Paper 2 AIC Revision

Question 1

What are the key quotes in act 1 for Eric

“What about (…)?

Answer 1

• ‘What about war?’ These rhetorical questions show how Eric keeps questioning his father’s points. Subtle start of a rebellious figure.
• Series of rhetorical questions throughout.

Question 2

What are the key quotes to talk about in act 2 for Eric?

“To do my (…)?”

Answer 2

• “To do my duty,” - Inspector as it is foreshadowed that Eric raped Eva Smith.
• Priestley uses a series of flashbacks to show how Eric has been pictured to have raped her.

Question 3

What are the key quotes in act 3 for Eric?
“I did (…)”
I’m ashamed (…)”

Answer 3

• “I did what I did,” He then realises how the Inspector was right all along and admits his wrong deed (idea of responsibility).
• “I’m ashamed of you as well. Yes both of you.” He seems to become more mature, he realises his wrongdoing and somewhat rebels against his parents. A figure that Preiestley hopes the younger generation may follow.

Question 4

Key quotes for Mr Birling in act 1
“The titanic (…)”
Your engagement (…)”

Answer 4

• Dramatic irony as “the Titanic is unsinkable.” Uses this to show how delusional and wrong Capitalists are
• “Your engagement (…) means a tremendous lot to me.” Tremendous is an adjective used to signify how important this is for HIM. Selfish figure.

Question 5

Key quotes in act 2 for Mr Birling
“You’ll (…)!”
“Damned (…)”

Answer 5

• (To the inspector) - “You’ll apologize at once!” Imperative of apologise indicates Birling’s narcissim as he thinks he has the power.
• “Damned impudence!” Indicates how Birling has no respect for these people. Immediately is prejudiced and this is shown how wrong this is from the Inspector.

Question 6

Key quotes of Mr Birling in Act 3
“Look at the way (…)”
“Probably a (…) or some sort of (…)”

Answer 6

• “Look at the way he talked to me!” Exclamatory sentence shows his disgust for the Inspector. He is still stuck in his own microcosm.
• “Probably a socialist or some sort of crank.”
  Adjective of “crank” further emphasises the idea that he denies his wrondoing.

Question 7

Key quote in act 1 for Mrs Birling
“Men typically (…)”
“Our congratulations (…)”

Answer 7

• “Men typically spend their time and energy on business.” Established to be a typical Edwardian upper class women. Mainly calm at this time.
• “Our congratulations and our best wishes.” At this point she is very kind and peaceful

Question 8

Key quotes in act 2 for Mrs Birling
“Pack of (…)”
“A piece of gross (…)”

Answer 8

• As Eva Smith talks about her case she calls it a “pack of lies.” By using this descriptive phrase, Priestley wants to show how there is no remorse for the lower class.
• “A piece of gross impertinence,” Adjective of gross impertinence shows the rudeness of Mrs Birling in this case and the lack of respect. More bothered that a working class women used her name.

Question 9

Key quotes in act 3 for Mrs Birling
“I simply don’t (…)”
“Rude way (…)”

Answer 9

• (To Sheila) “I simply don’t understand your attitude.” Mrs Birling still does not care about the actual problem indicating her prejudice. Passive agresive dialogue as well
• “Rude way he spoke to me.” She shows her selfish qualities and also she cannot amit to her own faults.

Question 10

Key quotes for the Inspector in act 1
“Several hours (…)”
“I don’t (…)”

Answer 10

• “Several hours of agony,” Emphasises the pain on which Eva felt which shows how he is more of the of the caring person. Representative of Priestley in this situation.
• “I don’t play golf.” Short, direct sentences shows his determination to solve the crime. Blunt and cool under pressure.

Question 11

Key quotes for the inspector in act 2
“You’re not even (…)”
Died in (…)

Answer 11

• “You’re not even sorry now.” Dialogue in a more remourseful tone which highlights how the Inspector truely cares about Eva Smith. This contrasts to Mr Birling though.
• (talking about Eva) “died in misery and agony - hating life-“ Priestley emphasises the mistreatment of the lower class people. Inspector is clear righteous one here.

Question 12

Key quotes in act 3 for Inspector
Each of you …
(…) of Eva Smiths

Answer 12

• “Each of you helped to kill her.” Starts to speak in the tongue of Priestley as he speaks from his POV. Despite this, the other people are stuck in their own microcosm.
• “Millions of millions of Eva Smiths.” The repetition of “millions” emphasises the mistreatment of the lower class and there are so many to choose from.

Question 13

Key quotes in the first paragraph for Gerald
“Well (…), young-(…)
Absolutely

Answer 13

• (stage directions) “Well-bred, young-man-about-town.” Series of adjectival phrases to show how polite he is.
• “Absolutely first-class,” The person is polite in the way he talks. This can indicate how he tries to please other people.

Question 14

Key quotes about Gerald in An Inspector Calls in the second paragraph
Intensly
Didn’t feel
Hard (…), dough(…)

Answer 14

• As his character emerges, he then turns out to be more exploitative
• Daisy is ‘intensly grateful’ whilst Gerald ‘didn’t feel the same.’ This demonstrates how Gerald enjoys his position of superiority, lording it over his working class mistress.
• Gerald states that he hates the “hard-eyed, dough-faced women,” but this shows how he thinks low of the women who ended up there with this adjectival phrase.

Question 15

Key quotes about Gerald in the 3rd scene
‘Well
‘Happy for

Answer 15

• Finally, Gerald is further shown to enjoy his status of power
• His parents have the power to change laws. He is described to “well-bred” and comfortable in his status so he is unwilling and unable to change.
• He is shown to give leave Daisy to be “happy for a time,” and shown to be more one of the more compassionate guys. Instead, if he really had the intention to help her, he would have given her the job. Instead, he uses her for pleasure.
• Diverts attention about the Inspector being not real

Question 16

First paragraph key quotes on Sheila Birling
‘Yes, go on…
‘Was she …

Answer 16

• “Yes, go on, Mummy.” Typical Edwardian daughter and is quite irresoponsible with the term ,”mummy.”
• “Was she pretty?” Shows how she does not care about the real truth that she died. This will change later.

Question 17

Second scene on Sheila Birling
If I could (…)
I’ll never …

Answer 17

• “If I could help her now, I would-“ She starts to gain reponsibility as she realises her wrongdoings at this moment.
• “I’ll never, never do it again.” Repetition, of “never” to emphasise her remorse as she starts to sympathise with Eva Smith.

Question 18

Third scene for Sheila Birling
“He’s given us(…)
“Build a … us and …”

Answer 18

• “He’s given us a rope, to hang ourselves.” The rope is there to symbolise how they should all be guilty of the actions they have done.
• Do not “build a wall between us and that girl.” Wall symbolizes how the older Birlings do not want to admit to their faults. However, Sheila knows she must face the consequences of her wrongdoings.

Question 19

What are the four main themes in AIC

Answer 19

Class
Social responsibility
Age
Gender

Question 20

How is the theme of social responsibility shown in the play?

Answer 20

• The treatement of Eva Smith
• How each character does or doesn’t take responsibility for their behaviour
• The Inspector’s lessons

Question 21

Social responsibility in Sheila “at least (…) truth,” Gerald you should be “…”

Answer 21

Sheila is shocked with her involvement of Eva Smith’s death as she says, “At least I’m trying to tell the truth,” and Gerald should be “ashamed”

Sheila takes responsibility for her actions and tells the truth. Gerald is being judgemental of her though but he does not take responsibility of his actions.

Question 22

Eric and social responsibility “we (…) all right”

Answer 22

Eric takes responsibility in the final act saying “we did her in all right.”

Eric clearly shows that he has a sense of social responsibility as he takes Eva’s death very seriously (even telling her mother that she should be responsible) whilst Gerald and the Birlings enjoy being in the clear.

Question 23

Mrs Birling does not feel socially responsible (talks too Eric)
‘I’m absolutely …

Answer 23

After being interviewed she say to Eric “I’m absolutely ashamed of you.”

She shows that she has learned nothing from the Inspector’s investigation. The audience know that she is in no position to be questioning of anyone else as she has mistreated of Eva Smith.

Question 24

Inspector’s lessons in social responsibility (quote about the Earth)

Answer 24

This is shown when the Inspector questions the Birlings as he says,”It’s better to ask for the Earth than take it.”

It suggests that it is socially irresponsible to be greedy and ‘take’ things without permission. Show how middle class families are priviledged.

Question 25

How is the theme of age shown in the play?

Answer 25

• Sheila and Eric’s response to Eva’s death
• Mr and Mrs Birling’s response to Eva’s death
• How the older characters perceive the younger ones

Question 26

How does Priestley present the younger generation in Eric? The elders pretend “…”

Answer 26

Eric stands up to his parents as they do not take resposibility as they pretend that “nothing’s really happened at all.”

Eric sees that his parents are trying to ‘pretend’ that nothing happened when it is suggested that the Inspector was not real. Eric + Sheila still feel responsible

Question 27

How does Priestley present the older generation in Mrs Birling
‘Perfectly …’

‘Claim for …’

Answer 27

Mrs Birling explains her decision to turn away Eva Smkth as she was ‘perfectly justified’ for Eva Smith to not be allowed to ‘claim for assistamce.’

Despite hearing the misfortunes of Eva Smith, Mrs Birling is unmoved and stubbornly stands by her decision to turn Eva away.

Question 28

How does Priestley present the conflict of older vs younger

‘You hysterical …

Answer 28

Mr Birling turns to his son exclaiming ‘you hysterical young fool - get back - or I’ll’

Mr Birling implies here that Eric is a ‘fool’ because he is young. Ironically Arthur (the older) nearly resprts to physical violence

Question 29

How is the theme of gender shown in the play?

Answer 29

• How Mr Birling and Gerald Croft view women
• How Mrs Birling treats Eva Smith
• How Eva Smith is portrayed as independent and outspoken before her death

Question 30

How is gender presented in Mr Birling (talks about women wearing)
‘Make ‘em look … a sign or token (of there) …’

Answer 30

When Mr Birling is telling Eric and Gerald about women’s attitudes towards clothes they wear she says it ‘make(s) ‘em look prettier (…) a sign or token so their self-respect.’

Mr Birling shows that he has patronising view of women, making the suggestion that clothes are a sign of self-respect for them. He has a stereotypical view lf women.

Question 31

How does Geral refer to women?

‘Hard …, dough….

Answer 31

He makes sexist and superficial comments about the women he visits in the bar as they are ‘hard-eyed dough-faced women.”

Gerald shows that he can be very superficial in his view of women. If they don’t meet his standards, he dislikes them.

Question 32

How does Mrs Birling treat Eva Smith? “Claiming (…) feelings” “absurd (…) position”

Answer 32

Mrs Birling suggests that Eva is incable lf having feelings. She says how Eva was ‘claiming elaborate fine feelings’ which are ‘absurd in a girl for her position.’

Proestley shows that even women like Mrs Birling can be just as cruel and old fashioned as the men are. She does not empathise with a member of her own gender. Also, she has a negative attitude towards the working class.

Question 33

How does Priestley explore the theme of class?

Answer 33

Priestley explores the theme of class through Eva Smith when she:

• Is a factory worker
• Works in a shop
• Effectively homeless
• Potentially a single mother

Question 34

How does Priestley show Mr Birling’s opnion of the working class?
‘They’d soom
‘Sharply’ and ‘these …’

Answer 34

Mr Birling discusses how he sacked Eva Smith after she had gone on strike. In his opnion if you are nit strict with these people,”they’d soon be asking for the Earth,”

Mr Birling feels that it is his responsibility to come down ‘sharply’ on ‘these people.’ Priestley wanted the audience to realise that this is the wrong attitude to have, we shoukd be looking after ‘these people’ not punishing them

Question 35

How does Birling present the behaviour of the Birling’s friends?
‘He’s a …’ (think James Brown)
‘Is one of the worst (…) in Brumley

Answer 35

Gerald tells the Birlings about the behaviour of Joe Meggarty saying how,”He’s a notorious womaniser,” and that he “is one of the worst sots and rogues in Brumley.”

The rest of the family is shocked to hear that he is a ‘sot’ and a womaniser. Their upper-class frineds can behave badly.

Question 36

How does Priestley present Mrs Birling’s opinion of the working class
‘As a girl (…) refuse money’

Answer 36

When Mrs Birling is discussing the moment when Eva approached her charity she exclaims,”as if a girl of that sort would ever refuse money!”

She refers to Eva as a ‘girl of that sort.’ She clearly has preconceptions about working-class girls suggesting that they lack morals and will always take money.