J.B. Priestley Flashcards
What did Priestley turn his hand to in his lifetime?
Essayist, author, playwright, screenwriter, radio personality, public speaker, politician.
How did Priestley view bureaucracy and those in power?
He was a rebel and a radical against them.
What happened to his first novel?
It was an instant success with the common man - 70,000 copies were sold on the first day - but it was looked down upon by the critical and intellectual audiences.
Where was Priestley from?
Bradford
Which writer is he often compared to?
George Orwell
What were his ‘Postscripts’?
A series of radio ‘fireside chats’ throughout WWII. They made him a household voice and he played a key part in how people viewed events like Dunkirk.
Why was his writing looked down on by some writers and critics?
It was easily accessible, enjoyable and popular.
Who did Graham Greene compare him to?
Churchill.
Why would Priestley have taken such an interest in WWII?
He had his own traumatic experiences in WWI.
Why was he taken off the radio?
The BBC felt he became too radical and too popular. They felt he was slipping ‘left wing thoughts’ into his broadcast after he said those who fled the country should have their properties confiscated.
Why is he seen as influential?
He put forward the idea that ordinary people have more to offer than just voting once every few years. He thought we needed to listen to the needs and the views of all areas of British society.
Who didn’t he seem to listen to as carefully?
Young women.
What was his main complaint about the Postscripts?
They made him too well-known and he felt like they overshadowed his literary work.
What did he stand firmly against?
Nuclear weapons.
What role did he play in public?
The curmudgeon - the grumpy Yorkshireman.
