socialism and Capitalism (note them down)
Work in your groups to mind map a response to the question.
Your mind maps should be:
Detailed
Include reference to language
Demonstrated developed inferences.
Group roles:
-Team Leader: responsible for direction and feedback.
-Scribe (possible shared position) Writes down the information.
-Quote Finder[s]: responsible for finding specific quotations.

14. An Inspector Calls ARTHUR BIRLING
Pompous and self-important: ‘there’s a possible chance of a knighthood’
Made to look foolish with his predictions ‘Titanic…unsinkable, absolutely unsinkable.’
Smug and self-satisfied. Pleased with his business and life: ‘It’s one of the happiest nights of my life.’
Tries to intimidate the Inspector: ’I know the Brumley police officers pretty well’
Denies involvement with Eva’s death: ‘Still I can’t accept any responsibility.’
Refuses his workers a pay rise: ‘I refused, of course.’
Responsible for sacking Eva Smith: ‘so she had to go.’

15. Pyramid Question you have about the lesson
Things you have been reminded of today
Things you have learned today