An Inspector Calls Flashcards
‘A man has to mind _____ _______ _________ and look after ______ and his _______’ – Said by who?
____ of the _______
‘A man has to mind his own business and look after himself and his own’ – Mr Birling
Ring of the doorbell
A02 – Order of his words reflect his priorities. Hierarchy
A03 – Priestley socialism, welfare state.
Attitude – more bothered about his business than the welfare of his staff.
Morals – doesn’t have any morals, no care for others. (immoral)
Selfish vs selfless
‘Sharp’ painful – cut off his views.
As if we were all _____ up together like ___________ – said by who?
As if we were all mixed up together like bees in a hive. – Mr Birling
A01 – Capitalist. Reflects his capitalist views – not human, just insects to him.
Hierarchy/colony – ‘queen B’ everyone else is worker bee.
Class systems – workers are beneath him
Responsibility – workers are just there to look after him. Sees them as replaceable.
Morality – lack of morals
Age – reflects their generational opinions
A02 (language/structure/form) – Simile
A03 – Priestley is a socialist, active member of the labour party.
‘But these _____ aren’t _____ ________ – they’re people’ – Said by who?
‘But these girls aren’t cheap labour – they’re people’ – Sheila Act 1
Age/morals – already changed her thoughts by the end of act 1 about what has happened, Mr Birling doesn’t accept responsibility. See value in someone who is poor, she has morals and they are starting to change.
Class – difference in Sheila’s wealth and Eva’s lack of money (poor) reflects the class/social divide, more pronounced.
Responsibility – a hint that Sheila is starting to consider how she is responsible.
Patriarchy – A02 ‘girls’ (noun) – young, childish – demeans them. Women (responsible, strong, older, wiser) vs girls (children, lack of responsibility)
A03 – Priestley labour views – trade unions (1945) workers rights.
‘If we were all _______ for everything that happened to ______, we’d had anything to do with, it would be very ______ _______ ____?’- Said by who?
‘‘If we were all responsible for everything that happened to everybody, we’d had anything to do with, it would be very awkward, wouldn’t it?’- Mr Birling
Capitalism vs socialism – anti-socialist views, self-centred view.
Responsibility – A02 (verb – responsible) Doesn’t want to look after others, doesn’t care. Tone – Sarcastic, flippant, rhetorical question (A02) – thinks he is correct.
Class – ties in with capitalism, everyone out for themselves. More bothered about class status.
Age/morals – generational views. Shaped by their different generational events.
A03 – War when Mr Birling was born/growing up.
Strikes/trade unions
WW1 – people did have to work together.
Context: Tell me how WW2 links
Priestly fought in WW2. – conscripted in 1941. People from different classes started to interact more, breaking down class systems further from WW1 and this encouraged Priestley to write the play. Criticises class systems.
Context: tell me how the Welfare state links
Welfare state – government worrying about the welfare of it’s citizens. 1948 – introduction of the NHS by Nye Bevan. National insurance 1945. Education Act. 1940s the welfare state was established.
Context: Tell me how the Patriarchy (linked to WW2) links
Patriarchy – Women had to take over men’s job roles (land girls, factory work, weapons) Women expected to return to gendered roles after WW2. Return to traditional values. Priestley is progressive and thinks women should have rights and do the same as men.
