LIT1 - AIC - Essay intros Flashcards
Write an intro to start off an Inspector essay:
-IG’s moral force is used to preach Priestley’s didactic message of SR throughout the play, resistant to the corruption of the capitalist older generation
-he is dressed in a minimal “plain darkish suit” and is initially seen by others as a typical police inspector
-however, as the play progresses, he is seen as a supernatural being from some higher ethical court, as suggested by the homophone, “Goole”
-he is a force for change and encourages the younger generation to break away from the older generation’s selfishness
Write the intro to a Mr Birling character essay:
-Mr Birling is presented as a typical capitalist businessman who treats his workers as commodities
-he is proud of his status and is a beacon of the capitalist society of 1912
-he is defined by his unwavering confidence in certain views, which to an audience of 1945, are totally wrong
Give the essay intro for Sybil:
-Mrs B is presented as a privileged Edwardian wife of a capitalist businessman in 1912
-she retains firm convictions about the class system throughout the play, particularly about how the working class should be regarded as inferior
-her unwavering beliefs represents the recalcitrant older generation, resistant to the Inspector’s didactic message
-she does not accept SR and this behaviour is shown by her lack of compassion for Eva Smith
Write the essay intro for Gerald in a character essay:
-Gerald is presented as the ideal, attractive husband and son-in-law of the Edwardian period due to his aristocratic status and financial security
-he is caught in a liminality between the older and younger generations, showing signs of compassion but lacking a full acceptance of SR
-he lies in response to problems that don’t concern him, and his changes are, arguably, purely superficial
-however he is seen to show genuine remorse for realising the significance of Eva’s death, showing how he is somewhat caring
Give the essay intro for an Eric character essay:
-Eric is presented as a representative of the younger generation, and is a symbol of hope and change
-he is initially presented as “half shy, half assertive” in stage directions, instantly conveying the idea that he is unable to express himself fully
-however, his confidence develops as he begins to accept social responsibility
-regardless of the atrocities he had committed, Eric is seen to have the ability to redeem himself and to change his ways as an innately moral character
Write the intro for a Sheila character essay:
-Sheila is presented as a secondary mouthpiece for Priestley, echoing the Inspector’s message after he leaves
-she changes her jealous and childish instincts and becomes more mature as her capitalist parents reveal their horrors as the play develops
-she sees a reflection of herself in Eva, and this causes her to become unable to dismiss her role in the chain of events that led to Eva’s suicide
