Notes on different essay topics that could come up in any exam- covering Macbeth, An Inspector Calls, A Christmas Carol, and the Power & Conflict poetry anthology. Notes are detailed and at a grade 9 standard- giving useful analysis of key quotes, themes, and context.
Essays and points on An inspector calls, A Christmas carol, Macbeth and the Power
and conflict anthology.
An inspector calls:
Gerald:
● Act 1- Gerald is portrayed as evasive; implying he has a secret he is hiding. “Alright,
I knew her let's leave it at that” Vulnerable to the truth. The audience is suspicious it
is unexpected of an aristocratic character like Gerald to be involved in a scandal.
“Lets leave it at that” asserting authority in the situation, demonstrates his power yet
alternatively showcases his vulnerability. Despite Gerald being ‘charming’ he is
nonetheless able to be accountable for questionable actions, as can most of the
upper class of the 1910s
● Act 2- transformed sense of morality from Gerald, “I want you to understand I did not
install her there so I could make love to her”. Courteous attributes. JUXTAPOSES
Eric, who sexually exploited Eva. Gerald going against the stereotype of men during
the 1910s (context: patriarchy), HOWEVER, this can all be discredited by the fact he
cheated on Sheila, which is completely contrasting his chivalrous behaviour to Eva.
Priestley hindering at the point the rich are not as innocent as they paint themselves
out to be. The audience of 1945 feels encouraged by Geralds sympathy to Eva
however disappointed by his lack of loyalty and mistreatment of Sheila (a modernised
mindset)
● Act 3- hopes of Geralds reformation disproved. When finding out the inspector isn't
real, he abandons all sense of empathy towards Eva Smith.”Everythings alright now.”
Geralds guilt is ephemeral, “alright”, completely dismissing all the hardship he has
put Eva through because his reputation is no longer at risk of being tarnished.
Distinguishes himself from Sheila and Eric by prioritising himself rather than social
responsibility, illustrating his capitalist mindset. Gerald epitomises the upper-class
capitalist, and how it is ingrained in their brain to priorities themselves, how hard it is
to change. 1945 audience prone to socialism and so have a distaste to Gerald and
his lack of compassion for the poor.
Eric:
● Neglected and ostracised from family
Discuss how Priestley presents class divisions in ‘An Inspector Calls’
Priestley’s ‘An Inspector Calls’ is a critique of class division in later Edwardian
society. He uses the Inspectors questioning of the Upper-middle class family, the
Birlings and the aristocrat Gerald Croft to highlight the differences between the
wealthy and the destitute.Priestley also takes a look at more subtle class divides like
the Upper class and the Upper-middle class through the dynamic of Mr Birling and
Gerald Croft, presenting the message that division in society is simply unavoidable.
,Poetry quotes:
Ozymandias:
● “Sneer of cold command” and “heart that fed”
● “Shattered visage lies”
● The low and level sands stretched far away.
Compare to
My last duchess:
● “I gave commands; then all smiles stopped together”
● That's my last Duchess painted on the wall”
● “Even had you skill in speech (which I have not”)
1. both poems convey the misuse of power, once it is put into the hands of a
human it is seen as very detrimental
2. Both poems juxtapose the transience of power to the permanence of art
(statue= Ozymandias & painting= my last duchess).
3. Whilst Ozymandias describes the power of humans to be undermined by the
power of nature, My Last Duchess shows the plight of human power to be
due to internal conflict.
The emigree:
● “I am branded by an impression of sunlight”
● “I left it..but my city comes back to me”
● “Sick with tyrants.” & “Banned by the state”
Compare to Checking out me history:
● “I carving out me identity”
● “De cow...de moon” “de dish..de spoon” COMPARING TO “mountain dream...hopeful
stream”
● “Bout 1066 and dat”
1. Both poems demonstrate how important identity is, both having characters
who are desperate to latch onto their identity.
2. Both Rumens and Agard uses structure to explore identity. Whilst rumens
uses it to show the emigrees fragmented and fractured identity; Agard uses it
to reinforce his own culture and identity.
3. Both poems show the identity of the speakers to be oppressed by a higher
power (Emigree- tyrants. Agard- British government)
Remains:
, ● “Well myself and somebody else and somebody else”
● “His bloody life in my bloody hands” & “He’s here in my head when I close my eyes”
● “On another occasion, we get sent out”
Compare to
Bayonet charge:
● “In what cold clockwork of the stars and nations was he the hand pointing that
second?”
● “King, honour,human dignity, etcetera”
● “Suddenly he awoke and was running raw”
1. Both poems present war as dehumanising, in B.C there are larger forces
deciding his destiny and in Remains the soldiers lack identity (collateral
damage).
2. War is futile and there are no real heroes, B.C portrays this within war, futile
to hold yourself with high esteem during war but in remains, the futility is
explored by the phycological damage of the aftermath of war.
3. Both poems start with an unclear opening. In B.C it is used to show the how
unpredictable war is. Remains is shows how accustomed soldiers are to war
and the normality of the situation. (both openings are used for different
reasons but equally, represent how uncoordinated and chaotic war is).
Compare the ways ideas about power are presented in tissues and one other poem:
-Poem in comparison: Ozymandias
Plan:
● Thesis: Both ‘Tissue’ by Imtiaz Dharker and ‘Ozymandias’ by Percy Bysshe Shelley
explore the ephemerality of human power and institutions. Whilst Shelley is
predominantly focused on the damnation and inevitable decline of King Ramesses II,
Dharker more optimistically describes the transience of human power as something
to celebrate.
● Point 1: Both Dharker and Shelley explore powers that control society. In
‘Tissues’ this is seen through institutions however in ‘Ozymandias’ we see the
control in the form of a human dictator.
- Tissue: we see the control of religious institutions “Back of the Koran”
- The control of political institutions “Maps too...their borderlines”
- The control of capitalism “Fine slips… might fly our lives like paper
kites” <--- (analyse this quote in detail) - At first glance, this simile
suggests that we as humans control the system of Capitalism, flying
the system like “paper kites”, however, if we take a further look at the
simile, Dharker is, in fact, describing out lives to be the “paper kites”, -
fragile and vulnerable like paper. Symbolises how society values
freedom (like a kite flying freely) however we are controlled by all
these institutions which dictate how we live (a kite cannot fly unless
there is something controlling it)
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