An Inspector Calls Mind Map

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  • An Inspector Calls
    • Background
      • J B Priestley was buried alive in  the first work war but survived and then g***ed.
      • Wrote An Inspector Calls in the second word war (1944)
      • Set in 1912
        • Fear that capitalism could implode.
      • Priestley had a knighthood.
      • Set in Brumley, it is loosely based on Bradford.
      • Born and raised in Bradford, Yorkshire. Big textiles town (industrial.)
        • Set in Brumley, it is loosely based on Bradford.
    • Characters
      • Mr Birling
        • In his mid fifties
        • Factory owner, working man. Worried about socialism.
        • Not Well Educated, still has his accent.
        • Mr Briling married Sybil to limb the social hierarchy.
      • Mrs Birling (Sybil)
        • She comes from a higher cl***, she is socially superior.  She married Mr. Birling for his money.
          • Mr Briling married Sybil to limb the social hierarchy.
      • Sheila Birling
        • 'Very pleased with life'
        • Often teases her father, for example his lack of knowledge on port
      • Gerald Croft (engaged to Sheila)
        • About 30 years old
      • Eric Briling
        • About 20 years old.
        • Always 'squiffy'
      • Edna (the maid)
      • Inspector Goole
        • Is he actually a policeman or does he represent universal injustice.
        • He knows a large amount of information about Eva Smith, leading to the audience to ask themselves if he is super natural.
        • Mouthpiece for Priestley.
        • Socialist
        • 'If men will not learn that lesson, then they will be taught it in fire and blood and anguish.' Extremely prophetic (tells the future.) This tells the people in 1912 there will be a war.
        • Aims to find the cause of Eva's death, the same way  Priestley tried too ind the cause of the war.
      • Eva Smith
        • Smith is an extremely common name.  Symbolises that the Birling family are affecting many people.
    • Key Themes
      • Difference in generations
        • Languag Difference
          • Mrs Birling wants Sheila to talk properly, instead of using vocabulary such as '***' and 'squiffy'
        • The younger generation do not mind accepting their responsibility
      • Cl***
        • Mr Birling is very excited about the engagement between Sheila and Gerald.
          • 'You're just the kind of son in law I wanted' says Mr Birling.  Clearly Gerald comes from a higher social cl***.
          • Mr Birling invited Gerald's parents to the engagement party but they do not attend, this shows that they believe that he is marrying into a owed social cl***.
          • I am looking forward to a time 'when Crofts and Birlings arena longer competing but are working together' Says Briling
        • Priestley was clearly very interested in the way that people were  treated in different cl***es
      • Responsibility
        • Mr and Mrs Birling do not accept responsibility even after the Inspector visits
        • Sheila and Eric accept responsibility for what they have done.
        • 'We don't live alone, we are members of one body, we are responsible for each other' says the Inspector
        • Mrs Birling wants someone to blame - the babies father (Eric)
      • Duty
        • 'It's my duty to ask questions' says inspector goole.  Is it his duty as a person, the mouthpiece of Priestley or his duty as a police inspector?
      • Time
        • Time is a major theme. His other plays also are time plays (time on the con ways)
        • Has the play gone back in time? Is it all about to happen again?
        • How does the inspector know that there will be a war?
    • Devices
      • Dramatic Irony
        • Mr Birling says that war is not inevitable, that there is 'too much at steak'  however the audience knows that world war 2 is  two years away.
        • Mr Birling also talks about the Titanic, stating that is 'unsinkable, absolutely unsinkable' but the Titanic sank.
        • Mr Birling also talks about how Russia is a less developed country however in todays society this is not the case.
      • Imagery
        • There is a constant reference to the image of Eva when she died, this creates empathy.
          • 'she wasn't pretty when I saw her today'
    • Structure
      • No scene changes meaning that it is a continual dramatic play.
  • I am looking forward to a time 'when Crofts and Birlings arena longer competing but are working together' Says Briling
  • Cl***
    • Mr Birling is very excited about the engagement between Sheila and Gerald.
      • 'You're just the kind of son in law I wanted' says Mr Birling.  Clearly Gerald comes from a higher social cl***.
      • Mr Birling invited Gerald's parents to the engagement party but they do not attend, this shows that they believe that he is marrying into a owed social cl***.
    • Priestley was clearly very interested in the way that people were  treated in different cl***es
  • Antipathy = hatred
  • Utopia = a perfect or ideal world
  • A sypher = An authors tool
  • Repercussion + consequence

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Beth Edwards

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