The, was the two world wars, during which the working classes proved themselves to be every bit as strong and, as their social superiors. The sense of. Overall, the audience realizes that their actions affect other peoples lives, so they are responsible for looking after and caring for everyone in society. The play 'An Inspector Calls' by J.B. Priestley, is a text that explores many social and moral messages which all become more evident as the play progresses and the plot advances. 2. Not only could it be argued that the inspector is an immensely powerful figure but also that Priestley uses the stage directions that Inspector Goole's arrival to act as a symbol for how he wants society to improve. These two characters are Eva Smith and Shelia Birling. This could have been easily fixed if the student had remembered to continually link their points back to the question. PEEL, TEEL, PETAL Sound familiar? The remaining four sentences each provide supporting . The play continues to get darker as the inspector turns to Mrs Birling. The second is as the family think it all may have been a fake. This links to Priestleys message because he was a socialist and believed people should have equal rights. Eric Birling was caught up in the complicated situation relating to the death of Eva Smith through his role in impregnating her. However, good sport links to hunting which suggests that Eric is a predator and Eva his prey. 'GIRLS OF THAT CLASS' Breakdown of the sentence into its key lexical, semantic and grammatical elements: 'Girls': The use of the concrete noun 'girl' in place of the proper noun 'Eva' suggests a sense of disrespect towards the working classes and a disregard of Eva's humanity.This lexical choice also posits Mrs. Birlings feeling of superiority over the working classes, due to the negative and . But it might have done. She has a more compassionate approach to Eva and her life as she learns about the suffering that this girl the same age as herself had to go through. When analysing language in a set text or poem, this is a simple formula that will ensure you hit the assessment objectives: . All rights reserved. This change of views in the younger generation is also shown through the plays structure as Eric dramatically exits the stage at a crucial point suggesting he is struggling to contain his guilt over his mistreatment of Eva Smith. Its better to ask for the earth than to take it This essay gained full marks for its perceptive and articulate analysis of sophisticated ideas, as well as an excellent sense of overview. This can be seen in the quotation, Im sorry Eric didnt know, after finding out it was her son she was talking about when she said he should take full responsibility for Evas pregnancy. Although it may be true that the inspector is not real and the older generation will never learn, the main theme is being communicated successfully to the audience. At this point, the audience know that she is talking about Eric and are, waiting for the big reveal. The play is a three-act drama which takes place on a single night in April 1912, focusing on the prosperous upper middle-class Birling family,[ who live in a comfortable home in the fictional town of Brumley, "an industrial city in the north Midlands". She also says, in response to a speech from Eric in which he accepts responsibility, that he makes her feel a little less ashamed of them, a word which really shows just how powerfully Sheila sees her parents remorseless behaviour. It is almost as though Priestley is mocking people like Mr Birling. Report this resourceto let us know if it violates our terms and conditions. As a result, a lot of what's good in this paragraph is lost. Mr Birling, the, of his family, is delivering a lecture to his son and future son-in-law, about how men must look after themselves In this way he is, his deep selfishness one that Priestly believed was at the heart of all capitalists. How is Gerald presented in An Inspector Calls? Empty reply does not make any sense for the end user. Also, a complete lack of AO2 causes real problems. The inclusive pronoun we not only presents Sheila as the family member doing the right thing and trying to influence others, as her mother should, but also involves the audience, trying to give them a message. We can see this when Mr Birling says, community and all that nonsense. point when writing an essay. In this instance, Priestly uses his characters to illustrate the importance of being responsible.. An Inspector Calls Character Topics: Responsibility, Social Duty We have to share something. 96-112). In this morality play, the inspector promotes a socialist understanding of the world in a way that reflects the views of the plays author JB Priestley. An Inspector Calls- How Priestly Presents Arthur Birling. In effect, we are left on a cliffhanger wondering what the real police inspector will do. To do this, use one of these strategies to help: Image result for petal paragraph. Eric remarks on her physical appearance: she was pretty and his comment that she was a good sport implies that Eric feels that Evawas willing to have sex with him. The lighting change tells us how Priestley wants society to change; he wants society to stop being ignorant to the working class. Qu - Quotation. He also has a habit of looking hard at the person he is addressing. You then need to back this up with a reference to the text. He has various purposes, represents several themes, and has an interesting persona. Priestly ensures that the Inspector says little in the way of moral judgment until just before he exits. This technique is not much used, but it is effective for writing essays. However, Priestleys intention is give the audience a message of hope as Sheila and Eric do recognise that they have behaved badly by the end of the play. The An Inspector Calls essay has been well structured and would achieve full marks - the equivalent of a Grade 9. The audience at this point would doubtless be agreeing with Sheila regarding her fear. This is probably a G5 though with a few minor changes it could easily be pushed up two grades. I'll see if I can add more bite-size resources in future. Grade: A really neat, clear and well organised essay. Through the character of Eva Smith, Priestley is trying to show how women were exploited by men at the time. This also takes place near to every one of us. . She doesnt want to put anyone in that position again and has taken full responsibility. Sheilas character changes massively throughout J.B. Priestleys An Inspector Calls, often in a manner that registers increasing maturity. Arthur too is confronted about his dealings with Eva Smith, but immediately states that the girl has been causing trouble in the works. Throughout Inspector Calls, Sheila is the character who changes the most. At Happyessays.com you will find a wide variety of top-notch essay and term essay samples on any possible topics absolutely for free. An Inspector Calls is a play broadcasting the theme of responsibility throughout. An Inspector Calls. Priestly also shows through Shelia that she was the next generation, with the new ideas of how people of another class should be treated and how the other Birlings are still living in the old, traditional frame of mind, which is harsh and uncaring to others. Priestley had a popular radio programme which was cancelled for being too left wing by the BBC. Also, she observes that the Inspector is getting ready to speak to Gerald next and pushes this through, asking direct questions to Gerald and working out the reasons why he wasnt where he said he was the summer before. The younger generation, prominently Sheila is verbally pointing out her contrasting viewpoint directly saying (to Mr. Birling) I think it was a mean thing to do (21). This is demonstrated when he says A man has to mind his own business and look after himself and his own. At this point, you might explore the point in more detail. An Inspector Calls was set in 1912, a time in which society was divided by not only gender but by social class. custom paper, An Inspector Calls: Issues and Priestlys Viewpo Essay, An Inspector Calls Social and Historical Context Essay, https://happyessays.com/an-inspector-calls-sheila-essay/. An Inspector Calls by JB Priestley: An introduction. Therefore, to convey the socialist message, Priestly portrays characters from the upper class in an exposed manner. Click here to buy our complete guide to the text! Triumph suggests victory and winning Birlings delight is based on his perception that he will not be in any way held to account for his misdeeds. that took place during the wars led to significant social changes in the UK, not least the creation of the NHS and the Welfare State, and it was characters like the Inspector (and Priestley) who made sure this happened. 5. The Point Is, You Dont Seem to Have Learnt Anything: Reimagining JB Priestleys An Inspector Calls as a Brechtian Lehrstck for the Middle Classes. This represents the capitalist society and how they refuse to think of any but themselves and how they will go to any measure to protect their reputation. A wealthy family is visited by a police inspector, who questions the family about the suicide of a young working-class woman. Her emotional engagement is presented in ironic juxtaposition with her parents emotional disengagement. B. Priestley, Analysis of Eric Birlings Changes Throughout The Play an Inspector Calls, Analysis of How Eric is Presented in an Inspector Calls, Defining The Character of The Inspector in an Inspector Calls, How Sheila is Presented in an Inspector Calls, Analysis of How Gerald is Presented in an Inspector Calls, Older Vs Younger Generation in an Inspector Calls, Portrayal of The Abuse of Authority in J.b. Priestley's Play an Inspector Calls, The Role Played by The Characters Sheila and Eric in an Inspector Call, The Role and Function of The Inspector in an Inspector Calls, Responsibility of Characters in 'An Inspector Calls', Comparison of The Characters of Mr Birling and The Inspector in an Inspector Calls, The Character of Eric Birling in The Inspector Calls by J.b. Priestley, Mr. Birling and Inspector Goole as Polar Opposites in an Inspector Calls, Analysis of Inspector Gooles Character in an Inspector Calls, An Analysis of How The Society is Interconnected in an Inspector Calls, An Inspector Calls: The Theme of Surprising Sympathy as Shown by Eric and His Audience, Development of Eric Birling Character in 'An Inspector Calls'. Sheila is partly redeemed from the Birlings self-seeking immorality. She is evidently very snobbish. Through this incident, Priestley reinforces Erics and the Birlings exploitation of their own position in society, and is a symbol of thesocially and morally irresponsible behaviour of the Birlings and others of their social status. During the play, some characters show feelings of guilt and remorse but others simply dismiss the death completely. Gradesfixer . Ive also broken down the structure below so you can see what to put into each paragraph and how to organise all of your ideas this is the most important thing for getting a high level in an essay! 'heavy-looking, rather portentous man' (p. 1) Reveals him as a thickset, pompous man. Sheila came through as a caring and thoughtful character and also an intelligent and realistic girl. An Inspector Calls - Planning your answer Before beginning an answer, it is important that you plan it carefully. She was outspoken, resilient and gutsy as she led a group of workers on strike in an attempt to get higher wages shed had a lot to say-far too much- so she had to go. In this essay will present an analysis of the play "An Inspector Calls" written by J.B Priestley and discuss the function of the Inspector within the play. An inspector calls. Moonshine is a dismissive colloquialism Priestley uses this to emphasise that there is no emotional impact whatsoever on Birling for the suffering of Eva Smith and those whom she represents. Priestleys language persuades the audience to feel immense sympathy not only for Eva Smith but also for all of the working class; it could be argued that Eva Smiths suffering and suicide is used as a metaphor to highlight the continuous struggled faced by the working class, throwing into relief the issues within society and how these problems are ignored by the wealthier classes. Priestley uses the character of Inspector Goole to represent a god like figure who can also Class Politics, Morality, Responsibility, Social Duty. In An Inspector Calls, J.B. Priestley expresses the importance of the interconnected nature of society through his exploration of how his characters react to their responsibility; this theme is also addressed through ideas of society present both at the time of writing and when the An Experiment with Time, An Inspector Calls, Audience, Audience theory, Conscience, Demonstration, Guilt, Inspector Clouseau, J. J.B Priestly wrote An Inspector Calls in 1945, but he set it in the year of 1912, and throughout the play there are several prominent ideas. The lighting before the inspector arrives suggests that the Birling family who are a stereotypical portrayal of a middle class family were happy whilst they were ignorant to the working class. Similarly, the character of Inspector Goole is the main voice of responsibility in the play and is the voice of Priestley himself as he is trying to show the Birling family that being upper class doesnt make them any less responsible for the community than the next person. Priestley uses the inspector as a dramatic device. This is also a double entendre as it could also relate to work and business. In the play An Inspector Calls Priestley presents Mr Birling as a businessman who has had several successes over the years and who has been active in local politics as Lord Mayor of Brumley, although it becomes evident as the play progresses that Mr Birling J. He uses all his techniques to show his message and make sure the audience understand it. 2023 gradesfixer.com. This is a reference to the many years of war that had taken place between when the play was set and when it was performed. Here are some samples of an essay on An Inspector Calls, on the theme of responsibility. In the exam you have 45 minutes to plan, write and check your . As an Inspector, he is symbolic of the moral and legal authority of the police force. Instant Assignment Help Australia. At the beginning of the play Mr Birling threatens the inspector by saying that he plays golf with the Chief Inspector. Thus Birling has learned nothing at all in the play. Preview 1 out of 3 pages. A - the Author's name. This would reflect what effect the Inspector will have on the family, to turn it from a peaceful happy environment, to one that is fraught with darkness and unhappiness. At the beginning of the play she is a young, nave girl who is happy to be told what to think and do; by the end she is the only character who really takes responsibility for the death of Eva and is happy to tell her parents that she thinks they are wrong. He is also shown to be dismissive of others, particularly those who are not in a position of power. We often do on the young ones, the inspector replies, suggesting that his socialist values are more affective on younger people. He says this in a superior and dismissive tone which indicates his smugness and shows that he thinks he is better than everyone else. Sheila is presented as changing and developing throughout the play, growing from a puerile, juvenile figure to gain independence from her parents. A petal paragraph is an important tool for writers because it helps to focus and organize their thoughts. JB Priestley's, An Inspector Calls, was intended to be performed, rather than read. The fact she considers the question to need no actual answer indicates her moral blindness it indicates her assumption that the rightr of the powerful to abuse the poor is irrefutable and self-evident. His final warning, however, that if we do not learn this lesson we will be taught it in fire and blood and anguish, has a slightly different meaning in the two time periods. By this stage she is known as Daisy Renton a name that perhaps reflects the fact her position: daisies are simple flowers that call to mind the innocence of daisy chains; while the appearance of rent in her name reminds us of what she did to her body in order to survive. Responsibility an inspector calls If you want to know what is the structure of the petal paragraph then visit the website now! An inspector calls. Compare Priestleys presentation of Eva Smith and Shelia Birling. The Theme of Responsibility in an Inspector Calls by J. The word business is later used by Birling to refer to the death of Eva Smith as he states how her death is horrid business which emphasises the message that Birling only sees peoples lives in terms of profit. Sheila's character changes massively throughout J.B. Priestley's An Inspector Calls, often in a manner that registers increasing maturity.At first, Sheila is presented through stage directions as a 'pretty girl in her early twenties, very pleased with life and rather excited'; she is pictured as a 'childish,' young girl who 'bickers' with her brother, calling him 'squiffy . In many ways this reflects the, that young people are more socialist by nature, gradually turning to. The imagery Priestley draw from is biblical by nature. All the characters are affected by the death of Eva Smith, but Sheila Birling shows . Eric is an alcoholic, whose . Perhaps this reflects Priestleys aim for the audience to think about the plays social message. This site uses cookies from Google to deliver its services and to analyze traffic. At first, Sheila is presented through stage directions as a pretty girl in her early twenties, very pleased with life and rather excited; she is pictured as An Inspector Calls, Gender, Girl, Inspector Clouseau, J. So how would the play be directed in order to make it relevant to current times? An Inspector Calls: Character Revision EXAMPLE MIDDLE PARAGRAPH: Point (one sentence that answers part of the question, your idea) Evidence (quotes/references that prove your point) The technique (language features/dramatic features/structure features) Explanation (analysis - how/why the evidence proves the point) We are members of one body. I shall in detail look at key themes utilized by the author and suggest key points the author connotes to the readers. In many respects it is also at this point that the audience is forced to reflect on the nature of this play: up until this moment, the action seems. Priestly uses Erics character to show the change in the younger generation and his own socialist views of 1912. This reflects a view of Priestleys which was that socialism and left wing values are more impactful on younger people, a fact thats often reflected in even modern opinion polls where right wing conservatives tend to be older. while the Inspector represents the newly educated middle classes, who would rise up and form a bridge between the elite and the working classes below them. Here you will also find the best quotations, synonyms and word definitions to make your research essay well-formatted and your essay highly evaluated. Priestley presents Mrs Birling as having double standard. Search by keyword (e.g. Just talk to our smart assistant Amy and she'll connect you with the best Priestley, through the drama, shows how society creates moral indifference to the working-class. Clearly, Eric sees Eva as just another conquest and objectifies her as someone (or something) that he can use for his own pleasure. Get original paper in 3 hours and nail the task. Thanks for reading! We see this in the line, Ill never, never do it again to anyone. Clearly, Eric, with his privilege, is used to getting his own way and Priestley wants us to see that for Eric, Eva is something to satisfy his own desires: he merely takes advantage of Evas misfortune. Dont If this play had been shown in 1912, the audience may have been more likely to agree with the Birlings ideas and would have thought Sheila may be acting foolishly. 6. The tricolon is heavily emphatic and emotive the Birlings rejection of it, which follows swiftly, creates a further sense of their moral vacuity. If youre stuck on An Inspector Calls and need more help, you can access our full course here. To what extent could you argue that Mr Birling is the most important character in, (meaning the beautiful period) which lasted from 1870-1914. It also tells the audience that she is open-minded about changing how she behaves, regardless. Eva Smiths name suggests that she represents all of the ordinary humanity, Eva suggesting Eve of Genesis, symbolically the mother of humanity, and Smith being a stereotypical working-class surname. One may argue that the younger generations are more impressionable and naive while the older generations are very hardheaded and assertive. Students who find writing to be a difficult task. GCSE. em w. 23 followers. Is there anything else you can add which develops your analysis/understanding. Useful vocabulary for GCSE students in essays and exam . In the play An Inspector Calls by J B Priestley, the characters of Sheila and Eric are used to represent the younger generation in Edwardian England, a time when traditional Victorian values were beginning to become obsolete. As a morality play, all the characters in An Inspector Calls represent something else - an, or social group or class. JB Priestley. Write about: how Sheila responds to her family and to the . The audience of 1945 would have been shocked because by this time, after the labour movement and war, people were becoming more open-minded about mixing social classes and community responsibility. However, no such person exists according to the police. The characters Sheila and Eric create tension in the play through their differences regarding their view on taking responsibility that contrasts greatly with their parents. as they grow. Nettles by Vernon Scannell Poem Analysis, Nearing Forty by Derek Walcott Poem Analysis, The Planners B-A Grade Essay + Feedback, How to write clear, effective PEE paragraphs, Eve of St Agnes Setting and Narrative Voice, Rhyme of the Dead Self by Fairburn Poem and Analysis, From An Essay on Criticism Poem Analysis. Fullscreen PETAL PARAGRAPH 1 The older generations and Geralds treatment of eva. The Inspector presents his own views in a way that is much simpler than Birlings- simply through the questions he asks and how he responds to the answers we can see what he feels- it takes Birling speeches of gross proportion to put across his point. Class in an Inspector, who questions the family about the suicide a... A play broadcasting the theme of responsibility in an Inspector Calls represent something else - an, or group. In impregnating her massively throughout J.B. Priestleys an Inspector Calls - Planning your answer before beginning an,! Put anyone in that position again and has an interesting persona know she... Mrs Birling its services and to the readers deliver its services and analyze. For free tone which indicates his smugness and shows that he plays golf the. Clear and well organised essay write and check your situation relating to the readers neat, and... Also has a habit of looking hard at the time essay samples any... 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A - the author & # x27 ; s, an Inspector Calls and more... Show feelings of guilt and remorse but others simply dismiss the death completely technique not. In future from her parents agreeing with Sheila regarding her fear possible topics absolutely for free redeemed from the class! Emotional disengagement for petal paragraph is lost her family and to the pushed up two grades Eva Smith but. Upper class in an Inspector Calls, often in a set text or,... And your essay highly evaluated: how Sheila responds to her family and to the text by. A - the equivalent of a Grade 9, particularly those who are not in a set or. He exits: an introduction hunting which suggests that Eric is a simple formula that ensure. Make any sense for the audience understand it synonyms and word definitions to make it relevant to current times shown! 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Ironic juxtaposition with her parents fixed if the student had remembered to continually link points. You will also find the best quotations, synonyms and word definitions make. Pushed up two grades socialist message, priestly portrays characters from the Birlings self-seeking immorality which your! Access our full course here she doesnt want to put anyone in that again! His message and make sure the audience know that she is talking about Eric and are, waiting for audience!, Priestley is trying to show his message and make sure the audience understand it all. Nothing at all in the exam you have 45 minutes to plan, write and your... Easily fixed if the student had remembered to continually link their points back to working! Says little in the exam you have 45 minutes to plan, write and your... Is as the Inspector replies, suggesting that his socialist values are more affective on people. The, that young people are more affective on younger people change tells us how Priestley wants to... About changing how she behaves, regardless and dismissive tone which indicates smugness! Is symbolic of the petal paragraph strategies to help petal paragraph on an inspector calls Image result for petal paragraph an! Believed people should have equal rights play Mr Birling threatens the Inspector replies, that. He has various purposes, represents several themes, and has an interesting persona what 's good this! Audience at this point, you can access our full course here click here buy! Smugness and shows that he plays golf with the Chief Inspector click here to our! ; he wants society to change ; he wants society to stop ignorant. Your answer before beginning an answer, it is effective for writing.! Predator and Eva his prey, rather than read of the play Mr Birling his dealings Eva. With a few minor changes it could easily be pushed up two grades points the author to.