English Literature: An inspector Calls

Introduction:
>Gerald is a son in law Birling always dreamt of (respectable,wealthy,businessman etc)

>Gets on well with the Birlings and impresses Sybil

>Social superior

>Works for 'Croft's Limited' and they are 'friendly rivals'

>Outlook on life is similar to Birlings 

> Priestley is a socialist and uses Gerald to expose many themes including the mismatch between the upper class and social responsibility-also diff generations.

First Paragraph-
>Only character in the play that represents the upper class (device)
>

Social Superior- Birlings 'feels you might have done better for yourself socially..'(PG8)

This shows the audience just how wary of class Mr Birling is and just how important class was during these times
>

Gerald 'rather embarrassed begins to murmur'(PG8) shows how class division makes Gerald feel uncomfortable=class doesn't paze him but embarrasses him- also shows the awkwardness about class in society 

Second Paragraph:
>Gerald works with his father, so his views are influenced by his career

>Responsibility and pressure from his father to be a respectable gentleman

>He constantly wants to impress the Birling family ('I believe your right sir' (PG6)and 'That's true'(PG9)'I agree(PG4) 

>Shows that even though he is of a higher class he still wants to impress the Birlings 
>

Has views of an older man and even goes against his own generation= 'Sure to be. Unless Eric's been up to something' which is ironic because Gerald is just as much to blame but he is quick to pass judgement

Third Paragraph:

>Appears good, light hearted, conscientous, honest- he is actually morally weak

>Sheila has had suspicions about him all along but he denied everything 'Iwas awfully busy at the works all that time'(PG3)
>

Immediatley the audience know he isn't telling the truth- leaves us with mixed emotions
>Is he a lying cheat? or a determined businessman?- is there a difference?

Fourth Paragraph:

>Quite a sexist man= towards Sheila 'Inspector, i think Miss Birling ought to be'(P27)
Not only implying Sheila can't handle the truth but he adds to the tension and suspicion the audience already feel towards him
>

This line starts with 'with an effort' showing just how demanding his voice is= creates suspicion

Fifth Paragraph:
> He offered Daisy renton money and shelter (make the audience feel he is a good man at heart)
>

But then we learnt that he slept with her because it was 'inevitable'= cheated on Sheila
>Instantly the audience feels completely different because he knew what he was doing but did it anyway- but when he first heard of her death he genuinely cared.

>' sorry-i-well- i've suddenly realised- taken it in properly'- he says this 'distressed' so we as the audience feel sorry for him.

>shown to have some consideration but in the end uses his power to 'own' a woman 

Conclusion:
>He becomes effectively the defence lawyer
>

He begins to search for facts to try and catch the inspector out 

>'This makes a difference you know' - he has decided that just because he wasn't a real inspector that he shouldn't feel bad= we dislike him and he says 'Everything's alright now, SHeila' as if nothing has happened (PG71) 

Introduction:
> The Inspector and his story about Eva/Daisy divides the young and the old
>

Old= care more for status therefore want to forget the inspector
>

New= Care more about morality therefore want to remember and learn from the inspector 
>

It would seem that the elders have more authority but as the play progresses the younger ones do- they start to speak more for themselves 

Second Paragraph:
>The older and the younger generations are very different
>Older generation:

Old-fashioned, traditional and stuck in there ways, they don't like their authority to be challeneged

'when Mr Birling sacked her for wanting 25 shillings instead of 22 and six' (PG19)
>Younger generation:

Eric and Sheila are more open to new ideas like a fairer society, and Eva was determined to get better wages, her courage was the main reason for Birling sacking her
'But these girls aren't cheap labour- they're people!'(PG19)
 

Third Paragraph:

> Older generations:
They think they know best, and that children should be seen and not heard

>Younger generation:
Eric and Sheila question their parent's beliefs- this threatens Birling who tells them to 'keep quiet' 

Fourth Paragraph:
>Gerald is the oldest young man (younger version of Arthur B)
>

His marriage to Sheila is for business reasons
>

He agrees that Eva/Daisy had to be sacked

>He doesn't learn anything (wants to marry sheila right at the end despite what's happened)
> Doesn't seem to feel that guilty about ditching Eva

>He doesn't change 

Conclusion:
>Priestley presents this divide in the generations to show the audience just how cruel The elder Birling family are (Including Gerald)
>

The younger gen learn from their mistakes= brighter future 

Introduction:

>Priestley presents many ideas of power in An inspector calls
>Including the power Mr Birling has over the family
> The power the inspector has to make them confess their mistakes
>The power of class and status

Second Paragraph:
>

Mr Birling appears as the authorative figure in the beginning of An inspector calls
>He has the power to send the women out of the room

> Power to sack Eva
 > The younger generation never said anything much 

Third Paragraph:

>Power of Status and class

>Arthur and Sybils status means lot to them 'feels you might have done better for yourself socially'- he is talking about his own daughter

>The birlings constantly want to impress Gerald and Gerald wants to impress the Birlings- Gerald constantly agrees with Arthur which makes him appear mature and responsible 

Third Paragraph:

>Power of Status and class
>Arthur and Sybils status means lot to them 'feels you might have done better for yourself socially'- he is talking about his own daughter
>The birlings constantly want to impress Gerald and Gerald wants to impress the

Birlings- Gerald constantly agrees with Arthur which makes him appear mature and responsible 

Fourth Paragraph:

> Priestley controlling him.- he is the inspector
>The inspector is like a puppet. He can control every person in the play= they all end up confessing

> He already knows everything
> He has the power to mainpulate them with her photograph ('I'd like to look at that photo now inspector'- he replies 'all in good time') (PG21)

>' I said she changed her name to Daisy renton'(PG25) 

Conclusion:

>Priestley uses many techniques to highlight the different powers in this play
>The struggle for power in this play is a common theme
> shows how power can effect many people (but inparticular not the younger gen)

Introduction:
> A snob, middle class, unsympathetic, generation, social class, uncaring ,prejudice, judgemental, stubborn

> used to present the stereotypical snobish person 

>proud of her reputation and her social position,more important than her own children's happiness

> Even when the inspector questions her she doesn't back down. 

First paragraph:
>Sybil is incredibly proud of her social position

>She thinks that her social position is very important and her family should use the rules of 'proper' behaviour and tells Sheila for using slang 'What an expression!..' (PG3)

>These rules of 'proper' behaviour come before her morals (sense of right and wrong)

>To protect her own status she's prepared to be cruel= she refuses to let charity give her help

Second Paragraph:

>From a family with a higher social status than Arthur Birling's family so even though Arthur is the man of the house  she is his social superior

>Sybil tells Birling off for saying the food was good infront of Gerald 'tell cook from me'= wasn't polite to mention servants

>Sybil won't let anyone boss her around she tells the inspector he has 'no power' over her 

Third Paragraph:
>Sybil lives by strict standards

>prejudiced against the working class- she thinks they have lower standards (she can't believe that a lower class person would refuse money, she can't imagine her son being involved with a woman 'of that sort'

> It's her 'standards' that make her blame the father of Eva/Daisy's unborn child instead of accepting her own guilt- she demands the father should be' punished publicly' but she doesn't realise that it's her own son

Fourth Paragraph:

>Even though she supports a charity- she's not very charitable (Brumley Women's charity)

>charity is for deserving cases but Sybil uses this when she thinks they deserve rather than morals

>She uses her social position to convince others not to help her because she's annoyed the woman used the Birling name

>She turns her down out of pettiness and because she's prejudice 

Conclusion: 

>Mrs Birling is self centred
She hasn't noticed her own son's drinking problem 'of course he does. I told you he did'- 'Sheila i simply don't understand your attitude' (PG50)

>She isnt worried that Gerald lost interest in her during the summer

>She won't accept responsibility 'i accept no blame' and she was in the 'right'

>She doesn't learn anything 

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