1. Starter: Why did J.B. Priestley write an Inspector Calls?
Rejecting the conflict between capitalism and socialism and recognising the state of a regressive society.
To force the abolishment of segregation of society and eradicate ignorance of how society viewed itself by presenting the Birlings as a microcosm of society
Saw the opportunity to write AIC when British society underwent a radical shift during both world wars; he believed in socialism and wanted to ensure the lessons from the war were kept. These include classes working together, women seen as more capable, plus the fact that war is not seen as glorious as it was often portrayed before.

2. Model Example
How does Priestley present the character of Mr Birling in An Inspector Calls?
Write about:
How Mr Birling is presented throughout the play with his family
The methods Priestley uses to present Mr Birling in his writing
Point 1: In the expositional phase of the play, Priestley creates Mr Birling to be a representation of the misguided capitalist views on distribution of wealth and the state of a conservative society.
Point 2: It is also clear, as the play progresses, that Mr Birling’s interactions with both Eric and Gerald demonstrate his patriarchal views and the consequences of prioritising social status over familial relationships

3. Question: Why is the Inspector the most important character in the play?
Point 1: Priestley uses the Inspector as a figure that opposes the class systems Point 2: The symbolism of the Inspector’s redeeming qualities juxtapose that of the Birlings’ Point 3: The Inspector’s behaviour and power in the scene reflects his socialist views are more important

4. The younger seek collective responsibility whereas the older see one man stands for themselves-
2) The young vs. old represents a conflict between capitalist and socialist views
- Mrs Birling “don’t be childish Sheila” “I’m not being childish” “flaring up” – Sheila accepts social responsibility of her own mistakes  build up of tension between - Dramatic irony – punishment of the male – “I blame the young man who was the father of the child” – “Mother don’t!”
The idea of age superiority is prevalent; the older generations try to indoctrinate them, yet the young rebel – it shows the pressures on the younger generations when they follow in the footsteps of the older. - Mr & Mrs Birling are consistently contradicted – “No Sheila’s right”  “You’re not exactly the kind of father a son can talk to” – Eric & Sheila are fighting against their parents’ self-image - points at Eric and Sheila – “Now look at the pair of them – the famous younger generation who know it all – and they can’t even take a joke” Sheila – “too soon”  fixed mind-set – resilient to change  Dramatic Irony. “A girl died in the infirmary”

5. Dramatic Devices / Methods
Metaphor
Stage direction / staging
Tone
Imagery
Repetition
Foreshadowing
Juxtaposition
Symbolism
Dramatic irony
Similes
Hyperbolic language
Sarcasm/irony
Dark humour
Climactic curtain
Entrance / exits
Interruption
Setting / staging (start of Act 1)

6. Assign groups age numbers and share at end.

7. What do you know about the context of An Inspector Calls?
Priestley deliberately set his play in 1912 because the date represented an era when all was very different from the time he was writing. In 1912, rigid class and gender boundaries seemed to ensure that nothing would change. Yet by 1945, most of those class and gender divisions had been breached. Priestley wanted to make the most of these changes. Through this play, he encourages people to seize the opportunity the end of the war had given them to build a better, more caring society.
What was my message?

8. Print A3

9. AO1 – AO2 – AO3
In ‘An Inspector Calls,’ the playwright JB Priestley explores the theme of social responsibility by challenging the ‘privacy’ of the upper class, by revealing that actions that the family may have thought of as private and personal really had an effect beyond themselves. This blurring of the line between the public and the private reflects the play’s interest in class and the conflict between those who want to maintain the privatisation of wealth and those who are advocates for socialism. As the play progresses, the Inspector essentially aims to erase this line between public and private. The Inspector like Priestley argues for more than just removal of privacy in wealth, he argues for removal of privacy in the community and urges for recognition that ‘we are all members of one body.’ The play begins with all the characters of the Birling family and Gerald at the dinner table celebrating Sheila and Gerald’s engagement. During this dinner, Mr Birling makes several speeches all with a similar message that, ‘A man has to mind his own business and look after his own.’ This line perfectly summarises the initial attitudes of the Birling family and reflects the views of the privileged in society i.e. the middle/upper classes. The repetition of the personal pronouns, ‘own,’ ‘his’ portrays Birling as an inconsiderate man. Some may argue that in fact by ‘own’ he is referring to a community however, the characterisation of Birling so far in the play prevents this. The phrase ‘mind your own business,’ implies that we should only be involved in what concerns us. However, considering that he once described himself as a ‘hard headed business man,’ I think that a more apt interpretation is that he is expressing his capitalist viewpoint. To an audience of 1945, this would come across as quite a frightening ideology. Having experienced 2 world wars, the society had almost eradicated the class system in hope of a more caring community. JB Priestley crafts the structure of the play so that the audience ‘(hear the sharp ring of a door bell)’ which causes Birling to ‘(stop to listen).’ This not only foreshadows that the Inspector shall suggest otherwise but also forces the reader to devalue what Birling has just said and they direct their attention to Inspector Goole. This shift is very important as audience begin to side with the Inspector and therefore, socialism.
Decide whether to give whole essay or cut up – I think I will read whole thing but the get 2s/3s to annotate a para each….

10. As more is revealed about the Birlings and Gerald, we are made to further side with the inspector, adopting his socialistic views. Through the use of exposition and dramatic irony, JB Priestly slowly reveals the impact of the Birlings’ and Gerald’s actions on Eva Smith, a symbol of the lower class. Mrs Birling aims to shift the responsibility that she should have over Eva and her unborn child to the father of the child and demands the inspector to ‘Go and look for the father of that child it is his responsibility.’ She unlike Sheila and the audience doesn’t realise that the father is in fact her own son, Eric. The use of the imperatives complemented by the arrogant tone that I expect her to say this shows her ease in dismissing responsibility and drawing a line between herself and the lower class. It is evident that Mrs Birling’s hubris character, a product of the capitalist society of 1912, creates this division purely on the basis of wealth indicating that she thinks that people of different classes should have nothing to with each other. Through the use of dramatic irony that Eric is the father, Priestley disproves Mrs Birling’s views and shows that actions that we all take have effects beyond ourselves and families. Through the picture that Priestley creates of the upperclass and their separation from the rest of the community due to their wealth, he allows the audience to realise why he is an advocate for the welfare state. Priestly further voices his left winged views through Inspector Goole’s exiting speech. It is powerful as the fact that a character that has proven to be so omniscient is saying it, therefore, it most seems like a prediction/threat as opposed to advice. Further, the religious imagery in the speech is used to appeal to the religious audience, ‘…if men will not learn that lesson, then they will be taught it in fire and blood and anguish.’ The list with its repeated use of ‘and’ creates the impression that the Birlings and therefore, symbolically the upper class will forever suffer if they don’t take responsibility for their actions. This is reinforced by the noun, ‘fire’ which has direct connotations of damnation and hell, eliciting fear into the audience. Moreover, the ‘blood’ and ‘anguish’ might be hinting to a social revolution where the poor stand up against the higher classes, causing further divide and ‘blood.’ Further, in the BBC Production of An Inspector Calls (2015), the actor pauses between the nouns which creates a stronger multiplier effect, adding stress to the words and more importantly the meaning that they hold and fear they elicit. Or even a repetition of a world war. We can say that the Inspector’s final speech has a powerful message that is an undercurrent of the play, which is that we all have some responsibility for looking after one another.

11. After the legal consequences have been removed when it is revealed that the Inspector wasn’t actually a real inspector, the family react differently. Through this Priestley aims to suggest that we should not only take legal responsibility but social responsibility too. Sheila feels guilty for what she has done and understands the value of the lesson that the Inspector has taught her, taking responsibility over the legal boundaries. This is evident in the quote, ‘Everything we said had happened really had happened. If it didn't end tragically, then that's lucky for us.’ The repetition of the word, ‘happened’ mimics the line by the inspector, ‘what happened to her then, may have determined what happened to after…’ Sheila’s views expressed in this line therefore, indicate her support towards socialism. The phrase ‘end tragically,’ also resembles ideas that the Inspector presented. She understands that it is only a matter of time until their sins towards their community catch up with them. Conversely, Mr Birling believes that, ‘the whole thing’s different now,’ i.e. he believes that they will not be legally punished and since he doesn’t seem to have a guilty conscience, he is ‘(jovial)’ about this. Priestley may have wanted the actor of Mr Birling to act ‘(jovial)’ to give the audience another opportunity to scrutinise his beliefs. The fact that the play ends with the hearing that ‘a girl has just died in the infirmary,’ shows how Priestley sympathises with Sheila (and Eric). Additionally, the fact that Priestley doesn’t provide closure to the play, indicates how it is
In conclusion, as more is exposed about the actions that the family took to put Eva on the oath of her self-destruction, the family realise that actions that they and indeed upper class citizens think of as private have effects on lower classes. This division that the upper class draw between themselves and others, although still present in some characters at the end, in most the line becomes blurred and the value of responsibility is realised. Priestley purposefully doesn’t provide closure to the case of Eva in order to emphasise the most important theme in the play: social responsibility. The cliff hanger therefore, is more powerful than a closure as it not only forces the audience to think more deeply about the role of Inspector Goole and consequently realise this advocacy of socialism but for the audience to ponder of their responsibility over the lower classes and realise the need for de-privatisation.

12. So how should we be structuring our essays?
Whole essay?
Paragraph
In pairs devise the perfect structure…..

13. Print A3

14. Print A3

15. How does Priestley explore ideas of class and hierarchies in An Inspector Calls?
Write about:
The ideas about class and hierarchies in the play
The methods Priestley uses to convey these ideas in his writing.

16. How does Priestley present the character of Eric in An Inspector Calls?
Write about:
How Eric is presented throughout the play with his family
The methods Priestley uses to present Eric in his writing

17. Print A3

19. Plenary: Speed Writing
Can you write a PEEL paragraph?
Context
Ideas
Structure
Drama
Language
Message

20. What context can I write about?
Macbeth – Breaking Natural Order
ACC- Poverty and inequality in Victorian London
AIC – Responsibility to others (we shouldn’t only care about ourselves) – he is supporting Welfare State.

21. Use the first ten minutes of the lesson to plan:
Timed Essay (45 mins)
How does Priestley explore the theme of change in An Inspector Calls?
Write about:
The ideas about change in An Inspector Calls
How Priestley presents these ideas by the way he writes.
Let students use the book for first ten minutes
Use the first ten minutes of the lesson to plan:
-Line of argument
- Key quotes