English Literature Inspector Calls Flashcards
Who wrote inspector calls ?
J.b Priestley
When was the play based ?
1912
When was the play written ?
1945
Was Priestley a socialist ?
Yes
How does Priestley present his ideas of socialism and capitalism in the play ?
He uses the Inspector to present ideas of socialism and he uses the play also to convey the moral failings of capitalism
What is capitalism presented as in the play ?
A system in which abuse and exploitation of the poor and disadvantaged is inevitable
How is socialism presented in the play ?
Presented as a system which promotes equality and views society as a whole
The play is set in 1912 , what does Priestley aim to do here ?
England was governed by a conservative right wing government where capitalism was the dominant ideology . Priestley aims to show Capitalism to be morally unacceptable political view
In 1912 how were women seen ?
The were largely seem to be subservient to men and had significantly fewer rights
What was the society called in 1912 ?
Edwardian era
Who is the inspector ?
He is the symbol of socialism and basically Priestley’s puppet to highlight the negativity of capitalism .
What ideology do the Birlings represent at the start of the play ?
Capitalism
Who changes at the end of the play and takes responsibility for their actions ?
Sheila and Eric
What are some of the qualities of the Inspector ?
. Face of socialism
. Morally good
. All about Social responsibility
. Blunt/ casual
. Mysterious
. Driving force of the play
. Ghost ?
What are 6 quotes for the inspector ?
. ‘Its my duty to ask questions ‘
. ‘We don’t live alone . We are members of one body . We are responsible for each other ‘
. ‘ Just used her … as if she was an animal, a thing, not a person ‘
. ‘If men will not learn that lesson , they will be taught it in fire and blood and anguish ‘
. ‘She died in misery and agony, hating life ‘
. ‘Public men have responsibilities as well as privileges ‘ .
What are some of the qualities of Arthur Birling ?
. Only cares about class and social status
. Self centered
. Likes to be in control
. Business man
Who undermines Birling’s authority ?
The Inspector
What colour is the lighting in the play before the Inspector arrives ? What kind of atmosphere does it create ?
Pink and intimate , creates a cosy atmosphere and suggests that everything in the life of the Birling family is rosy
What colour is the lighting when the Inspector walks in ? What does it symbolise ?
Brighter and harder and it symbolises how Inspector Goole brings light into where it is needed .
What does Arthur Birling have to do with Eva smiths death ?
He sacked her leaving her unemployed
What does Mr Birling hope to obtain ?
A knighthood
Why does Mr Birling say to Gerald that he is up for a knighthood ?
Because Gerald and his family are higher class than Birling and he wants recognition and power
What does Mr Birling symbolise ?
Capitalism
Older generation
Power of men over women
What are all the examples of dramatic irony that Mr birling uses ?
. He says that the titanic is ‘unsinkable ‘
. He says that the strikes will die down
. He says ‘ we’re in for a time of steady prosperity ‘
. He says that there will never be a war
Why does Priestley use dramatic irony for Mr birling ?
He’s making fun of him and making sure that the audience know that capitalism is not the way to go .
Finish this quote of for Mr birling . ‘Your engagement to Sheila …..
means a tremendous lot to me ‘
Finish this Mr Birling quote that is repeated . ‘I speak as a hard headed ….
business man of business ‘
Finish this Birling quote . ‘Crofts and Birlings are no longer competing …
but are working together for lower costs and higher prices ‘ .
Finish this Birling quote of . ‘Still I cant …
accept any responsibility ‘ .
Finish this Birling quote of . ‘I’ve got to …
cover this up . You damned fool ‘.
Finish this Birling quote of . ‘The whole story’s …
just a lot of moonshine ‘ .
Finish this Birling quote of . ‘Look inspector - i’d give thousands - …
Yes thousands ‘
Finish this Birling quote of . ‘Well its my …
duty to keep labour costs down ‘ .
Is this statement true . Inspector Goole is the mouthpiece for J.B Priestley ?
Yes
Give three reasons why the Inspector is an important character in the play .
- He highlights the chain of events connecting individuals in society
- He highlights generational conflict
- He speaks on behalf of the victimised and opressed
When the Inspector arrives, what happens ?
When he arrives the doorbell rings and cuts Mr birling off mid scentence
How could the Inspector be seen as religiously ?
The Inspector could be represent Christian ideals here, as he encourages the Birlings to confess their sins and seek repentance
What are the key characteristics of Sybil Birling ?
. Stubborn
. Selfish
. Lacks empathy
. Prizes social class
. Traditional
What did Sybil Birling do to Eva smith ?
She denied Eva charity out of spite leading to Eva’s desth
What is Sybil Birling’s role ?
She represents the cruelty and arrogance of the most powerful people in society
What does sybil Birling symbolise ?
- She abuses her social position / all upper class
- She is hypocritical
- Represents the older generation
Finish this Sybil Birling description . ‘A rather cold woman ..
and her husbands social superior ‘ .
Finish this Sybil Birling quote . ‘I think she only had …
Herself to blame ‘ .
Finish this Sybil Birling quote . ‘Find this young man and make sure …
He is compelled to confess in public his responsibility ‘ .
Finish this Sybil Birling quote . ‘I’ve done nothing wrong …
and you know it ‘ .
Finish this Sybil Birling quote . ‘She seemed to me not to be a good case ..
‘And so i used my influence to have it refused ‘
Finish this Sybil Birling quote . ‘We’ve done a great deal of useful work …
in helping deserving cases ‘ .
Finish this Sybil Birling quote . ‘ Men with important work to sometimes have to spend nearly all their time and energy on the business ….
You’ll have to get used to that ‘ .
What are the key characteristics of Sheila Birling ?
Immature
Materialisitc
Strong willed
Capable of change
What themes does Sheila Birling link to ?
Responsbility
Class
Generational conflict
What role does Sheila have to play in an inspector calls ?
Shiela grows in maturity during the play, and ultimately rejects the selfish capitalist beliefs held by her parents
What role did Sheila have on Eva smith’s death ?
Had Eva smith fired from her job at a clothing store
Does Sheila follow in the Inspectors footsteps ?
Yes
Why is Sheila important in the play ?
She is important because she highlights that people can change / shows hope for the younger generation
Why does Priestley use Sheila to contrast the character of Eva ?
The two characters reflect how the class divide affects women from very different backround .
What are key quotes for Sheila that highlights her immaturity ?
‘Mummy’
‘Daddy’
‘Look mummy, isn’t it a beauty ‘ ?
Finish this description of Sheila Birling . ‘Pretty girl in her early 20s …
very pleased with life and rather excited ‘
Finish this Sheila quote . ‘ Oh Gerald you got it …
Is it the one you wanted me to have ? ‘
Finish this Sheila quote . ‘Oh-how horrible ! …
Was it an accident ‘
Finish this Sheila quote . ‘I felt rotten at the time …
Now i feel a lot worse ‘
Finish this Sheila quote . ‘Mother I think ..
it was cruel and vile ‘ .
Finish this Sheila quote . ‘You mustn’t build up a wall ..
between us and that young girl ‘ .
Finish this Sheila quote . ‘Your pretending everything’s …
just as it was before ‘ .
Finish this Sheila quote . ‘He’s giving us the rope - ..
so we’ll hang ourselves ‘ .
What are some of the key characteristics of Eric Birling ?
Anxious
Impulsive
Irresponsible
Drinks a lot
What themes does Eric link to ?
Generational conflict
Responsbility
Guilt
What was Eric’ role in Eva smiths death ?
She got Eva smith pregnant
What does Eric represent ?
Both the punishment that awaits those who refuse to listen to the Inspector’s message, and also for they younger generation to change for the better .
Finish this description of for Eric Birling . ‘In his early twenties, not quite …
at ease, half shy, half assertive ‘ .
Finish this Eric quote . ‘Why shouldn’t they try for higher wages ? …
We try for higher prices ‘ .
Finish this Eric quotes of . ‘Your not the kind of father …
a chap could go to when he’s in trouble k .
Finish this Eric quote . ‘I wasn’t in …
love with her or anything ‘ .
Finish this Eric quote of . ‘Its still the same rotten story whether …
its been told to the police inspector or somebody else k .
Finish this Eric Birling quote of . ‘ its what happened to the girl …
and what we all did that matters ‘ .
Finish this Eric quote of . ‘I was in a state when a chap ….
easily turns nasty ‘ .
What are some of the characteristics of Gerald ?
. Polite
. Wealthy
. Rejects responsbility
What are some of the key themes that Gerald links to ?
. Capitalism vs socialism
. Guilt
Responsbility
. Gender
What role did Gerald play in Eva smith’s death ?
Had an affair with Eva but then abandoned her .
Gerald initially seems to accept the Inspectors socialist message but what ?
But ultimately sides with Mr and Mrs Birling
What does Gerald’s relationship with Eva represent ?
the power of men over women
Did Gerald have some affection for Eva smith ?
Yes
Finish this description of Gerald . ‘ very much the easy …
Well bred young man about town ‘
Finish this Gerald quote . ‘After all, we’re …
respectable citizens and not criminals ‘ .
Finish this Gerald quote . ‘I don’t come into this …
suicide businesss ‘
Finish this Gerald quote . ‘I didn’t install her there so that …
I could male love to her … i was sorry for her ‘ .
How many acts are there in inspector calls ?
Three
Finish this Gerald quote . ‘ Everything’s all right now …
Sheila . What about this ring ‘
Finish this Gerald quote . ‘Getting a bit heavy …
handed aren’t you inspector ‘
What does getting a bit heavy handed, aren’t you, inspector suggest ?
Suggests the expectations that he is entitled to a certain level of respect due to his class, even from the law . Trying to remind the inspector of his place .
Finish this gerald quote . ‘I hate those hard-eyed, ..
dough faced women.’
What does the quote ‘I hate those hard-eyed, dough faced women ‘ suggest ?
Suggests that Gerald does not know of the hardships that these women face . Shows his very negative attitude toward women of that class .
Finish this Gerald quote . ‘Sorry - I - well, I’ve suddenly realised - …
taken it in properly - that she’s dead . ‘
What does the quote ‘ Sorry - I - well, I’ve suddenly realised - taken it in properly - that she’s dead ‘ suggest ?
The use of hyphen suggests broken speech which suggests he is emotional, perhaps holding back tears . Could imply hope for change in the upper class .
Who are the working class characters in the play ?
Edna and eva
Why does Priestley use the theme of social class in the play ?
Priestley wants to demonstrate the fixation of the upper class on their status and their poor morals . He uses the characters to criticise the inequality and unfairness of the class system and argues that it blinds people .
Who believes that their class affords the right to decide who is and who isn’t deserving of charity ?
Mrs birling
If a question came up on class , what characters could you use ?
Mr Birling, Mrs Birling and Eva Smith
Do all the characters use their power and status in the wrong way in terms of what happened to Eva smith ?
Yes
Finish this quote for the them of class . ‘Arthur your not supposed to ..
say such things ‘
Finish this class quote . ‘She seemed to me not to be…
a good case - and so I used my influence and had it refused ‘
Finish this class quote . ‘If you don’t come down sharply on these people …
they’d soon be asking for the earth ‘ .
Finish this class quote . ‘As if a girl of that sort…
would ever refuse money ‘
Could you also use the Inspector for the idea of the class system ?
Yes you could use him to outline that that the class system is unjust .
What does Priestley highlight with the class system in 1912 ?
That it was very divided
Who is the first character to accept responsibility in the play ?
Sheila
Who does Priestley use to highlight to the Birling’s that actions have consequences ?
The inspector
Which people does the play condemn ? And why ?
Those in power for not protecting the people of the country, and for leading the country into a war without considering whom it would effect .
Which characters after they realise the inspector isn’t a real person , don’t accept responsibility for their actions ?
Mrs Birling, Mr Birling and Gerald croft
What does Priestley want to highlight to people in terms of the theme of responsibility ?
He wants to shows the problem with the upper class and how they would prefer to save their own rather than accept responsibility for their actions.
Finish this quote for the theme of responsbility . ‘As if we’re all mixed up together like bees ..
a hive - community and all that nonsense ‘
Finish this responsbility quote . ‘A man has to mind his own ..
business and look after himself ‘
Finish this responsbility quote that Sheila says in Act one . ‘ You talk as if we’re ..
All responsible ‘ .
Finish this responsbility quote for responsibility that the Inspector says . ‘ Public men , Mr Birling, have …
Responsibilities as well as privileges ‘.
Finish this responsibility quote . ‘ Between us …
we drove that girl to commit suicide ‘
Finish this responsbility quote that the inspector says . ‘Each of you helped …
to kill her . Remember that . Never forget it . ‘
Who accepts responsbility at the end of the play ?
Sheila and eric
Who accepts responsibility in the middle of the play ?
Gerald , Sheila and Eric
When Mr Birling , Mrs Birling and Gerald don’t accept responsbility what does this show about the upper class ?
It says that the upper class doesn’t change
Finish this inspector quote . ‘Millions and millions ..
ofEva smiths and John smiths ‘ .
