Inspector calls 9

• Morality play


  -each character has links with 7 deadly sins e.g. Sheila with envy
• AIC play of fan fiction

  -detective normally starts from something small and expands but here its the other way round

  -Priestley does this to show society is guilty of neglecting its own members
• "Because of what happened to her then may have determined what happened to her afterwards & what happened to her afterwards may have driven her to suicide. A chain of events"


  -andiplosis

  -"chain";-object that embodies physical linking

  -connotes heavines, imprisonment maybe saying these "events" weigh the family down
• All 3 acts happen in dining room of Birling's house


  -could be become they are self-absorbed; don't think of anything outside their own life

  -suggests how the Birlings are egocentric, and are disconnected from outside world

  -by lack of change of setting, Priestley allows us to focus on play and its message
• Vagueness of IG "I don't play golf"


  -we learn things he doesn't do rather than what he does

  -lack of human sense suggests we are closer to his message
• Inspector


  Proxy for Priestley's views. The simple part of his message is delivered just before he leaves:
• One Eva Smith has _________ - but there are ________ and _____________ and _____________ of Eva Smiths and John Smiths still _____ _____ __.'

  gone

  millions and millions

  still left with us
• Social message


  we are intertwined with everyone, and so have a responsilbility to teh working classes, in their"millions and millions and millions"
• We don't live alone. We are members of one body. We are responsible for each other'


  We have to help other people.
• What is the connection between Christianity and socialism in the play?

  The play presents a Christian message of 'we are all responsible for each other' which links to Priestley's socialist message.
• Why does Priestley include references to Christianity in the play?

  To appeal to the audience, many of whom were suspicious of socialism, by connecting his socialist message to familiar Christian teachings.
• Anti war play


  And 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"

  The prediction is one of war

  Priestley is linking capitalism and the desire for war.
• What is one economic consequence of capitalism?

  War
• How does capitalism aim to maximize profit?


  By engaging in war
• Why did Britain go to war against Germany?

  To expand its market and defeat competition
• What was the impact of the war on the upper classes in Britain?

  They lost more sons due to their status as officers
• Why were officers in the British army more likely to be shot?

  They led from the front
• What does the text suggest about capitalism's approach to war?

  It is willing to sacrifice its own sons to gain profit
• Who is the inspector appealing to in 'An Inspector Calls'?

  Priestley's female audience
• What idea is the inspector inviting Priestley's female audience to see war as?


  A male idea
• What will voting for socialism in 'An Inspector Calls' also reject?

  Churchill, the great wartime Prime Minister
• Who rejected war in 'An Inspector Calls' similar to Priestley?

  Priestley's female audience
• What happened in 'An Inspector Calls' after Priestley's female audience rejected war?

  Labour won a landslide victory
• How is Anger Portrayed in the Inspector's Character?


  In performance, the Inspector's character can be depicted with outrage and aggressive anger, especially highlighted by the 'front door slam' as the last sound of the act.
• What Impact did Eric's Partner and Son's Death Have on the Birlings?

  The death of Eric's partner and son had a powerful impact on the Birlings, as seen in the play's performance.
• Why does Priestley make the Inspector leave at a specific point in the play?

  To allow the family to exercise their free will and choose to learn the Inspector's lesson or reject it, similar to the tradition of A Christmas Carol.
• What does the term 'Goole' symbolize in the play?

  It is a clear reminder of a ghost and an allusion to Dickens' The Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come.
• What lesson does Scrooge learn when The Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come leaves him in A Christmas Carol?

  Scrooge learns that 'we are all responsible for each other,' similar to the message Priestley conveys in the play.
• What outcome does Priestley suggest if the family learns the lesson from the Inspector?

  If the family learns the lesson, Eva will live, and there will be no need for a second Inspector to intervene.
• Politics of the play

  Churchill got Priestley sacked from the BBC.

  Priestley point in 1912 is that if the family had learnt the lesson then the 2 wars would not have happend
• 10 quotes


  Public men have responsibilities as well as priveliges
• Need not be a large man

  gives the impression of massiveness
• How does the Inspector's attire contrast with Mr. Birling's?

  The Inspector's plain, darkish suit juxtaposes with Birling's heavy and portentous appearance, symbolizing the strength of the Inspector's socialist views over Priestley's capitalist views.
• What does the Inspector's outfit symbolize?

  The Inspector's attire symbolizes the strength of his socialist views as he does not rely on appearance to reinforce his beliefs, unlike Mr. Birling.
• What are some similarities between the Inspector and the perception of the Judeo-Christian God in 'An Inspector Calls'?

  Omniscient nature, acting as an agent of God, forcing confessions of vices
• How does Priestley strengthen the link between the Inspector and God in 'An Inspector Calls'?

  By alluding to the Book of Genesis, using language associated with Holy Communion, and having the Inspector echo the words of God
• What is the significance of the semantic field of morality and religion in 'An Inspector Calls'?

  It could be Priestley drawing upon existing Christian concepts of responsibility to convey his message or increase audience acceptance
• How does Priestley use Christian references in the Inspector's final speech in 'An Inspector Calls'?


  By ending with 'go forth in peace' to suggest that following the Inspector's socialist message can lead to societal peace
• How does Priestley use shocking imagery in 'An Inspector Calls'?

  Priestley frequently refers to Eva's death as 'burnt her inside out' to persuade the characters to change.
• What rhetorical devices does the Inspector use in 'An Inspector Calls'?

  The Inspector relies on rhetorical devices like triplets to evoke empathy, such as describing Eva as 'friendless, penniless, desperate' and in need of 'advice, sympathy, friendliness'.