The essay question requires you to demonstrate your understanding of the text as a whole. You will choose one question out of a choice of two. You should spend forty minutes on your response. You should write at least two sides of A4.

In your essay response, you will be required to:

1. Respond to texts critically and imaginatively; select and evaluate relevant textual detail to illustrate and support interpretations;

2. Relate texts to their social, cultural and historical contexts; explain how texts have been influential and significant to self, and other readers in different contexts and at different times.

The essay questions are usually based on the following:

• How a character is presented.

• How a theme is presented.

• An analysis of the play's directing.

• Imagining you are a part of the play.

Common themes include social responsibility, gender, generation gaps, social class, prejudice, guilt, death, status, power, politics, capitalism, blame and accountability. Please note that this list is not exhaustive.

How does J. B. Priestley reflect the generational divide at the beginning of the 20th century in the play An Inspector Calls? [20]

Difference of opinion will always be a difficulty between different generations within any society, none more so than pre-war Britain in 1912, when our play is set, and post-war 1946, when Priestley wrote An Inspector Calls. Britain was about to undergo a great change as a result of war, a shift into socialism and the suffragette movement and this undercurrent of soon-to-be change is felt in the Birling household on the evening the play is set.

Generational differences become apparent quickly in Act One. Even within the opening stage directions, the Birling elders, both described as being in their fifties, are described as being “heavy-looking” and “cold” as if the cynicism of middle age is set within them already. In comparison, the Birling children, both in their twenties, are described as being “pretty”, “pleased”, “excited”, “half shy, half assertive.” Their presentation suggests they are less uptight than their parents and less fixed, making them the perfect vehicles for change later in the performance, as noted when Inspector Goole later comments “they’re more impressionable.”

Throughout Act One and beyond, it also becomes apparent that the older generation are characterised by traditional viewpoints. Firstly, it is clear that both Mr and Mrs Birling have more traditional views on gender conventions. Mr Birling shows this when he tries to protect Sheila from the inspector’s interrogation and his attitude when he asks the inspector “why the devil do you want to go upsetting the child like that?” Through this, Mr Birling shows himself to believe in the gender conventions of men being the protectors and women being the protected. His use of “child” to describe Sheila further suggests the innocence and naivety he imagines in young women. Mrs Birling’s obedience to gender convention is also shown much later in Act Three when she tells her daughter “I simply don’t understand your attitude.” This comes at a time when Sheila has become strengthened by her own mind and voice and Mrs Birling is shocked by her daughter’s conduct because it was atypical for a woman to be so vocal and determined in 1912 Britain. As seen earlier in the play, the role of women in the time Priestley set his play was far more passive and unequal to men than it is today which explains why Mrs Birling views her daughter’s vocalizations as so extraordinary. The older generation also believes in the strict boundaries between the social classes. This is seen in the way that Mrs Birling refers to Eva Smith in a derogatory fashion as a “girl of that sort.” Similarly, Mr Birling looks down on his employees, mocking their serious strike plights as starting “trouble.” There was little social mobility within the traditional class conventions of the early 20^th century and the classes were completely segregated to the pleasure of the middle and upper classes as we see the play.

In contrast, the younger generation is seen as flexible, open minded and liberal. Even early on in Act One, Sheila questions the way her father views his working class employees, reminding him that they “aren’t cheap labour – they’re people”. Once the inspector has left, it is the younger generation, Sheila and Eric, who are the most altered by their experience. Eric is left “pale and distressed” by the guilt and sorrow the evening has brought and Sheila is “ashamed” of her prior conduct and wants to change for the better. This reflects the generational divide in the early 20^th century as the young were far more likely to partake in action for revolution such as worker’s strike action and suffragette protests.

These differences inevitably lead to clashes between the two generations. The older generation use infantile language to refer to their children at the beginning with “child” and “boy”, despite the Birling children being in their twenties. However, as the play progresses, their parents highlight their youth in a more scornful way. Eric is called a “hysterical young fool” and Sheila is accused of being “childish.” Prior to the inspector’s impact, the Birling parents patronised their children and babied them in order to keep them passive and dependent. Later, they twist this power struggle of ages to blame their children’s youth for their rebellious and defiant behaviour, condemning their disobedience rather than celebrating their independence of thought. Likewise, to begin with, the Birling parents saw themselves as the benefactors of wisdom and experience, educators to the young, shown when Birling says “you’ve a lot to learn yet” and “I wanted you to have the benefit of my experience.” This is an element of British culture still relevant today, with respect being reserved for one’s elders and an automatic assumption that those older possess more expertise of the world and its workings. However, in the play this cultural convention is turned upside down as we see it is the younger generation who end the play with the more superior understanding of the world. A role-reversal almost takes place, with Sheila rebuking her parents as if she held the parental role with “if you want to know, it’s you two who are being childish” as she becomes disgusted at their naïve and ignorant behaviour.

At the close of the play, although there appears to be a role-reversal, unlike the children who previously accepted their parents’ dominion, the Birlings refuse to back down to the younger generations’ advanced perspective. Instead, Mr Birling continues to mock his children with “Now look at the pair of them – the famous younger generation who know it all.” The phrase “who know it all” may still resound with audiences today as it is a common phrase used by parents in the face of adolescent rebellion. Because of the events of the play though, we are left thinking that the younger generation, although they may not know it “all”, do appear to be a lot wiser in comparison with their elders. Being a social activist in his life time, Priestley may have tried to achieve this effect because of his own frustrations with those rigid to change in society.

It is well known that Priestley was a huge advocate of socialism in a world where it was still emerging amongst the stubborn status-quo of capitalism. Therefore, it is pertinent that Priestley chooses the younger generation, the relative underdogs within the Birling household to rise to an understanding of socialist views amongst the strong capitalism of their parents. It is through this powerful divide in the Birling parents and their children that Priestley reflects the generational divide at the beginning of the 20^th century in his play.

WJEC bears no responsibility for the example answers to questions taken from its past question papers which are contained in this publication.

What do you think of Inspector Goole and how he is presented in An Inspector Calls? Remember to support your answer with reference to the novel and to comment on its social, cultural and historical context. [20]

Inspector Goole is described as creating an impression of “massiveness, solidity and purposefulness.” From these stage directions alone we can tell that he is an influential and important man within the play.

The Inspector arrives after Birling has made a self-centered speech saying, “a man has to look after himself and his own.” This is very important, as everything the Inspector says and does from this point on is an attempt to refute the words of Mr. Birling. Indeed even from the beginning of the play it is indicated that the Inspector’s purpose is to not only inform the Birlings of Eva’s suicide, but to make them take responsibility for their actions. This can be seen when Birling asks Edna to “give us some more light” just before the Inspector enters. This is symbolic of the fact that the Inspector is the light guiding the Birlings to see the error of their ways.

The Inspector tries to make each of the Birling’s take responsibility for their part in Eva’s death. He is presented to be intelligent, as his manner of work is, “one person and one line of enquiry at a time.” This refers to the fact that he questions each one of the Birling’s in turn, and therefore the story of Eva’s death is drip-fed to the audience gradually, keeping them on edge. Sheila later remarks, “he’s giving us the rope so that we’ll hang ourselves,” about his manner of work.

He is the catalyst for change in the younger generation, as he makes Eric and Sheila admit full responsibility for their part in Eva’s death. Sheila says, “I know I’m to blame,” and Eric admits “I did what I did.” Mrs Birling notices that he has made an “impression” on her children, to which he says, “We often do on the younger ones, they’re more impressionable.” The Inspector is portrayed wisely here, as he seems to realise that the younger generation are the key to securing a socially fair and equal future.

There was an air of mystery surrounding the Inspector - he seems to know quite a lot. For example he knows all about Eva’s life and the Birling’s involvement with her despite the fact that she died “two hours ago.” This makes us begin to question who he really is, and what his true motives are. He claims that he knows about Eva from “a sort of diary” that she kept, but the fact remains that he was very well informed about her life despite the fact that he only would have found out about her not too long ago.

He also seems to know exactly what each of the Birlings will do. For example, he says “I’m waiting...to do my duty,” moments before Eric walks in and his part in Eva’s death is revealed. This again creates a tense air of mystery around the Inspector. How can he possibly know so much about this family?

He is a very influential character, as after he has left Sheila takes on his side and addresses the whole of the family. She says, “we have no excuse for putting on airs,” showing that the Inspector has taught her that their class system is irrelevant and unimportant.

In Act three, the Inspector abruptly seems to be rushed, and says “I haven’t much time.” This creates tension as the audience immediately begin to wonder why he must leave so abruptly. When we find out the ending of the play, we are led to believe that the Inspector knew he hadn’t much time until the arrival of the real Inspector. This begs the question, how did he know another Inspector was to arrive?

This leads to questions of his true identity. Gerald finds out in act three that “that man wasn’t a police inspector.” As the mystery unravels, we wonder who was inspector Goole? There are a couple of possibilities. Was he the voice of Priestley, showing his socialist views and hatred towards the hypocritical class system and Capitalist society?

After all, the struggle between Birling and the Inspector represents the struggle between Capitalism and Socialism. The name “Goole,” is remeniscent of “Ghoul,” indicating that the Inspector may be a spirit, that has come to show the family the error of their ways. There’s also the possibility that he’s a time traveller - hence “I haven’t much time” who has seen the future and know the double-standards of the Capitalist Class system must change.

The Inspector’s final speech is damning, and he is presented to be knowledgable and superior to both the Birlings and the audience, whom he also seems to be addressing. The speech is like that of a politicians and like a sermon. The words “We are members of one body” is from the New Testament, and indicates that the righteous way to behave is by taking responsibility for our actions. He warns that if we don’t begin to do this, we will be taught in “fire and blood and anguish.” This is dramatic irony as he could be referring to World War One which the audience would have sat through, but Birling was adament wouldn’t happen - “fiddlesticks.” It may also be referring to hell, as the speech itself is biblical in scope and scape. The Inspector again enforces the idea that we must accept responsibility, as he uses simple conjunctions such as “and,” to indicate that there is nothing fanciful about behaving in the right way. He leaves the family with the simple message, “you all helped to kill her.” He is presented here as being very authoritative due to the simple sentence used.

In the stage directions the Inspector is described as “cutting in massively” and “with authority.” This presents him to be in control, and very much the leader of the events that will happen in the play. Although the play is set in a nice house, with rich items such as “port”, the Inspector paints a very different story. For this reason he could be considered a teacher, and he recalls that everyone’s “suffering and chance of happiness” is all “entwined with our lives.”

The characters themselves begin to wonder about the Inspector, and Sheila says “wonderingly,” “I don’t understand about you.” This again shows him to be a mysterious presence.

At the beginning of the play the lighting is “pink and intimate”, but on the Inspector’s arrival it becomes “brighter and harder.” This is much like and interrogation, and therefore presents the Inspector to be an interrogator, who will reveal the family’s secrets.

WJEC bears no responsibility for the example answers to questions taken from its past question papers which are contained in this publication.