GCSE English Literature : An Inspector Calls Notes
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Course
English
Institution
GCSE
- 39 pages of very high quality notes
- in-depth analysis of quotations for all characters
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I got a Grade 9 for English Literature and Language so please feel free to get i...
owner of Birling and Company
the head of the Birling family
He’s a successful business man who likes to be in control and is a public gure, obsessed with social status
rich, irritable, traditional, self centred, impatient, sel sh
heartless, ruthless, concerned with himself and wealth
“socialist or some sort of crank"- no sympathy for socialism (dismissive). He doesn't believe in social equality
and ridicules the idea of socialism.
Right wing political views
values wealth and social status above all
Birling is presented as a villain therefore capitalism becomes the villain. Due to the sel sh, abusive,
manipulative ways of the upper class, a young woman commits suicide.
Birling is self centred since all he can think about is how the death of Eva could possibly become a public
scandal for his family and cause him to lose his chance at getting a knighthood in the “next Honours list”.
Mr Birling is oblivious to the consequences of his actions highlighting how the bourgeoisie lived in their own
bubble ignorant of the effect their actions had on the proletariat.
For him, he is looking at Sheila’s engagement and upcoming marriage as a means to advance himself in
terms of wealth and social position. He’s therefore in uencing Sheila to use marriage to gain higher status,
just like he did in marrying Sybil, because Gerald is an aristocrat.
Which of the deadly sins does Birling represent?
Metaphorically Mr Birling represents the sins of Gluttony= wealth (because he's greedy)
Pride = his name (obsessed with name and reputation)
‘hard-headed practical man of business’
Adjective "hard" implies he won't change his narrow minded beliefs. He's presented as a one dimensional
character as he starts and ends the play with the same ideals and views
He’s a stereotypical representation of a capitalist businessman therefore becomes metaphorically
representative of capitalism thus Priestley is able to criticise capitalism through Birling’s immoral actions
‘Portentous’
Adjective implies he's very serious and signi cant especially with regards to future events, he’s excessively
serious or pompous
His beliefs about the future are incorrect and therefore he comes across as foolish.
Birling believe that what he's saying is really important which is ironic because the contemporary audience of
1945 would know that all his statements about the future are foolish and incorrect therefore this causes
questions to arise as to whether his political views are the correct views society should align themselves with.
Priestley is challenging Birling’s political beliefs to show why the Conservative party aren't ideal for running
the country.
‘Rather provincial in his speech’
fi flfi fi fi
, Adjective meaning unsophisticated. He’s presented as a character that is of high status who acquired this
position through marriage. His mannerisms aren’t as re ned as a high society citizen who was born and
raised into that social class.
“Provincial” is also de ned as being limited in outlook or narrow so perhaps we’re presented with the notion
that he’s unwilling to accept new ideas or ways of thinking therefore we can possibly go further to say this
foreshadows that he will not learn the Inspector’s lesson of social responsibility and will reject socialism as
the moral way to live. Mr Birling isn't going to change
This sense of foreshadowing is established in the stage directions: he will not accept socialism or accept that
he has a role in Eva Smith's death and by the end he laughs off what he’s done (had a role in the death of a
girl) like it’s all a joke
‘Lower costs, higher prices’
Capitalism is explicitly depicted here through Priestley as being exploiting and monopoly.
Juxtaposition of “lower” and “higher” along with the comma to separate the two phrases could possibly be
used to emphasise the disparity between the classes. Being presented here is the fact that morally corrupt
men like Mr Birling control pay and they exploit their workers by giving them minimalist wages for long
hours. People who work in Birling’s factories are paid a pittance as a wage and the products they make are
sold for high prices therefore the overruling issue that is being highlighted here is that everybody is
exploited: the people that work for him and the people who buy his products.
The point of capitalism is to make as much money as possible - there's no concern for those who are suffering
in order to achieve these maximum pro ts and this is clearly being outlined with “lower costs, higher prices”.
"It's my duty to keep labour costs down"
in response to not wanting to pay Eva Smith any more money
Here lies the injustice of capitalism and a society that runs that way. He decided to re her because she
wanted to be paid fairly and not be exploited being paid minimalist wages
Why is the dramatic irony signi cant?
Because the contemporary audience knew of everything that has happened since 1912. Dramatic irony allows
Priestley to undermine the power and authority Birling thinks he has and to also portray capitalism as being
the wrong way of life.
After the First World War there is huge industrial unrest and by 1926 the whole country is destroyed. In 1929
there is the Great Depression so the claims that Birling makes that “Germans don’t want war” is therefore
proven to be highly inaccurate.
Birling refers to political issues too when he talks about “Labour trouble" which is ironic because in 1945 the
Labour Party won a landslide victory. Priestley uses this play to gain support for the Labour Party by outlining
issues/ faults he sees with the Conservative party and capitalist values so this is a propagandist play.
Birling is incorrect in every prediction he makes in the opening of Act One therefore how Priestley is causing
the audience to question “how can we trust his political views to be correct if everything he’s said thus far has
not been?” Priestley is challenging these conservative capitalist ideals and begins promoting a better way of
living through his presentation of socialism when the Inspector arrives to question the family.
"Steadily increasing prosperity"
the prosperity was non existent after the war because millions suffered but the manufacturing industry
pro ted during the war
Arthur Birling’s con dence is misplaced.
‘unsinkable, absolutely unsinkable’
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