Language and Style in

An Inspector Calls

For IGCSE English Literature

Mr Elkin-Jones, Late November 2011 [email protected]

This PowerPoint will not…

• • • • • Tell you the plot Describe characters Let you sit there and say nothing – engage!

Go over what you should ready know Replace the re-reading and general revision you need to do

Style: articulate critical concepts

The struggle between the embattled patriarch Arthur Birling and Inspector Goole has been interpreted by many critics as a symbolic confrontation between capitalism and socialism, and arguably demonstrates Priestley's Socialist political critique of the selfishness and moral hypocrisy of middle-class capitalist society. While no single member of the Birling family is solely responsible for Eva's death, together they function as a hermetic class system who exploit neglected vulnerable women, with each example of exploitation leading collectively to Eva's social exclusion, despair and suicide. The play also arguably acts as a critique of Victorian-era notions of middle-class philanthropy towards the poor, which is based on presumptions of the charity-givers' social superiority and severe moral judgement towards the "deserving poor". The romantic idea of gentlemanly chivalry towards "fallen women" is also debunked as being based on male lust and sexual exploitation of the weak by the powerful. In Goole’s final speech, Eva Smith is referred to as a representative for millions of other vulnerable working class people, and can be read as a call to action for English society to take more responsibility for working class people, pre-figuring the development of the post World War II welfare state. Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/An_Inspector_Calls

Style through Themes

Priestley’s social conscience was awakened by growing social inequalities in the 1930s Outlined in “English Journey” (1934), where he raged at the treatment of veterans and the desolation of places like Rusty Lane.

His plays were impeccably crafted, sometimes experimental and are characterised by pre-War settings and tricks with time. They include: “Dangerous Corner” (1932) Comedy “When we are Married” (1938) “I Have Been Here Before” (1937) “An Inspector Calls” (1945). The latter combined his fascination with the nature of time with his ideas about society .

Source http://www.jbpriestleysociety.com/biography.html

Themes into language

Priestley had a clear aim when writing the play.

Firstly he wished to entertain the audience; secondly he wished to get across the central theme of responsibility. The message is clear and simple: if individuals behave more responsibly towards each other then the world can be a better place for all. Each of the Birling family is responsible in pushing Eva Smith towards suicide. He advocates clearly that responsibility begins at home with individuals. If individuals take responsibility for their actions then this will fan out into Society and collective action can make the lives of people better and war can be prevented.

Source:

http://www.jbpriestley-society.com/education.html

Themes into language

We now live in a very individualistic consumer-driven Society.

It is worth thinking about the two quotations below. They show a clear difference in thinking between what the world was like in 1944/5, what it has grown into today and what it was like in Edwardian times.

There is no such thing as society. There are individual men and women and there are families.

Margaret Thatcher Conservative Prime Minister

I could not be entirely serious about anything, except the well being of our society itself. J.B. Priestley Author, Broadcaster, Social Commentator

Source:

http://www.jbpriestley-society.com/education.html

By what are style and theme shaped?

The action of the play is set in 1912 before the outbreak of the First World War. Because it was written at the end of the Second World War in 1944 it offers a clear comparison of the world at these two crucial moments in history. In 1944 people were questioning whether they wished to return to a world of Edwardian style values or break out and create a new world. Priestley was one of the foremost advocates of political and social change from the 1930s right up to the end of the Second World War.

By what are language and style shaped? 2

The Inspector is the central figure in the play. Ask yourself who he is and where he comes from. Has he come back in time from 1944 to try and give the Birlings the opportunity to share their guilt; accept responsibility; and change and improve the spiral of their lives? Is this the author’s voice?

Priestley’s experience, vision…and thus style

Born in Bradford in 1894 Priestley was a reforming patriot who had an instinctive understanding of the less fortunate and believed passionately in social justice.

He was never a member of a political party, but described himself as more or less a left wing intellectual and a socialist of the old style.

Living in Bradford he saw at first hand the consequence of a class of people working long underpaid hours, living in squalid, crowded housing along dirty streets. Of Bradford he once wrote: ‘I watched the smoke thicken and the

millionaires who made it ride away. I saw broken old women creep back to the mills, and young men wither because there was no work for them to do and nobody wanted them. I saw the saddest waste of all, the waste of human life’.

Source:

http://www.jbpriestley-society.com/education.html

The language of Priestley, also of the Inspector?

The Great War 1914-1918 was transforming event of Priestley’s life. Saw at first-hand what the Inspector meant by men being taught a lesson in ‘fire and blood

and anguish’.

He lost virtually all of his friends in the war and emerged from it with a deep-rooted class consciousness. He blamed the officer class and believed till the day he died that the lies told to make young men enlist and the war strategies of the generals were responsible for the deaths of so many. In 1962 he wrote:

‘I still feel today and must go on feeling until I

die, the open wound, never to be healed, of my generation’s fate, the best sorted out and slaughtered... The tradition of an officer class, defying both imagination and common sense, killed most of my friends as surely as if those cavalry generals had come out of the chateau with polo mallets and beaten their brains out. Call this class prejudice if you like, so long as you remember that I went into that war without any such prejudice, free of any class feeling. No doubt I came out of it with a chip on my shoulder; a big heavy chip, probably some friend’s thigh-bone.’ Source:

http://www.jbpriestley-society.com/education.html

Styles of Speech: which character uses which and when do they change?

• • • • • Referential: utterances that provide information.

Expressive: utterances that express the speaker’s feelings.

Transactional: utterances where the main purpose is to get something done or acquire something.

Interactional: utterances where the main emphasis is on the social relationship between the participants.

Phatic: utterances devoid of any serious content ‘small talk’, usually conducted with strangers or people only slightly known.

The language of Inspector: 1

INSPECTOR’S FINAL SPEECH, Act 3, pg 56

But just remember this. Once Eva Smith has gone – but there are millions and millions and millions of Eva Smiths and John Smiths still left with us, with their lives, their hopes and fears, their suffering and chance of happiness, all intertwined with our lives and what we think and say and do. We don’t live alone. We are members of one body. We are responsible for one another. 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. Good night.

• • • • • • • • • • • • Feels like a speech Does not feel spontaneous but deliberate It is both Referential (utterances that provide information) and Expressive (utterances that express the speaker’s feelings).

Compare with Romans 1, v about 13 style in KJV Compare with style of Christ in Gospel According to St Luke or St Mark (“I tell you the truth…I tell you now”) Assertion Simple use of conjunctions: ‘and’ Simple language Multi-layered extended metaphor: John Smiths like the John Bull of C18th satire Simple sentence – complex sentence – x3 simple sentences – final complex sentence – final salutation…which feels like it should be the end of the play, and is, in the literal mode Then the metaphysical coda truly beings: they slips back in attitude (and time?) Then the real inspector of the inevitable present comes to call – play ends on cliffhanger.

The Language of Sheila

“But these girls aren’t cheap labour – they’re people.” (p19) “I couldn’t be sorry for her.” Account of Sheila’s treatment of Eva Smith.

“I behaved badly too. I know I did. I’m ashamed of it.”

Mr Burling

“…a man has to make his own way – has to look after himself.” (p9) “She has a lot to say – far too much – so she had to go.” “Still, I can’t accept any responsibility.”

Mrs Burling

“I must say, we are learning something tonight” (p35) “Go and look for the father of the child. It’s his responsibility.” “I did nothing I’m ashamed of or won’t bear investigation.”

Eric’s Language

“Suddenly, I felt I just had to laugh.” (p3) “Oh my God – how stupid it all is!” “It’s what happened to the girl and what we all did to hear that matters.”

Style: philosophical interest in time

Priestley was influenced by the Russian mystic philosopher Peter Ouspensky( (1878-1947). Ouspensky believed in the theory of eternal recurrence.

This is a theory that holds to the concept that the universe has been recurring, and will continue to recur in a self-similar form an infinite number of times (everything happens again and again and again).

Ouspensky believed that our time on the planet was spent travelling along an ever recurring spiral and that the aim of all individuals should be to change and improve this spiral and stop making the same old mistakes.

In all our lives we are presented with opportunities to learn and change and therefore swing out in a new direction.

The Inspector comes back from the future or from some place outside time to offer the Birlings an opportunity to change – an opportunity they appear not to take. In the end they have learned nothing and so will have to go through it all over again.

For more information about Peter Ouspensky click here: www.ouspensky.info

Style, genre and critical evaluation

“ After the new wave of social realist theatre in the 1950s and 1960s, the play fell out of fashion, and was dismissed as an example of outdated bourgeois "drawing room" dramas, and became a staple of regional repertory theatre.

Following several successful revivals (including Stephen Daldry 's 1992 production for the National Theatre social realist dramas of Shaw and Ibsen. judgement, and as a Socialist party manifesto.” ), the play was “rediscovered” and hailed as a damning social critique of capitalism and middle-class hypocrisy in the manner of the It has been read as a parable about the destruction of Victorian social values and the disintegration of pre-World War I English society, and Goole’s final speech has been interpreted variously as a quasi-Christian vision of hell and Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/An_Inspector_Calls

What are they marking for?

Assessment Objectives and Weightings Assessment Objectives Percentage within the IGCSE

AO1 33⅓% A close knowledge of texts and the contexts in which they were written AO2 33⅓% Understanding and appreciation of authors’ uses of the following as appropriate: characterisation, narrative, plot, setting and language AO3 33⅓% A focused, sensitive, lively and informed personal response to texts

So do you need to do to get an A*?

AO1

• • • • • A* is a grade above A, and is reserved for only the most outstanding students.

Students who gain an A* show a highly detailed knowledge of the text; use only relevant material in the answer; make highly skilled use of close reference and quotation; demonstrate clearly informed insight into the social, historical and cultural context of the text, where appropriate.

And…

AO2

Students who gain an A* show a sensitive, mature and critical understanding and appreciation of themes, events, techniques, structure, characterisation and language in the text where appropriate; show evidence of sophistication in appreciation of writer’s craft; show confidence in using technical vocabulary in analysis of text and demonstrate analytical interpretative skills.

Is there more…?!

AO3

Write with a clear focus on the terms of the question; write clearly identifiable points which show insight and originality; convey ideas confidently and with conviction and demonstrate an informed and well argued personal response.

Show me a typical exam question

This isn’t from An Inspector Calls, so work out what it wants from students: A View from the Bridge:

How successful does Miller present two or more male characters in the play?

Or

In what ways does Miller present the difficulties experienced by illegal immigrants in the play?

Why do questions like these invite judgement and a personal response?

Can you show me an A* AIC answer?

Well, a bit later I will…..but for now….

Here’s an A* for Of Mice and Men

Paper 1 – Section B - Prose

Of Mice and Men:

In what ways is the friendship between George and Lennie presented in this novel?

With a partner, examine extract C to this question.

1.List the top three strengths in this response.

2.How are students taught the skills needed to respond in such a way?

Answer: part 1

Steinbeck presents George and Lennie’s significant friendship in the first section of the novel, one that is incomparable with any other. This central theme is explored through George and Lennie’s relationship, introduced to the reader as one that is beyond compare, ‘we got a future’, although, they are very different companions. They look, converse and behave very differently, ‘behind him walked his opposite’; despite this, they continue to travel around together and look after one another, ‘because I got you to look after me and you got me to look after you’. Steinbeck presents a poignant portrayal of two men that strangely, complement one another. The reader quickly becomes conscious, that George is Lennie’s minder, Lennie tags along behind George‘…and even in the open one stayed behind the other’; like a guardian George is thoughtful and watches out for him and both praises and encourages Lennie to make him feel content and at ease, ‘Good boy. That’s swell’. George knows him well; he knows when Lennie is up to no good. Lennie is meant to be collecting firewood before they eat; George instinctively knows he has returned to the river to look for his dead mouse, ‘George stopped whistling and listened…George held out his hand ’

Answer: part 2

Lennie complies with most of George’s commands, ‘George snapped his fingers sharply, and at the sound Lennie laid the mouse in his hand’. When Lennie snorts the dirty water from the pool, George steps ‘nervously beside him’ and addresses him ‘sharply’. George is concerned he might become unwell, ‘you never oughta drink water when it ain’t running, Lennie’, Lennie is like a child who acts first without considering the repercussions of his actions. George often feels frustrated; travelling with Lennie means that he has responsibilities. George has to keep repeating information as Lennie often forgets what he has been told, ‘Might jus’ as well spen’ all my time tellin’ you things and then you forget ‘em, and I tell you again.’ When Lennie asks for ketchup the reader witnesses a pantomime of emotions as Lennie threatens, half-heartedly, to go and live in a cave. George’s temperament subsides; he recognises his verbal attack was cruel and unfair. Like most close companions, they have fun together, ‘You can jus’ as well go to hell’; it is clear that Lennie looks up to George, often mimicking his actions like a son replicating his father, ‘Lennie…imitated George exactly…looked over to George to see whether he had done it just right’. When George relents and narrates their dream, it is obvious this is not the first time it has been told; Lennie has memorised many elements of the dream ’You got it by heart. You can do it yourself‘’. George shows to be compassionate as he comforts Lennie with this story before they sleep.

Questions on An Inspector Calls

These questions should give you further ideas about preparing and revising for the examination. You may wish to practise answering to time (50 minutes), or producing a plan and short quotations for an examination answer. Remember the following points about your answer: • • • • • Focus on the wording and requirements of the question.

Plan the structure of your answer, with opening and closing paragraphs and perhaps four or five other paragraphs.

Link your sections together in a logical way, using clear ‘signpost’ words like ‘therefore’ and ‘however’.

Introduce short, embedded quotations.

Show how you yourself have responded to and engaged with the play.

‘A’ grade answer: An Inspector Calls

As a character, Sheila certainly changes and develops greatly during the course of the play and this makes her particularly interesting for the audience. At first, she seems frivolous and flippant when faced by the Inspector, and comes across as very immature in her approach. When he mentions Milwards, she begins commenting ‘archly’ to Gerald about her wedding again. Although she does seem concerned about the girl, the audience is shown that she has a temperamental attitude by her having Smith fired in the first place. After she sees the picture, however, her attitude changes. She ‘lets out a half-stifled sob’ and admits herself to have behaved wrongly almost immediately. This shows that she has a compassionate side to her character and a sense of conscience. She says to Eric ‘I’ll never do it again to anybody’, showing that she has been affected and accepts a degree of responsibility. She is also very receptive to the Inspector’s influence. She exclaims to Gerald: ‘Why he knows, of course he knows!’, perhaps indicating that she is more susceptible to being changed than the other characters.

‘A’ grade answer An Inspector Calls 2

.

By the end of the play, Sheila could be said to be a reformed character. She is keenly aware of what she has done and has learned from her actions. When she discovers the Inspector’s deception, she says ‘I suppose we’re all nice people now’, ironically, which shows that she understands that the moral consequences of her actions reach beyond the consequences that apply directly and only to her and her family, such as the arrest of Eric. In this way she proves that she has developed over the course of the play. This change stands as a striking contrast to the other characters, most of whom have clearly learned nothing. When Sybil is asked why they shouldn’t behave just as they did before, she replies ‘Well, why not?’ This strikes the audience as a particularly unfeeling remark, as though she is still denying that her actions have been at all wrong. Gerald even offers Sheila her ring back, as if he had not had an affair. In this way the older characters show that they have not developed or changed, while Sheila clearly has.

A grade answer An Inspector Calls 3

.

However, there is another character who learns and changes during the course of the play – Eric. From having quite an unformed personality he also shows that he is penitent by the end of the play. While the others are talking about whether their reputation is in danger, Eric cuts in with ‘The girl’s still dead, isn’t she?’ As he says, ‘I’ll never forget’, he shows that the whole affair has changed him. He therefore rivals Sheila in complexity of character.

‘A’ grade answer An Inspector Calls 4

By the end of the play, Sheila could be said to be a reformed character. She is keenly aware of what she has done and has learned from her actions. When she discovers the Inspector’s deception, she says ‘I suppose we’re all nice people now’, ironically, which shows that she understands that the moral consequences of her actions reach beyond the consequences that apply directly and only to her and her family, such as the arrest of Eric. In this way she proves that she has developed over the course of the play. This change stands as a striking contrast to the other characters, most of whom have clearly learned nothing. When Sybil is asked why they shouldn’t behave just as they did before, she replies ‘Well, why not?’ This strikes the audience as a particularly unfeeling remark, as though she is still denying that her actions have been at all wrong. Gerald even offers Sheila her ring back, as if he had not had an affair. In this way the older characters show that they have not developed or changed, while Sheila clearly has.

‘A’ grade answer An Inspector Calls 5

However, there is another character who learns and changes during the course of the play – Eric. From having quite an unformed personality he also shows that he is penitent by the end of the play. While the others are talking about whether their reputation is in danger, Eric cuts in with ‘The girl’s still dead, isn’t she?’ As he says, ‘I’ll never forget’, he shows that the whole affair has changed him. He therefore rivals Sheila in complexity of character.

ENDS .

Questions on An Inspector Calls

These questions should give you further ideas about preparing and revising for the examination. You may wish to practise answering to time (50 minutes), or producing a plan and short quotations for an examination answer. Remember the following points about your answer: • • • • • Focus on the wording and requirements of the question.

Plan the structure of your answer, with opening and closing paragraphs and perhaps four or five other paragraphs.

Link your sections together in a logical way, using clear ‘signpost’ words like ‘therefore’ and ‘however’.

Introduce short, embedded quotations.

Show how you yourself have responded to and engaged with the play.

Source: IGCSE Literature student book, Cd-Rom

4 typical IGCSE questions on An Inspector Calls

1.

2.

3.

4.

How far does your view of Eric Birling change during the play?

What methods does J B Priestley use to create tension and drama in the play?

‘The setting of the engagement party is important to the plot and structure of the play.’ How far do you agree with this statement?

Do you think that Inspector Goole persuades the other characters about their responsibility for others?

Source: IGCSE Literature student book, Cd-Rom

Links you ought to look at

What do the postures of the actors in these production images tell you? http://www.guardian.co.uk/stage/gallery/2009/sep/29/stephen-daldry-an-inspector calls-west-end#/?picture=353561505&index=8 Abbreviated review of this production: so, do the “Edwardian toffs get their comeuppance?” http://www.guardian.co.uk/stage/2009/sep/28/an-inspector-calls-review?intcmp=239 Mini- TV documentary about a different play by J.B. Priestley: are there related themes?

http://www.guardian.co.uk/stage/video/2009/may/06/jb-priestley-rupert-goold-time conways?INTCMP=ILCNETTXT3487 For the intellectually lazy… http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/An_Inspector_Calls

Links you ought to look at: 2

The obligatory BBC Bitesize website – it has all the answers, so do yourself a favour... http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/gcsebitesize/english_literature/dramainspectorcalls/ Learn some contextual information about the author at: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/J._B._Priestley

Why is it that this play is so well regarded, if he wrote so many other things?

http://www.jbpriestley-society.com/education.html

So you need a decent interactive website: video, music, decent photos and a scare? http://www.aninspectorcalls.com/ Get some freebies to gave your exam grade! http://www.aninspectorcalls.com//pdf/insp_pack_new.pdf

Remember, that some of these issues battle have still to be won…

Thank you; that concludes:

Language and Style in

An Inspector Calls