Inspector calls Flashcards
(32 cards)
What kind of genre is An Inspector Calls?
It is a crime thriller because the action centers around the suicide of Eva Smith. Initially, as this is a suicide and not a murder investigation, it would seem their is no clear subject. However, it soon turns out that they are all potential suspects for different reasons.
What is the effect of it being a crime thriller?
The crime thriller genre encourages the audience to become involved in the events of the play? In this case they would be considering who is more to blame.
How does priestley make the audience feel by making it a crime thriller?
Priestley makes the audience suspects, their behaviour is questioned and they are left wondering if they have committed any ‘crimes’ like the Birlings.
What does the obligatory scene mean?
the secret is revealed in this scene
What does the structure of the play allow Priestley to do?
The structure allows Priestley to manipulate the audience. Each revelation is more shocking than the last and so Priestley clearly builds to the climax.
The inspector says “I tell you that the time will soon come when, if men will not learn that lesson, then they will be taught it in fire and blood and anguish” what could Priestley be implying in this?
Priestley is possibly referring to the 2 world wars that happened after the is set - of which the audience in 1945 would have been well aware.
What is the effect of Priestley using the structure to teach the audience a lesson?
Priestley uses the mortality play structure to teach a 20th century audience a series of lesson that relate to beliefs about social responsibility, age, gender and class. Priestley would have hoped that the audience would walk out better people.
Why does the light on stage change when the inspector walks in?
When the inspector walks in the light turns white and harsh as if socialism breaks apart the lies, and pretences of the capitalist world the Birlings have built themselves.
Examples of dramatic irony in the play (Mr Birling)
“unsickable, absolutley unsinkable” - titanic (the audience know the titanic sunk)
“in 1940…you’ll be living in a world that’ll have forgotten all these little war scares” - ww2 was in 1945 (the audience know WW1 started in 1914)
When was the play set?
1912
2 years before the titanic sunk
2 years before WW1 broke out
How is Mr Birling described in the beginning of the play?
“heavy-looking”
“rather portentous man in his mid-fifties”
“fairly easy manners”
“rather provincial in his speech”
What does this imply about Mr Birling?
“Arthur Birling is a heavy-looking, rather portentous man in his mid-fifties with fairly easy manners with rather provincial in his speech”
He eats to much
Thinks he is wise but this is based on arrogance rater then knowledge.
Well-used to socializing
Not as upper-class as he pretends as he has lower-class speech (comments on the meal) (embarrasses his higher-class wife)
What does Mr Birling say to Sybil(the maid)?
“well-this is very nice”
“good dinner to, Sybil. Tell cook for me”
what does this say about Mr Birling?
“well-this is very nice”
“good dinner to, Sybil. Tell cook for me”
This proves that he is not a higher-class as he pretends as the high class expect there dinner to taste nice without asking or praise.
What does this say about Mr Birling?
“A few German officers have too much to drink and began talking non sense”
“The Germans don’t want a war: nobody wants war”
“And I say there isn’t a chance of war”
This makes Mr Birling look arrogant as there was a war even though he was convinced there wouldn’t be
However, this could also imply he is clueless as the play was sent 2 years before the war so he would not know about the war.
What does Mr Birling say that makes the audience realise he thinks he has done nothing wrong?
“Still I can’t accept any responsibility.”
“If we were all responsible for everything that happened to everybody we’d had anything to do with it would be very awkward, wouldn’t it”
What does Mr Birling say that makes the audience realise he is staring to worry?
“obviously it has nothing what every to do with the wretched girls suicide”
What kind of family does Gerald think the Birlings are?
“you seem to be a nice well-behaved family”
How does the audience know Mr Birling is a capitalist ?
“When things are so much easier, is that a man has to make his own way to look after himself and his family too, of course”
How is Mrs Birling described at the beginning of the play?
She is described as “about fifty a rather cold women and her husbands social superior”
What does Mrs Birling say to deny having anything to do with Eva Smith
“I did nothing i’m ashamed of” - oblivious of guilt
“I didn’t like her manner” - ignorant
“Go on and look for the father of the child. Its his responsibility” - ignorant
How would I describe Mrs Birling?
She is a snob, very aware of the difference between social classes.
She has the least amount of respect for the inspector and unsuccessfully tries to intimidate him.
What does Mr and Mrs Biring represent?
Old generation Everything Priestley is against capitalist upper-middle class (Mr Birling) higher-class (Mrs Birling)
How is Sheila described at the beginning of the play?
“A pretty girl in her early twenties, very pleased with life and rather excited”
