GCSE: J.B. Priestley
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- Marked by Teachers essays 21
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How does Priestley present selfishness and its effects in An Inspector Calls?
As the audience, we can then infer that they live in luxury as well as comfort, and their lies and secrets are about to spill through the inspector’s interrogation, which could ruin this engagement celebration they are having. The lighting is a key part of the play, especially for the first part of it as it does not change or was later mentioned in the stage directions.
- Word count: 2580
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Character analysis of Eric Birling
He finds the things his family say funny, even if there is no joke. He laughs aloud when the conversation turns to Gerald and his ?work?. This indicates that he is aware of Gerald?s philandering. He is quite naive, in no way as worldly or as cunning as Gerald Croft. He may be jealous of the fact that Mr Birling seems to be much more interested in Gerald than his own son. There is another awkward moment when Gerald, Birling and Eric are chatting about women's love of clothes before the Inspector arrives.
- Word count: 1687
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How is social responsibility presented in each character of "An Inspector Calls"?
Priestly presents Mr Birling like this so the audience realises the older generation are stuck in their ways and can?t accept responsibility for their actions, because in their view they are always right. Priestly presents Mrs Birling in a similar way, Mrs Birling doesn?t accept responsibility because she doesn?t like the lower class and believes it is there fault they are in the situations they get into, for example she say?s ?girls of that class? which shows she is like her husband and won?t have anything to do with accepting responsibility or the lower class.
- Word count: 1121
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How does Priestly present Sheila Birling?
Although she has probably never before considered the impact of her decisions on the working class, she shows compassion immediately she hears of Eva Smith?s death. She first exclaims ?How horrible!? and proceeds to tell her father "But these girls aren't cheap labour - they're people." However, when the Inspector reveals Shelia?s role in causing the chain of events that lead to Eva Smith?s suicide, Shelia is horrified by her own part in Eva's story and is moved to tears.
- Word count: 754
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How does Priestley present the different generations in "An Inspector Calls"?
accept this with Gerald as seen by the phrase ?I don?t believe I will? ? this shows how Sheila often likes to challenge what the older generations say and believe. Sheila speaks mostly in short interjections such as seen from the phrase ?What?s all this about?. This emphasises to the audience her lack of voice as a young woman in 1912. At the start she does not have a place in the world of ?hard-headed? businessmen. This is further seen by the way her mother and father both speak to her in a highly patronising tone as if she has nothing of importance to say.
- Word count: 970
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In what ways is Eva Smith exploited? Why has Priestley used dramatic irony in Mr Birlings speech?
The audience believe that Mr Birling is clueless because of the statements. Priestley was a socialist , he believes that capitalism should be abolished and socialism would be brought in. Mr Birling is a capitalist and Priestley portrayed him as a fool. Priestley does not want the audience to believe in capitalism . In what ways is Eva Smith exploited? Eva Smith is exploited by the upper class as there was a lack of respect from the upper class to the lower class.
- Word count: 585
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How does Priestley express ideas about Arthur Birling in 'An Inspector Calls'
Birling has done anything but. This shows the hypocrisy of Mr. Birling?s attitudes; on one hand he is clearly very paranoid regarding the way others view him but simultaneously ignores and demonizes those below him in social status. There seems to also be no limit in Mr. Birling?s greed and pursuit of money; Priestly uses bathos to show how Mr. Birling demeans the importance of anything but money and personal gain. Mr. Birling says when speaking of Sheila and Geralds engagement that this was ?one of the happiest nights of [his] life?.
- Word count: 753
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How does Priestley express ideas about Sybil Birling in 'An Inspector Calls'
This may also be a sign of subtext that Mrs. Birling also might be dissatisfied with the social gap between her and husband. This could perhaps be a subtler view of Priestley?s about the lack of cohesiveness between classes in society. Relationship with Sheila Despite her daughter being a grown woman who is in the process of marrying, Mrs Birling is of the view that Sheila is incapable of speaking for herself. When Sheila ?(half serious, half playful)? criticises Gerald for ?not coming near me last summer? Mrs Birling doesn?t pick up on the ?playful? nature of her daughter?s remarks
- Word count: 1080
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How does Priestley express ideas about Eric Birling in 'An Inspector Calls'
Eva?s Sacking + Capitalism Eric clearly shows much more sympathy to Priestley?s views than that of his father. Discussing Eva Smith?s death, Eric suggests; ?Why shouldn?t they try for higher wages? We try for the highest possible prices? ? you said yourself she was a good worker? this shows how Eric is questioning not only the decision making of his father but also Mr. Birling?s view on society. Mr. Birling is a keen advocate of everybody ?looking after himself? but when a lower class workers attempts to improve their life changes Mr. Birling is contradictory and fires Eva.
- Word count: 946
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What clues in Act 1 tell you that there is trouble ahead for the Birling family?
Again dramatic irony bites when Gerald laugh and says, ?You seem to be a well behaved family-? which Mr Birling replies with, ?We think we are-? Knowing that the Birlings have been anything but nice considering their unjust full actions towards Eva Smith, will soon be exposed. They're too comfortable and their secrets of their refusal to bother will be uncovered by the Inspector. However, the connection between Gerald and Birling grow as the book progresses and we finally realise that his similar capitalist views hasn't been affected or even slightly altered by the end of Act 3, leaving him unchanged.
- Word count: 678
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How is Mr Birling Presented in Act 1?
We also find out that Mr Birling?s wife is his social superior meaning that Mr Birling may have worked his way up from a lower class into a higher class, he also enjoys telling people of how wealthy he is this may be understandable due to him working his way all the way up into the class he is in now. At the very beginning of the play, Mr Birling is shown to be obsessed with his social status by Priestly, due to him stating that ?You Ought to like this port Gerald, Finchley told me it?s exactly the same port your father gets from him?.
- Word count: 702