Social Class EP

Question 1

Point 1 + quotations:

Answer 1

In ‘An Inspector Calls’, social class is presented, through the Birling family, as something of huge importance and therefore to pursue - shown through character of Mr Birling.

• “ought to like this port” as it’s
  “exactly the same port your father gets”.
• “just a knighthood”
• “not supposed to say such things-”

Question 2

P1 quotation analysis:
“ought to like this port” as it’s
“exactly the same port your father gets”.

Answer 2

• At the start of the play, Birling offers Gerald some port saying he “ought to like this port” as it’s “exactly the same port your father gets”
• This indicates that Birling is a social climber who is desperately trying to move up in society (as a part of the nouveau riche)
• Birling initially built his success through “Birling and Co.” and him drinking the same “port” as “Sir Croft” highlights his desperation to cement himself in the top threshold of society with Eric
• Through Birling drinking the same “port” as Eric Priestly ridiculing pretentious act Birling has towards class, mocking Birling

Question 3

P1 quotation analysis:
“just a knighthood”

Answer 3

• Birling also confides in Gerald that he is probably going to receive a “knighthood” once again highlighting Birling’s desperation to climb the social hierarchy
• Birling trying to appear modest through «just» - trying to make it inconspicuous that he has trying to move up socially yet his arrogant and boastful tone comes through highlighting his need to pursue the social heirarchy

Question 4

P1 quotation analysis:
“not supposed to say such things-”

Answer 4

• When Birling tries to compliment the chef for the food Mrs Birling immediately scolds him telling him that he’s “not supposed to say such things-”
• Mrs Birling tells off Mr Birling for fraternising with the staff as you don’t need to thank things staff are paid for
• This highlight how although Birling is desperately trying to climb the social ladder it shows how he hasn’t developed the skills to become part of the top of threshold society (old money)
• Alternatively, it also displays the snobbery Mrs Birling is showing towards Edna almost implying that she believes you’re not meant to treat the staff with a sense of humanity as they’re just an employee
• Priestly ridicules this act of snobbery and desperation to climb the social ladder and makes the audience may feel a sense of dislike and distaste towards the Birling family due to their views and attitudes towards class

Question 5

Point 2 + quotations:

Answer 5

Priestly presents social class as when pursued it leads to important selfish-ness and sacrifices being made

• “engagement to Shelia means a tremendous lot to me”
• Crofts and Birlings “working together - for lower costs and higher prices”
• “public school”

Question 6

P2 quotation analysis:
“engagement to Shelia means a tremendous lot to me”

Answer 6

Birling saying “to me” instead of “to Shelia” implies how Birling thinks the engagements first and main purpose is to him to allow his business to advance by working with Gerald’s parents rather than its main purpose being that his daughter’s love for Gerald

Question 7

Point 2 quotation analysis:
Crofts and Birlings “working together - for lower costs and higher prices”

Answer 7

• The immediate switch in conversation topic from Shelia’s engagement to business show how Birling see’s their marriage as a mean for his own advances in social class
• Birling becoming so keen to advance social classes and become associated with the Croft’s that he treats Shelia as an investment commodity for his own success

Question 8

P2 quotation analysis:
“public school

Answer 8

• Birling’s disappointment in Eric as he’s ‘invested’ so much in him to go to a “public school” Eric provides no return ‘investment’ by spending his days away drinking
• Priestly may be trying to say that this social climber family has sacrificed their compassion for each other and unity in order be an upper class family and through attempting to become upper class family loses everything as they sacrifice most important for least important aka social class + reader response

Question 9

Point 3 + quotations:

Answer 9

Upper class - hypocrisy and deceit with in

• «married [she’ll] realise that men with important work to do sometimes have to spend nearly all their time and energy on their business”
• “where a man easily turns nasty”

Question 10

P3 quotation analysis:

Answer 10

• Priestly may be, through Mrs Birling, criticising men of the class
• This implies how men in their class do not spend time with their family and they give so much “time and energy” to their work showing how men of the upper class do not have a good sense of priorities or good values.
• Alternatively, it can be inferred that there is a sense of sarcasm “all their time and energy”
• It may imply that it is possible that Mrs Birling knows that the men in her household go out drinking and sleeping with prostitutes but is willing to make the sacrifice to maintain the presentation of good upper class
• Priestly may be saying that for the upper class doesn’t matter what they do but how they present themselves and that although they may present themselves to be good, upstanding people in reality they are out of touch with reality and have a lack of morals

Question 11

P3 quotations + analysis:
“where a man easily turns nasty”

Answer 11

• This is further shown through Eric when he rapes Eva Smith saying he was in a state “where a man easily turns nasty”
• This may indicate how Eric is using alcohol to try to make excuses for his behaviour and moral transgression
• Although, Eric repents for his actions the fact that he was able to commit such a violent act to begin with may highlight his privilege and privilege of the upper class as he would not have treated Eva Smith in such away if he did not think he could get away with it

Question 12

Point 4 + quotations:

Answer 12

Priestly shows the divide between the upper and lower class through the contrast in their values.

-“ringleader”
- “cheap labour”
-“She didn’t take anymore, and she didn’t want to see [Eric] again”

Question 13

P4 quotation analysis:
“ringleader”

Answer 13

• The noun “ringleader” helps emphasise how Eva Smith is willing to put her job at risk in order to stand up for herself and others
• This already shows Eva Smith’s strong moral values through her care for real people who she thinks deserve better.

Question 14

P4 quotation analysis:
“cheap labour”

Answer 14

• Whereas, contrastingly, Mr Birling only views his workers as “cheap labour” dehumanising them to say that they have no purpose except to be a means to allow him to make profit for himself
• This highlights how Mr Birling has far more superficial values as compared to Eva Smith, a member of the lower class.

Question 15

P4 quotation analysis:
“She didn’t take anymore, and she didn’t want to see [Eric] again”

Answer 15

• Eva Smith’s upstanding morals and integrity is once again displayed when she found out that the money Eric had been giving her was stolen “She didn’t take anymore, and she didn’t want to see [Eric] again”
• The repetition of “she didn’t” helps emphasise how even when she was in an extremely desperate situation, she still chose not to stoop to such a level
• Eva Smith’s resilience is visible throughout the whole play as she is constantly met with setbacks caused by the upper-class Birling family
• The audience may feel sympathy towards Eva Smith and the struggles she faces throughout the play which in turn makes the audience resentful towards the Birling family

Question 16

Point 5 + quotations:

Answer 16

In ‘An Inspector Calls’, social class is presented as a power struggle.

-“a nice little promising life” and a “nasty mess somebody’s made of it”
- “furious temper”

Question 17

P5 quotation analysis:
“a nice little promising life” and a “nasty mess somebody’s made of it” + “furious temper”

Answer 17

• As already mentioned, Eva Smith is met with constant setbacks caused by the Birling family
• This shows how the upper class do not use their power to help but abuse their power and abuse people in the process
• All 5 of the Birling’s abuse their power and contribute to her eventual demise
• The fact that Eva Smith ends up dead symbolises how this bright, resilient person has been crushed by the upper class
• When Birling states how the Inspector has made a “nasty mess” of their dinner the Inspector responds with saying how Eva Smith had “a nice little promising life” and a “nasty mess somebody’s made of it”
• The repetition of “nasty mess” reveals the trivial nature of Mr Birling’s concerns compared with Eva Smith’s death once again showing the lack of moral compass
• It also helps to emphasise how the upper class has crushed Eva Smith’s spirit
• Priestly arguing extremely easy to abuse their place in society and power
• Shelia didn’t mean to cause so much damage to Eva Smith’s life but still did as her “furious temper” caused Eva Smith to get fired
• This once again highlights the privilege of the upper class due to them not having to think about the consequences of their actions
• The abuse that Eva Smith goes through throughout the play may cause the reader to feel an increased sense of solidarity to her
• Priestly may be arguing that morality, integrity and compassion (qualities of importance) are all more prominently seen in characters from lower class
• This matters as Priestly is saying you cannot judge people depending on their class and that the qualities that matter in society are not restricted by class

Question 18

Point 6 + quotations:

Answer 18

The lower class is presented as a stratum in society who are so desperate that they are taken advantage of and more vulnerable to abuse.

-“lot of young women living that sort of existence in every city and big town in this country”
- “millions and millions and millions of Eva Smiths and John Smiths still left with us”
- “put [themselves] in the place of these young women counting their pennies in their dingy little back bedrooms”
-“heavily comfortable”

Question 19

P6 quotation analysis:
-“lot of young women living that sort of existence in every city and big town in this country”
- “millions and millions and millions of Eva Smiths and John Smiths still left with us”

Answer 19

• The Inspector highlights this to the Birling family “lot of young women living that sort of existence in every city and big town in this country” and that there are “millions and millions and millions of Eva Smiths and John Smiths still left with us”.
• The repetition of “millions” represents the huge number of working-class people who are exploited on a day-to-day basis by the upper-class and helps highlight the extent to which the lower-class have been taken advantage of
• Priestly may be saying society has to change and that we shouldn’t look at class as something to pursue and that people should be looked at for their qualities and not class

Question 20

P6 quotation analysis:
- “put [themselves] in the place of these young women counting their pennies in their dingy little back bedrooms”
-“heavily comfortable”

Answer 20

• This is once again highlighted by the Inspector when he tells the Birling family to try to “put [themselves] in the place of these young women counting their pennies in their dingy little back bedrooms”
• The adjective “dingy” emphasises the contrast between the upper and lower classes lifestyle with the Birling family having a “heavily comfortable” home