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GCSE: J.B. Priestley

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1,798 GCSE J.B. Priestley essays

  • Marked by Teachers essays 6
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  1. Marked by a teacher

    EVA Smith's DIARY ENTRIES

    4 star(s)

    There are many strengths to this collection of diary entries. The student has a clear appreciation of the events of the play and the role that the different characters had…

    • Essay length: 2060 words
    • Submitted: 15/06/2005
    • Marked by teacher: (?) Melissa Thompson 26/12/1999
  2. Marked by a teacher

    The apportioning of blame and responsibility are central themes in 'An Inspector Calls'. Each character plays a part in Eva Smiths downfall. Show how the playwright explores these themes during the course of the play.

    4 star(s)

    This is a very detailed and well-structured response. The writer is extremely engaged throughout and offers many personal responses which are supported with evidence from the play including quotations.…

    • Essay length: 3811 words
    • Submitted: 02/03/2004
    • Marked by teacher: (?) Stephen Evans 22/12/1999
  3. Marked by a teacher

    Inspector Calls essay. Act 2. In what ways does Priestley make this such a dramatic and significant moment in the play?

    3 star(s)

    Shows general understanding of some of the ways Priestley builds up the drama but the points are disorganised. With an extract question, time must be spent carefully reading and annotating…

    • Essay length: 809 words
    • Submitted: 23/01/2012
    • Marked by teacher: (?) Lynne Jung 04/03/2012
  4. Marked by a teacher

    How does Priestley create dramatic tension in Act 1 of An Inspector Calls up until the arrival of Inspector Goole?

    3 star(s)

    Shows some understanding of the techniques Priestley uses to build dramatic tension but a lot of details missed on the characters, the language, and the irony. ***…

    • Essay length: 1890 words
    • Submitted: 14/10/2009
    • Marked by teacher: (?) Lynne Jung 04/03/2012
  5. Marked by a teacher

    Mr. Birling and Sheila assignment on how they treated Eva Smith.

    3 star(s)

    The points made are all relevant and many are supported with appropriate examples from the play, including quotations. However, these points could be developed further especially how did Mr…

    • Essay length: 955 words
    • Submitted: 04/09/2003
    • Marked by teacher: (?) Stephen Evans 22/12/1999

  6. Questions and Answers on "An Inspector Calls"

    • Essay length: 2095 words
    • Submitted: 02/07/2012

  7. How does Priestley succeed in sustaining tension at this point of the play page 54 - 55?

    • Essay length: 736 words
    • Submitted: 28/05/2012

  8. Which character learns the most in "An Inspector Calls" and why?

    • Essay length: 520 words
    • Submitted: 21/05/2012

  9. What is the role of the Inspector in An Inspector Calls? How does J.B. Priestly use him?

    • Essay length: 1329 words
    • Submitted: 12/05/2012

  10. What is the role of the Inspector in An Inspector Calls. How does Priestley use him?

    • Essay length: 1656 words
    • Submitted: 12/05/2012
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John Boynton Priestley's biography

  1. 1 He was born in Yorkshire in 1894. He left school at sixteen because he believed that the world outside the classroom would help him become a writer. He said that it was the years 1911-14 ‘that set their stamp upon me’.
  2. 2 When World War One broke out in 1914, Priestley joined the infantry and by the time he left the army in 1919, he had seen active front-line service and narrowly escaped being killed. These experiences were to influence his future writing.
  3. 3 When he left the army he went to Cambridge University and although he finished his degree, he did not like academia and went to London to work as a freelance writer.
  4. 4 He soon became a successful writer of essays and novels and in 1932 he wrote his first play Dangerous Corner to prove that he could adapt his style for the stage. He soon established himself as a leading figure in the London theatre.
  5. 5 When World War Two broke out in 1939 Priestley continued to write his plays, while also writing and broadcasting on BBC radio. During this time he was producing his best work and wrote An Inspector Calls (1945) about the effects of an individual’s actions and the consequences of those actions.

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Conclusion analysis

Good conclusions usually refer back to the question or title and address it directly - for example by using key words from the title.
How well do you think these conclusions address the title or question? Answering these questions should help you find out.

  1. Do they use key words from the title or question?
  2. Do they answer the question directly?
  3. Can you work out the question or title just by reading the conclusion?

  • To what extent is each character responsible for Eva's death?

    "In conclusion the inspector was a very good role model not just for the audience, but also for the Birling children. Mr Birling was the most responsible for Eva's death as he harmed her first. There were two people that learnt a lot, they were Sheila and Eric Birling. This is because they were able to communicate with the inspector and understand what he said, the inspector may make them change in the future as they are both able to make up their own minds and understand when they have made mistakes. They try to help their parents understand what they have done to Eva and how they caused her to commit suicide. Sheila and Eric will be able to learn from their parent's mistakes, as they are the younger generation. 4"

  • An Inspector Calls Essay - To what extent can the tragedy of Eva Smith be blamed on the society in which she lived.

    "In conclusion to the death of Eva Smith, I don't believe you can blame any of the Birlings as such, as it was also related to social activities that took place in such a short time of Eva's life. If all the strife she went through didn't happen, then I don't believe that Eva smith would have killed herself. So in conclusion, Eva smith's death has to be blamed on a chain of events that unfortunately and unthinkingly happened at the wrong time of her life."

  • Compare and contrast the characters of Mr. Birling and inspector Goole. How does Priestley use dramatic devices to help shape audiences response to view represented in the play.

    "In conclusion Birling and the Inspector are two opposite characters priestley used birling and his views as the audience and the inspector as himself hoping he could change their views as it would help society. Priestly was getting across to the audience the message that, at the end of the day everyone's got to help with society or else all of us will die. Therefore the message is still relevant today "we do not live alone"."

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