GCSE ENGLISH LIT - An Inspector Calls

Capitalistic Views

Capitalistic Views

What is Priestley’s main objective for writing An Inspector Calls? ( 2 points)

His primary objective was to criticize:

• The social interactions between social classes

• Highlight the grave impact caused by capitalism

What Capitalistic views does Mr Birling exhibit?

Firm capitalistic and right wing political views, believing her and his wife are moral pillars whilst poorly treating the lower class despite him having gotten rich by being a “social climber”

• Social Climber - A person who worked their way up to become wealthy

Give 3 quotes that show Mr Birlings capitalistic beliefs

• Mention what these quotes show

• “ The titanic is unsinkable”

• “The Germans don’t want war”

  • Presents his skewed, arrogant beliefs

• “I’ll give thousands - yes- thousands”

  • Presents his simplistic, selfish nature as he can now spare money for his benefits but not 25 shillings for an underpaid worker (Eva Smith)

What Capitalistic views does Mrs Birling exhibit?

Mrs Birling exhibits an arrogant ignorance to those of the lower class. She comes from old money, thus feels entitled to privilege she got throughout her life

Give 3 quotes that shows Mrs Birlings Capitalistic beliefs

• Mention what these quotes show

• “Gross impertinence” = Response to her hearing Eva called herself a Birling

• “Used my influence” = Misuse of power but flaunts herself doing it

• “Girls of that class”= Prejudice towards the lower class

What is Cognitive Dissonance?

The state in where a person believes 2 contrasting opinions, believing and upholding both

What Capitalistic views does Shiela exhibit? (Mention the effect on the lower class)

• Quote

Sheila holds the conditioned capitalism inherited from her parents, with severe entitlement. Feeling threatened by a lower-class girl, she sought revenge, using her influence to see her dismissal through:

• "If they didn't get rid of that girl... I'd close our account with them"= Manipulation/misuse of power

What capitalistic views does Eric exhibit? (Mention the effect on the lower class)

• Quote

Eric holds the manipulative, entitled capitalistic views of a man shaped by his surroundings, leading to his obliviousness to the struggles of the lower class, as he believes money will redeem his guilt — all stemming from his neglectful parents:

• "I was in the state when a chap turns nasty" = Toxic masculinity, stemming from neglect

What capitalistic views does Gerald exhibit? (Mention the effect on lower class)

Gerald is seen as the new generation of capitalists; Priestley draws parallels between the two generations, though Gerald also shows genuine affection (unlike Mr & Mrs Birling, who see all relationships as transactional), as he loved Eva for a time

Give 2 quotes that show Gerald’s Capitalistic views

• Mention what these quotes show

• "It wasn't disgusting" = rebukes a higher authority in defence of his "love"

• "Yes, I think you were... Sheila, don't look like that" = Reprimands Sheila and supports cold, unfeeling attitudes

How is the Inspector a proxy (representation) for J.B. Priestley? (+quote)

The Inspector acts as a catalyst for Priestley's pro-socialist views, encouraging the audience and younger generation to break away from capitalist, individualistic thinking — reflecting Priestley's own WWI experience and his witnessing of capitalism's effect on the lower class:

• "If men will not learn, they will be taught it in blood and fire and anguish" = Sermonic tone with religious imagery of hellfire, used to evoke responsibility in the Birlings and audience

Sins + Interactions

Sins + Interactions

What 4 sins is Mr Birling guilty of? (+ quote per)

• Pride = "Mrs Birling!... damned impudence"

• Greed = "A man has to mind his own business and look after himself"

• Wrath = (same as pride quote)

• Sloth = "You're not the type of father a chap could go to when they're in trouble" — Eric

What 3 sins are Mrs Birling guilty of? (+ quote per)

• Pride = "Gross impertinence"

• Sloth (neglectful nature) = "You don't understand anything... you've never even tried" - Eric

• Wrath = (same as pride quote); hypocrisy as she serves "deserving cases" - capitalistic belief of superiority

What 3 sins is Sheila guilty of? (+ quote per)

• Envy = "It just suited her... I was the wrong type for the dress"

• Wrath = "I was furious... told him this girl had been impertinent"

• Pride = "I'd close our account with them"

What 2 sins is Eric guilty of? (+ quote per)

• Lust = "I'm old enough to be married, aren't I... I hate these fat old tarts"

• Gluttony = "I've gathered he does drink pretty hard" — Gerald

What sins is Gerald guilty of? (+ quote per)

• Lust = “But she became your mistress” - Inspector / “Yes I suppose” - Gerald

(This quote here is a convo between the 2 characters")

Socialist Interactions (Eva + Inspector)

Socialist Interactions (Eva + Inspector)

How do Mr & Mrs Birling interact with the inspector? (+ quote)

As the Inspector has no social standing unlike the Birlings, they attempt to intimidate him with status, to which he is unphased:

• "I play golf with the Chief Constable" — "I don't play golf"

How do Sheila, Eric & Gerald interact with the inspector? (+ quotes)

Sheila and Eric, the younger generation, are more empathetic of Eva's death, with Gerald's capitalistic "shell" broken by the Inspector's omniscience:

• Eric = "(involuntarily)"

• Sheila = "I can't help thinking about the girl — destroying herself so horribly"

• Gerald = "It wasn't disgusting"

How is Eva Smith a victim of patriarchy?

Eva is a victim of toxic masculinity, exploited by male characters — "cheap" labour by Birling, toyed with by Gerald, and raped by Eric.

How is Eva Smith a victim of privileged class?

Eva is seen as a hedonistic means of males' lustful desires or cheap labour, or a means of revenge for petty grievances.

How is Eva Smith a victim of prejudice?

Eva is a victim of classist prejudice and a lack of societal unity, used by Priestley as a vessel to explore capitalism's dangers and how she was misused or judged by the Birlings, although having been punished for laughter and self-sufficiency.

How is Eva Smith a victim of exploitation?

The name "Renton" (the alias she uses) holds the word "rent," the use of euphemism portrays society's hostility. In order to survive, she is exploited by the Birlings and forced to carry a baby she was unworthy of (in society's eyes).

Events in An Inspector Calls:

• Engagement Party

• Reaction to Eva Smith’s death

• During the investigation

• Acceptance or Denial of Responsibility

• Inspectors departure

Events in An Inspector Calls:

• Engagement Party

• Reaction to Eva Smith’s death

• During the investigation

• Acceptance or Denial of Responsibility

• Inspectors departure

Engagement Party

Engagement Party

Give 3 quotes from Mr Birling during the engagement party (+ significance)

• "The Titanic is unsinkable" = presents his hubristic self-confidence, dramatic irony, similar/reflected through his capitalistic beliefs

• "The Germans don't want war" = presents his hubristic self-confidence, dramatic irony, similar/reflected through his capitalistic beliefs

  • "Men should make their own way in the world" = presents his capitalistic, individualistic view towards life, seeing it as a collection of business transactions — lack of mentioning women presents his selfish hedonism

Give 2 quotes from Mrs Birling during the engagement party (+ significance)

• "You'll realise important men have work to do" = suggests her self-imposed detachment from society due to patriarchal rule, oblivious to Gerald's possible affairs due to his status

• "Arthur, we aren't meant to say such things" = implies her slight control over her husband, belief that the distance between classes must be preserved

Give a quote from Sheila during the engagement party (+ significance)

• "Now I really feel engaged" = presents Sheila's obsession for materialistic objects, as the ring outweighs Gerald's presence, caused by the conditioning of the capitalistic upper class

Give a quote from + a quote to/about Eric during the engagement party (+ significance)

• “I felt I just had to laugh" / "You're squiffy" — Sheila = Eric's realisation that the marriage is a transaction, supported by materialism, fuelled by his juvenile and squiffy (drunk) nature — implies him to be oblivious to struggle, as seen later on

Give a quote from Gerald during the engagement party (+ significance)

• "Perhaps this will help stop it" (presents ring) = displays Gerald to be the next generation of capitalists, believing that materialism will remove his affair, not seeking to truly solve it

Reaction to Eva Smith’s death

Reaction to Eva Smith’s death

Give 2 quotes from Mr Birling during the reveal of Eva's death (+ significance)

• "Personally I can't take account of any responsibility" / "This business" = presents Birling's emotional detachment and sense of entitlement, as a case of sorts will damage his status — capitalist mindset referring to a death as "business"

Give 2 quotes from Mrs Birling during the reveal of Eva's death (+ significance)

• "Wretched girl" = presents her deep-rooted sense of entitlement, feeling the authority to judge another, as though the upper class have a monopoly on morals

• "We don't need to hear anymore of this disgusting affair" = judges Eva as flirtatious and promiscuous, calling her disgusting due to her classist assumptions

Give 2 quotes from Sheila during the reveal of Eva's death (+ significance)

• "They're not cheap labour, they're people" = presents the generational divide as she empathises towards another and against her father's coldness and capitalistic rule

• "Pretty, was she?" = presents Sheila's obsession and vanity due to the subconscious belief of beauty dictating worth due to capitalistic society

Give a quote from Eric during the reveal of Eva's death (+ significance)

• "(Involuntarily) My God" = shows generational divide, as the other two males intend to settle and remove any accountability; "involuntarily" suggests he is overcome with emotion, unlike the detached, emotionless capitalist vessels

Give a quote from Gerald during the reveal of Eva's death (+ significance)

• "Yes, I think you were... don't look like that, Sheila" = presents him as a fellow capitalist, as he agrees with Birling's dismissal of suicide, ironic as he doesn't yet hold any attachment towards her

During the Investigation

During the Investigation

Give 2 quotes from Mr Birling during his investigation (+ significance)

• "If you don't come down sharply on some of these people, they'd soon be asking for the earth" = presents Birling's hypocrisy, as he had climbed up the social ladder, doing the same to maintain his wealth — taking the world from the poor

• "Community... as if we're all mixed up" = presents his sense of entitlement, regarding himself as higher than others — he cannot be associated equally to a lower-class citizen

Give a quote to/about Mrs Birling + 2 quotes from her during her investigation (+ significance)

• "You turned her away when she most needed help" / "Helping deserving cases" = presents her self-imposed empirical control over others, as the juxtaposition of her "help" has led to the suffering of 2 lives

• "He should be made an example of" → "I didn't realise" = presents her hypocrisy, as her cognitive dissonance shifts between the deserving punishment of a r*pist to a change in tone when her son is involved

Give a quote from Sheila during her investigation (+ significance)

• "When I was looking at the mirror, I'd seen her smiling" = her anxiety over image has led to a change in her, evident empathetic and humane behaviour

Give a quote from Eric during his investigation (+ significance)

• "You killed her — and the child — your own grandchild" = presents Eric's juvenile nature as he momentarily attempts to shift the blame onto his mother, due to a sense of revenge from her neglectful parenting

Give a quote from Gerald during his investigation (+ significance)

• "It wasn't disgusting" = presents a separation between the generations of capitalists, as he holds attachment to Eva, thus rebukes Mrs Birling's opinion

Acceptance / Denial of responsibility

Acceptance / Denial of responsibility

Give 2 quotes from Mr Birling displaying his denial of responsibility (+ significance)

• "Nothing scandalous" / "In my duty to keep labour costs down" = his damnation of workers juxtaposes his "duty," contrasting his belief of entitled morals - the upper class has, as he reduces pay for the needy = greed

Give a quote from Mrs Birling displaying her denial of responsibility (+ significance)

• “Unlike these 3, I haven't done anything I'm ashamed of" = displays her belief in her entitled morality and just actions, detaching herself from her family to escape responsibility”

Give a quote from Sheila displaying her acceptance of responsibility (+ significance)

• "I behaved badly too, I know I did" = presents her nature of openly accepting her sins towards the inspector, indicating the authenticity of the younger generation and self-criticism

Give a quote from Gerald displaying his denial of responsibility (+ significance)

• "Where did you get the idea that I knew her" = his defensive tone arouses suspicion, with his attempt to dissociate himself from problems to preserve status (capitalistic) - also segregates himself from a lower class as he doesn't want their association

Inspector’s Departure

Inspector’s Departure

Give a quote from Mr Birling when the inspector leaves (+ significance)

• "We've been had, that's all" = although there is the chance the 6 didn't cause a girl's death, Birling's desensitised nature means he overlooks his and his family's heinous acts

Give a quote from Mrs Birling when the inspector leaves (+ significance)

• "Probably a socialist or some crank" = her perception of socialism being unnatural is seen as she relates the inspector to a "crank" or mentally unstable

Give a quote from Sheila when the inspector leaves (+ significance)

• "You don't seem to have learnt anything" = acknowledges the purpose of the inspector's inquiry, presenting the younger generation as responsible and understanding

Give a quote from Eric when the inspector leaves (+ significance)

"It doesn't alter the fact that we all played a part in killing her" = acknowledges the purpose of the inspector's inquiry, presenting the younger generation as responsible and understanding

Give a quote from Gerald when the inspector leaves (+ significance)

"There isn't any such inspector, we've been had" = shows the similarities between Gerald and the senior Birlings as emotionally detached individuals with strong senses of capitalism

Inspector’s + Eva’s Interactions

Inspector’s + Eva’s Interactions

Give 2 quotes from the Inspector about Eva which explore the dangers of capitalism (+ significance)

• "Each of you helped kill her, don't forget that" / "You made her pay a heavy price, and for that she'll make you pay a price heavier" = shows how lower classes' lives are intertwined with the indirect or direct acts of capitalism, leading to her death — the play on words with "pay" links to the shady dealings of the Birlings and the revenge of Eva via Goole

Give a quote from the Inspector to Birling (+ significance)

• "Public men, Mr Birling, have responsibilities and duties" = reminds Birling how they aren't superior, and how his actions of a twisted responsibility are inferior to the toil and graft of the lower class

Give a quote from the Inspector to Mrs Birling (+ significance)

• "You've had children" = his attempt to touch Mrs Birling's maternal emotions fails, suggesting her inactivity in her children's lives, thus causing the present outcome

Give a quote from the Inspector to Sheila (+ significance)

• "It's too late, she's dead" = presents his acknowledgement of Sheila's guilt, yet holds a firm and stern ground to impede on her spoilt nature

Give a quote from the Inspector to Eric (+ significance)

• "Used her as an animal, a thing, not a person" = presents his stern point, although due to the neglectful, patriarchal role of society, he sinned using his power to force himself onto another, giving her a child she was unwanting of

Give a quote from the Inspector to Gerald (+ significance)

• "At least he loved her for some time" = presents Gerald as the only compassion Eva had felt in those few years, ironic given the fact he later detaches his love to remove his responsibility

Eva’s Interactions

Eva’s Interactions

Give a quote from the Inspector about Eva's actions/life (+ significance)

• "There are millions and millions of Eva Smiths and John Smiths" = Priestley symbolises the universal struggle of all lower class due to capitalistic rule; mention of "John," a generalised term, broadens the exposure of pain

Give a quote from Mr Birling attempting hypocrisy on Eva, mentioning Eric (+ significance)

• "I'll give thousands — yes — thousands" = presents his capitalistic drive to avoid status-damaging events, ironically flaunting money and not to who needed it most

Give a quote from Mrs Birling about her view of Eva (+ significance)

• "Girls of that sort would never reject money" = presents Mrs Birling's classist prejudice; rather than judging her character, she assigns characteristics, believing she is honourable/moral — ironic given the fact Eva rejected the stolen money, presenting the raw, real, socialist community to be trustworthy, contrasting to Eric's theft

Give a quote from the Inspector about Sheila's actions on Eva (+ significance)

• "Died in agony... hating life" = Inspector's use of graphic imagery to remind the upper class, capitalistic values caused their joy at the expense of others' suffering

Give 3 quotes from Gerald on his opinions on Eva (+ significance)

• "Very pretty" / "Big dark eyes" / "It was not disgusting" = presents little humanity in Gerald, yet reverts to his capitalistic detachment of responsibilities to alleviate guilt