The Inspector

Question 1

Topic Sentences for the inspector

Answer 1

TS1: The inspector illustrates the theme of class in the Edwardian era
TS2: The inspector illustrates the theme of social responsibility between different classes
TS3: The inspector emphasizes that the actions of the Birling family have a larger impact
TS4: The inspector challenges the Birling families hypocrisy, prejudice, and complacency
TS5: The inspector is a mouthpiece for Priestly’s social views
TS6: The inspector acts as a catalyst for the divide between the Birling family members

Question 2

“its better to ask for the earth than to take it”

Answer 2

• Hyperbolic phrase
• Emphasizes the fact that the workers “asked” for higher pay while in contrast, Mr Birling gets money by exploiting them.
• Context: The working class where hevily exploited by the upper class for lower pay

Question 3

“we’ll have to share our guilt… a change of events”

Answer 3

• The inspector highlights that a persons actions can have an impact on others
• He wants the Birling family to understand the part they played in Eva Smiths suicide

Question 4

“public men….have responsibilities as well as privileges”

Answer 4

• Abstract noun
• Making the point that people in the upper class have a responsibility to improve and protect others instead of using it for their own personal gain.

Question 5

“You slammed the door in her face “

“Used her as if she was an animal, a thing, not a person”

Answer 5

• idiom
• Highlights how she gave her no other option
• Highlights Shelia’s pride and snobbishness

-dehumanized
- Not treating her like a human
Context: in this time, workers were treated like objects

Question 6

“we are members of one body. We are responsible for each other”

“fire and blood and anguish”

Answer 6

• Metaphor
• Repetition of inclusive pronoun
• tri colon
• This is where priestly emphasizes the message of social responsibility

Question 7

“your daughter isn’t living on the moon”

Answer 7

• Mr Birling is trying to protect Shelia from what is happening
• Hyperbolic imagry

Question 8

“young ones…more impressionable”

Answer 8

• This is shown when Shelia and Eric own up to their part in Eva Smith’s suicide
• Mr and Mrs Birling continuously refuse to admit the part they played in Eva smiths suicide.
• This shows the audience how the older generation wont change. The possibility of change lies with the lower generation

Question 9

“lonely, half starved, desperate”

Answer 9

• Emotive adjectives
• Provoke a strong response from the audience
• The inspector does this to try to get a response from the Birling family
• Makes the audience feel empathetic for the girl