AnInspectorCallsKnowledgeOrganiser

PlotSummary:Act1:1.Theplayissetin1912,inthefictionalcityofBrumley,NorthMidlands.Thestagedirectionsrevealthattheplaytakesplaceinalargesuburbanhouse,ownedbyawealthybusinessman.MrBirling,hisfamilyandGeraldallsitaroundthediningtableafterdinner.TheytalkandSheilamentionshowGeralddidnotcontactherverymuchlastsummer.Ericappearstobealittledrunk.2.MrBirlinggivesashortspeechonSheilaandGeraldgettingmarried.GeraldgivesSheilaaring.3.Birlinggivesalongspeechonprogress.Sheila&MrsBirlingleave.4.BirlingtellsGeraldthathemightgetaknighthood.BirlingtalkstoGeraldandEricabouttheideaof‘community’.5.TheInspectorentersandtellsthefamilyofthedeathofayoungwomancalledEvaSmith.6.TheInspectorquestionsBirlingandshowshimthephoto.7.DespiteMrBirling’sstatues,theInspectorisconfident,abruptandmysterious.8.MrBirlingsackedEvaSmithfromhisfactory2yearsago,inSeptember1910.Sheledagrouptostrikeinordertoobtainapayrise,whichwasunsuccessfulandtheringleadersweresacked.9.MrBirlingdefendshisactionandGeraldsupportshim.10.SheilaentersandhearsaboutEvaSmith,sheisupsetbythenewsofthegirl’ssuicide.11.TheInspectorinformstheBirlingsthatafterbeingsacked,shebeganworkinginMillwardsinDecember1910.However,shewassackedonemonthlaterafteracomplaintbyacustomer.12.TheInspectorshowsSheilathephotoandsherunsoutupset.TheInspectortalkstothemen.13.TheInspectorquestionsSheila/shetalksabouthowsheknewEvaSmithandthatshebelieveditwasherfaultthatthegirlwassacked.14.Sheexplainsthatshewasinabadmoodandfeltthegirlwaslaughingather.ShealsoadmitsshewasjealousathowprettyEvawas.15.Thename‘DaisyRenton’comesupaftertheInspectorexplainsthatthisisthenameEvaSmithbegancallingherselfandSheilaandGeraldhaveaheateddiscussionaboutthis.16.SheilarealisesthatGeraldwashavinganaffairwithDaisyatsomepointthepreviousyear.

Act2:1.TheInspectorbeginstotalkaboutjointresponsibility.2.MrsBirlingactsinasuperiormanner,referringtoEva’slowerclassandtalkingdowntoSheila.3.SheilaindicatesthatEricdrinkstoomuch,whichGeraldagreeswith.MrsBirlingisshockedandannoyed.4.Sheilawarnsherparentsthattheyaremakingthesituationworse.5.GeraldexplainshowhemetDaisyinabar.Sheila’sparentsdonotwanthertohearthestorybutsherefusestoleave.6.GeraldisvisiblydistressedbytherealityofDaisy’sdeath.7.HediscusseshowhetookDaisyforadrinkhavinghelpedhergetawayfromanoldcouncilman,whohedescribesasa“womanisingdrunk”.8.GeraldexplainshowDaisyhadnomoneyandwashungry/Hethenmovedherinnocentlyintoafriend’sapartmentandtheylaterbecamelovers.MrsBirlingisdisgustedbyhisbehaviour.9.GeraldexplainsthathedidnotloveDaisyandthathebrokeupwithherinSeptember1911.10.Sheilareturnsherengagementring–shesayssherespectsGerald’shonestybutthattheyarenowdifferentpeople.11.TheInspectorshowsMrsBirlingthephoto.ThefrontdoorslamsandBirlingleavesthenreturns.12.TheInspectorquestionsMrsBirling,revealingthatEvawaspregnantandthatshehadaskedMrsBirling’scharity,theBrumleyWoman’sCharityOrganisation,forhelp.13.MrsBirlingrevealsthatEvawasusingthenameMrsBirlingadthatitwasthereforeherdutytohaveherclaimforhelprefused.14,TheInspectorrevealsthatEvawaspregnant–butclarifiesitwasn’tGerald’schild.15.TheInspectormanipulatesMrsBirlingintostatingthatitwasentirelythefatherofEva’schildwhowastoblameforherdeath.16.TheaudienceandcharactersgraduallyrealisethatEricisthefather.17.SheilacriesandEricenters.

Act3:1.ErictalkstoSheila,MrsBirling,MrBirlingandtheInspector.Erichasadrink.2.TheInspectorquestionsEric.SheilaandMrsBirlingleave.3.ErictellsthestoryofhowheknewEvaSmith.HediscusseshowhebecameanddrunkandaggressivebeforeEvaallowedhimintoherflat.4.Ericsaysthatwhenthetwometupagain,theybeganashortrelationship.ErictriedtohelpEvabystealingmoneyfromhisfather’scompany,whichsherefusedtotake.5.SheilaandMrsBirlingreturn.EricaccusesMrsBirlingofkillinghischild.6.TheInspectormakeshisfinalspeech.TellingthemthattheyallkilledEvaSmith,summingupwhateachfamilymemberhaddone,beforeremindingMr.Birlingthathehaddestroyedagirloverasmallpayrise.7.TheInspectorthendiscussesthestateofthecountryandhowweareall“responsibleforeachother.”8.TheInspectorleaves.9.Thefamilyargueandquestionwhetherhewasarealinspectorornot.Thedoorbellrings.Geraldenters.10.Geraldtellsthemhewasn’tarealpoliceofficer.MrBirlingcallstheChiefConstabletocheck.11.Thefamilyargue.MrBirlingandMrsBirlingarehappy,whileSheila&Ericarenot.12.Geraldquestionsiftherewasinfactonegirlthatalltheseparateeventshappenedtoandifagirldiedatallthatevening.Geraldcallstheinfirmary,whosaythatnogirlhasbeenbroughtin/theyhavenothadanysuicides.13.EveryoneishappyapartfromSheilaandEric.14.ThephoneringsandBirlinganswers.Itwasthepolicesayinganinspectoriscomingtoasksomequestionsasagirlhasjustdiedonherwaytotheinfirmary.

KeyCharacters:

Inspector-Priestley’smouthpiece;advocatessocialjustice.MrBirling-Businessman,capitalist,againstsocialequality.MrsBirling-Husband’ssocialsuperior,believesinpersonalresponsibility.Sheila-Younggirl,comestochangeviewsandpitiesEva,feelsregret.Eric-Youngman,drinkstoomuch,getsEvapregnant,andregretsactions.Gerald-Businessman,engagedtoSheila,politicallyclosesttoBirling.Eva-Unseeninplay,comestostandforvictimsofsocialinjustice.

Context:J.BPriestley-JohnBoyntonPriestleywasborninYorkshirein1894.Heknewearlyonthathewantedtobecomeawriter.However,hebecameajuniorclerkwithalocalwoolfirmattheageof16.WhentheFirstWorldWarbrokeout,Priestleyjoinedtheinfantryandonlyjustescapeddeathonanumberofoccasions.Afterthewar,hewrotesuccessfularticlesandessays.DuringtheSecondWorldWarhebroadcastamassivelypopularweeklyradioprogrammewhichwaseventuallycancelledbytheBBCforbeingtoocriticaloftheGovernment.Politicalviews-Duringthe1930'sPriestleybecameveryconcernedabouttheconsequencesofsocialinequalityinBritain,andin1942Priestleyandotherssetupanewpoliticalparty,theCommonWealthParty.PriestleywasinfluentialindevelopingtheideaoftheWelfareStatewhichbegantobeputintoplaceattheendofthewar.1912–Thetimetheplaywasset–WorldWars-TheFirstWorldWarwouldstartintwoyears.Birling'soptimisticviewthattherewouldnotbeawariscompletelywrong.Classdistinction-Therewerestrongdistinctionsbetweentheupperandlowerclasses.Women-Womenweresubservienttomen.Allawelloffwomencoulddowasgetmarried;apoorwomanwasseenascheaplabour.Menandwomanhadspecificrolesandexpectations.Womenwereseenasthe‘weaker’sex.Politicalviews-Therulingclassessawnoneedtochangethestatusquo.Tradeunionshowever,werebeginningtoforminordertogainbetterworkingconditionsforworkers.1945–Theyeartheplaywaswritten–WorldWars-TheSecondWorldWarendedinEuropeon8May1945.Peoplewererecoveringfromnearlysixyearsofwarfare,dangeranduncertainty.Classdistinction-Classdistinctionshadbeengreatlyreducedasaresultoftwoworldwars.Menofdifferentclassesfoughtsidebysidedespitepreviousdifferences.Women-Asaresultofthewars,womenhadearnedamorevaluedplaceinsocietyduetotheirdeterminationtokeepthecountryrunningduringthewar.Womanwereencouragedtotakeonjobsthatpriortothewartheywerenotencouragedtodo.PoliticalViews-Therewasagreatdesireforsocialchange.ImmediatelyafterTheSecondWorldWar,ClementAttlee'sLabourPartywonalandslidevictoryoverWinstonChurchillandtheConservatives.1912-Priestleydeliberatelysethisplayin1912becausethedaterepresentedanerawhenallwasverydifferentfromthetimehewaswriting.In1912,rigidclassandgenderboundariesseemedtoensurethatnothingwouldchange.Yetby1945,mostofthoseclassandgenderdivisionshadbeenbreached.Priestleywantedtomakethemostofthesechanges.Throughthisplay,heencouragespeopletoseizetheopportunitytheendof

KeyThemes:MoralitySurvivaloftheFittestSocialResponsibilityPersonalResponsibilityInequalityYoungandOldGenerationsLoveGenderDifferences

AnInspectorCallsKnowledgeOrganiser

KeyWords:Guilt–havingcommittedaspecifiedorimpliedoffenceorcrime.Conscience–aperson'smoralsenseofrightandwrong.Capitalist–apersonwhousestheirwealthtoinvestintradeandindustryforprofit.Edwardian–AperiodoreraoftimeSocialClass-adivisionofasocietybasedonsocialandeconomic(money)status.Mockery–teasinglanguageorbehaviour.Society–peoplelivingtogetherinacommunity.Scandal-anactionoreventthatismorallyorlegallywrongAuthority-thepowerorrighttogiveordersormakedecisions.Moral–theideaofrightorwrongbehaviour.Hypocritical–behavinginawaythatsuggestsapersonhashigherstandardsorbettersocialbeliefs.Socialresponsibility–aperson’sresponsibilitytolookaftereveryoneinsociety.Socialism–apoliticaltheorythatmeansofproductionanddistributionareownedbythecommunityasawhole.

SentenceStarters:

Priestleypresents…

Quote(embedded)

Thissuggeststotheaudience…

Priestleyisrevealing…(hisideas/context)

Inparticular,Priestley’suseof(method)implies…

Methods:Noun–Awordforaperson,placeorthing.Pronoun–Awordusedwhenreferringtosomeoneorsomething.Verb–Awordusedtodescribeanaction,stateoroccurrence.Adjective–Awordtodescribeanoun.Adverb–Awordusedtodescribeaverb.Simile–Aphrasecomparingonethingtoanother,usingasorlike.Metaphor–Aphrasecomparingonethingtoanother,withoutusingasorlike.)Personification–Aphrasegivinghumancharacteristicstoanon-humanobject.Imagery–Wordsorphrasesthatcreatevisualimages.Emotivelanguage–Wordsthatcreatefeelingandemotion.Colloquiallanguage–Wordsthatareinformalandslang.Semanticfield–Agroupofwordsthatfollowthesametheme.Rhetoricalquestion–Aquestionthatdoesnotrequireananswer.Alliteration–Wordsclosetogetherthatbeginwiththesamesoundingletter.Assonance–Wordsclosetogetherthatbeginwithavowelsound.Sibilance–Wordsclosetogetherthatbeginwithan‘s’sound.Oxymoron–Aphraseusingcontradictorywords.Onomatopoeia–Wordsthatcreateasound.Symbolism–Therepresentationofideasinimagesormotifs.Punctuation–Marksusedtoseparateorexpressmeaning.Repetition–Awordorphrasethatisrepeated.Dialogue–Wordsthatarespokenbyacharacter.Perspective–Apointofview.Textcanbewrittenformafirst(I),second(you)orthirdperson(he/she/they)perspective.Sentencestructures–Thewaythatsentencesareputtogether.Sentencescanbesimple(mainclause),compound(mainclausesjoinedwithaconjunction,commaorsemicolon)orcomplex(mainandsubordinateclauses).Foreshadowing–Ahintorawarningofsomethinginthefuture.Withholding–Atechniquewheretheauthorholdsbackimportantinformation.Juxtaposition–Twoconcepts,themes,ideasorcharactersthatarecontrastingoropposite.Stagedirections–aninstructionindicatingthemovement,position,ortoneofanactor,soundeffectsandlighting.Dramaticirony–Atechniquewheretheaudienceknowsmorethanacharacter.

KeyQuotes:InspectorGoole–

• “she'dswallowedalotofstrongdisinfectant.Burntherinsideout,ofcourse.”

• “Butafterallit'sbettertoaskfortheearththantotakeit.”

• “(dryly)Idon'tplaygolf.”• “(harshly)Yes,butyoucan't.It'stoolate.She's

dead.”• “Eachofyouhelpedtokillher.Rememberthat.Never

forgetit.”MrBirling–

• “Unsinkable.Absolutelyunsinkable”• “TheGermansdon’twantwar!”• “Communityandallthatnonsense”• “Still,Ican'tacceptanyresponsibility.”• “LookInspector,I’dgivethousands–yesthousands”

MrsBirling-

• “Arthur,you'renotsupposedtosaysuchthings”• “Girlsofthatclass”• “That–Iconsider–isatrifleimpertinent,inspector”• “Goandlookforthefatherofthechild.It'shis

responsibility”• “I'msorrysheshouldhavecometosuchahorrible

end.ButIacceptnoblameforitatall.”Sheila–

• “NowIreallyfeelengaged”• “SorryDaddy.ActuallyIwaslistening”• “Butthesegirlsaren’tcheaplabour–they’repeople.”• “I’llnever,neverdoitagain”• “Whyyoufool–heknows!”

Eric–

• “Idon'tknow–really.SuddenlyIfeltIjusthadtolaugh”

• “Whyshouldn'ttheytryforhigherwages?”• “Youhaven'tmadeitanyeasierforme,haveyou,

mother?”• “Iwasn'tinlovewithheroranything–butIliked

her”• “youkilledher–andthechildshe'dhavehadtoo”

Gerald–

• “Youseemtobeanicewell-behavedfamily”• “Gettingabitheavy-handed,aren'tyou,Inspector?”• “So–forgod'ssake–don'tsayanythingtothe

Inspector”• “Sorry–I–well,I'vesuddenlyrealized–takenitin

properly–that'sshe'sdead-”• “Ididn'tfeelaboutherasshefeltaboutme”