Inspector Calls

Question 1

What was Priestleys approach to the world people were to build after the war?

Answer 1

He always gave priority to communal tasks as he had a sense of community as he was a socialist

Question 2

How is Gerald presented throughout the play?

Answer 2

He couldn’t change but he doesn’t betray his whole class which is why he finds every reason he can to find that the Inspector is fake

Question 3

How is Sheila’s character presented at the end of the play?

Answer 3

She is desperate for change and wants everyone to change with her

Question 4

How is Edna’s character presented throughout the play?

Answer 4

She doesn’t question whatever the Birlings do bc without them she wouldn’t have enough money to live - not easy to get a job at her age and if she did it would be at the workhouse which isn’t a nice place

Question 5

How is Mrs Birlings character presented?

Answer 5

She is presented as unsympathetic, stereotypical with presumptions and an elitist as she was of middle-upper class so it creates friction w Mr Birling

No nurturing qualities

Question 6

“It had good solid furniture of the period”

Answer 6

wealthy so take care about appearance and obsessions and how they perceive others

Question 7

“The lighting should be pink and intimate”

Answer 7

love
engagement
feminine
authority and matter

Question 8

“all five are in evening dress”

Answer 8

socially conventional

sets time of play

Question 9

“the four Birlings and Gerald are seated at the table with Arthur Birling at one end and his wife and the other”

Answer 9

traditional/ formal

lack of intimacy between husband and wife

Question 10

“Arthur you’re not supposed to say such things”

Answer 10

reminded her husband of how you should speak to staff

Question 11

“perhaps we may look forward to the time when Croft’s and Birlings are no longer competing but working together”

Answer 11

proving himself to Gerald

Question 12

“I speak as a hard headed businessman who has to take risks to know what he’s about”

Answer 12

well versed
optimistic
narrow tunnel vision
dramatic irony- audience already knows what he’s like

Question 13

“the Titanic…unsinkable, absolutely unsinkable”

Answer 13

dramatic irony for 21st century audience

Question 14

“feels as if you might have done better for yourself socially” MR B

Answer 14

diff tone when they’re all alone:

less sophistication
more convivial
more confidential

could’ve married someone w better class

Question 15

“More money to spend and time to spare than I had when I was Eric’s age. They worked us hard in those days.”

Answer 15

Mr B commitment and independence

Question 16

What is Mr B philosophy of life?

Answer 16

money orientated

shouldn’t be entitled to things: work hard

Question 17

Door bell rings after Mr B lecture about business

“A man has to mind his own business and look after himself and his own”

Answer 17

to interrupt Mr B monologue and creates tension and emphasise to audience
ironic as Gerald is minding his business by having an affair with eva

Question 18

“The inspector need not be a big man but he creates at once an impression of massiveness, solidity and purposeless”

Answer 18

how the Inspector composed himself

Question 19

Eric says things involuntarily

Answer 19

wants to stay out of it as he might be guilty

Question 20

Inspector : “I see Mr Croft is going to marry Miss Sheila Birling?”

Gerald (smiling) “I hope so”

Inspector: “then i prefer you to stay”

Answer 20

creates suspense as to why he would be asked to stay and what would it do to his relationship

Question 21

Mr Birling “wretched girls suicide”

Answer 21

malice, selfishness and heartless

Question 22

Eric: “He could. He could have kept her on instead of throwing her out”

Sheila : “Oh how horrible!”

Answer 22

Sheila’s reaction is similar to Eric’s:

v opinionated

Question 23

Why are Sheila and Eva a similar age?

Answer 23

So that they are able to relate as eventhough they have differences in lifestyle, classes and families they have the same aspirations

Question 24

Inspector : “with no work, no money coming in, and living in lodgings, with no relatives to help her, few friends, lonely, half starved, she was feeling desperate”

Answer 24

sympathetic

she went through so much but stilll was strong enough to stand alone

Question 25

Sheila: “ but these girls aren’t cheap labour”

Answer 25

feminism

Question 26

Sheila: “Did it make that much of a difference to her?”

Answer 26

ignorance as she didn’t think her actions would affect it as much

Question 27

Stage directions for sheila

miserably
(distressed)

Answer 27

warmly towards Eva

Question 28

Gerald: “Why should you? It’s bound to be unpleasant and disturbing”

Inspector: “ and you think young women ought to be protected against unpleasant and disturbing things?”

Answer 28

gerald’s hypocrisy in the situation

Inspector is guilt tripping him into what he did

Question 29

Inspector: “A pretty, lively sort of girl, who never did anybody any harm. But she died in misery and agony”

Answer 29

contrast between her innocence and her fate

Question 30

Inspector: “ We have to share something, If there’s nothing else, we’ll have to share our guilt”

Answer 30

corporative responsibility
reinforces community
collective response- all accountable for
“we” and “our” - persuasive response as if they are both working together

Question 31

Mrs B: “ I think you ought to go to bed and forget about this absurd business”

Answer 31

as if it is a disgrace in society

doesn’t empathise w Eva’s mental state

Question 32

Mrs B : “girls of that class”

Answer 32

judgemental
outdated/ traditional
arrogance
inhumane

Question 33

Mrs B stage directions: (staggered) (bitterly)

Answer 33

no nurturing qualities

Question 34

Gerald: “she looked young and fresh and charming….old joe meggarty half-drunk and goggle eyed”

Answer 34

shows her sexual innocence and vulnerability in comparison to reality of the world

Question 35

Inspector: “ One Eva Smith has gone- but there are millions of John Smiths and Eva smiths still left with us, with their lives, their hopes and fears… all intertwined with our lives”

Answer 35

common names so suggests that they are connected with everyone

lots of people who are vulnerable

when you die there is no social class as we are all unidentifiable

Question 36

Inspector: “ We are all members of one body, we are responsible for each other”

Answer 36

reinforced prejudice

socialist view which Mr B hates

Question 37

Inspector: “if men will not learn that lesson, then they will be taught it in fire blood and anguish”

Answer 37

metaphorical image

destruction and pain

Question 38

So much of act three is of Mr and Mrs B and Gerald trying to prove it’s a hoax because?

Answer 38

They still have hopes that gerald and sheila can be reconciled

keeping themselves in the clear- zero responsibility

Question 39

Sheila repeats Inspectors words of fire, blood and anguish bc?

Answer 39

everyone’s actions have consequences

regardless of it being real or not it still happened

Question 40

”By jove,yes. And as you were saying Dad, a man has to look after himself-“ Eric

Answer 40

reiterating Mr Birling lecture which also creates tension as everyone in the family has been minding their own business so much that they have been disregarding their responsibility in the Eva business

Question 41

“Yes. I wasn’t in love with her or anything- but i liked her- she was pretty and a good sport” Eric

Answer 41

shows differences in his and gerald’s relationship w Eva as he actually loved her and cared for her but Eric only used her for his sexual desires

Question 42

(nearly at breaking point) “Then- you killed her. She came to you to protect me- and you turned her away-yes, and you killed her- and the child she’d have had too” Eric

Answer 42

pauses show his shock to believe about what had happened

stayed true to his colours as he was always in support of Eva

Question 43

“The money’s not the important thing. It’s what happened to the girl and what we all did to her that matters. And i still feel the same about it, and that’s why I don’t feel like sitting down and having a nice cosy talk” ERIC

Answer 43

emphasises Mr B money orientated lifestyle and how people in society at that time were so concerned about how others thought of them instead of being in a community who looks out for one another

reinforces Inspectors message and has learnt from his lectures