GCSE English Literature Coursework.
'An Inspector Calls' by J.B. Priestley (Post 1914 Drama)
Task: Who is to blame for the death of Eva Smith?
The name of the play is 'An Inspector Calls' and was written in by J.B. Priestley. It was written in 1945 but set in 1912, the reason for this is that World War I was ending, there were worker strikes, the sinking of the Titanic and there was class difference. Other reason for why it was set in 1945 is that 1912 was the period of the Russian revolution, the holocaust and the atom bomb.
The play is based on a harsh, interrogating police inspector, inspecting the suicide of a young working class woman. The truth unfolds and every member of the family turns out to have a secret which links to her death.
Priestley conveys his message of collective responsibility through the characters Sheila Birling and Arthur Birling through the use of dramatic character changes in the play.
Mr Birling first came into contact with Eva Smith when she came to work in his factory. Mr Birling started off the chain of events which lead to Eva's death by firing her from her job for asking for a pay-rise but Mr Birling refused for organising a strike.
Mr Birling is a very strong character in the family. He is described at the start as a 'Heavy looking, rather portentous man in his middle-fifties but rather provincial in his speech.' He is very proud of his achievements. He boasts about having been major and tries but fails to impress the inspector. He is very selfish but wants to protect himself, his family and Birling and Co. He can't see that he did anything wrong when he fired Eva Smith and said that he was just looking after his business. He wants to protect his reputation because as the inspector inspects he gets selfish and worried about the press and what they would say.
'An Inspector Calls' by J.B. Priestley (Post 1914 Drama)
Task: Who is to blame for the death of Eva Smith?
The name of the play is 'An Inspector Calls' and was written in by J.B. Priestley. It was written in 1945 but set in 1912, the reason for this is that World War I was ending, there were worker strikes, the sinking of the Titanic and there was class difference. Other reason for why it was set in 1945 is that 1912 was the period of the Russian revolution, the holocaust and the atom bomb.
The play is based on a harsh, interrogating police inspector, inspecting the suicide of a young working class woman. The truth unfolds and every member of the family turns out to have a secret which links to her death.
Priestley conveys his message of collective responsibility through the characters Sheila Birling and Arthur Birling through the use of dramatic character changes in the play.
Mr Birling first came into contact with Eva Smith when she came to work in his factory. Mr Birling started off the chain of events which lead to Eva's death by firing her from her job for asking for a pay-rise but Mr Birling refused for organising a strike.
Mr Birling is a very strong character in the family. He is described at the start as a 'Heavy looking, rather portentous man in his middle-fifties but rather provincial in his speech.' He is very proud of his achievements. He boasts about having been major and tries but fails to impress the inspector. He is very selfish but wants to protect himself, his family and Birling and Co. He can't see that he did anything wrong when he fired Eva Smith and said that he was just looking after his business. He wants to protect his reputation because as the inspector inspects he gets selfish and worried about the press and what they would say.
