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An Inspector calls(2) (Gender (Change
Men become more timid, Sheila grows…
An Inspector calls(2)
Gender
Change
Men become more timid, Sheila grows
Challenge audience view of women
Gerald rejected, Eric is rather washed up
Arthur goes from proud to "panic-stricken"
Sheila becomes independent in thought
"That's what's important" self-thought
Female stereotype
Materialistic - shopping, the ring
Prideful, Vanity, Jealousy usual in plays
Accused of being hysterical (older stereotype)
Protected against the "unpleasant and disturbing"
Male stereotype
Preoccupied - work and public affairs
Duty - rescue Eva from womanisers (Gerald)
Only Men can sleep around (before marriage)
Arthur admits to having some fun
Young
Eva questions decision of boss - Arthur
Eva doesn't rely on men (Eric) for finance
Sheila interrupts those against inspector
Age
Older Generation
Arthur & Sybil - traditional, they know best
Children shouldn't be heard, can't challenge
Priestly questions importance of social class
Young Generation
Ambitious, determined, motivated
Courageous - got Eva sacked
"had a lot to say - far too much"
Learners - for equal and fairer society
Gerald
A young man with an old attitude - shallow
Marriage for business, Agrees w/ Eva fired
Not guilty over Eva, Still wants engagement
Change is not inevitable, we have to act
Upper class is unlikely to change
Social
Responsibility
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Eric
His selfish actions ruined Eva's hope
Rape and theft; realises too late
Arthur
Community - "nonsense"
Business over worker's rights
Sheila
Getting Eva sacked was immature
Challenged to improve behaviour
Sybil
Not responsible for workers
Prejudice can't be changed
Socialism
Promote social responsibility
Criticises class divide problems
Show questions our social responsibilities
Arthur's shallowness help promote socialism
Arthur attacks George.B Show, H.G.Wells
Judgement
Morality play
Teach how to behave, warnings of sin
(Origin. - late Middle Ages; confess & repent)
Unique - doesn't follow Christianity - secular
Temporal law - atheistic law courts (Inspector)
Oddity
Supernatural Inspector - Omniscient
"there was something curious about him"
Omniscient - knows everything; Sheila questions
What he is, not who; origin is unknown - too smart
Increased mystery and tension in the unknown
Learning
The Inspector is only a mouthpiece - didactic
Sheila & Eric learn the important lesson
They choose moral instinct over ignorance
Social class
Plot
Characters designed by their class
Class central to social responsibility
Challenged characters for hierarchy
Represent - classes (views, behaviour)
Structure:
Working - Hardest jobs, little money
Eva Smith struggles to survive
Middle - Professional; money, control
Birlings are wealthy, comfortable
Upper - Lots of land,money inherited
Geralds have higher status than Birlings
System
Workers struggled more
Upper - didn't care/know/want to know
Arthur claims to not recognise Eva
Highers didn't question - it worked well
It's dangerous to not accept responsibility
"Fire and blood and anguish"
Social Class
Importance
Arthur was most concerned w/ scandal
Authority - Lord Mayor, Alderman, Magistrate
Irony - passes judgement, has been immoral
Tries to impress Gerald, impressed w/ Sheila
Thinks authority, knighthood important
Insignificance
Priestley reveals unfairness, bad qualities
Birlings - bad caricatures of ruling class
Bigger picture - play is about society
Arrogance, selfishness shown of Middle class
Eva's suffering was common - a unique tale
Workers are victims of class system
Actions
Eva - should have low moral, refuses theft
Birlings are opposite to Priestley's views
Class only clouds judgement of people
We should judge action, not class
We can break free, act different
Life
Never learn
Elders accuse youth for thinking they know it all
Irony - older generation think they know it all
Arrogance is Arthur's stubbornness
Only listens to Gerald (for class)
Elders arrogance stops change
They think they know best
Arthur's views are clear
Don't change
Inspector has more effect on youth
Ashamed, they reject parent's belief
Better priorities - the lesson over scandal
Sheila changes personality - playful to aware
Those who
Elders are happy to live in ignorance
Do what they can to avoid change - blame
System works for them, prefer to stay same
Workers' problems don't affect them much
They don't like to think about anything troubling
Prostitution "I see no point in mentioning the subject"
Womanising "you don't mean Alderman Meggarty?"
Drinking "It isn't true" (when Eric's habits are revealed)
Sheila "it didn't seem to be anything very terrible at the time"
Britain
1912
Class divide was prominent
More money = more power
Labour Part - workers' interest (1906)
Only those who owned property could vote
Women far more controlled by families then
Not much gov help then - made charities popular
WW1 - terrible conflict, cost millions of lives
Many then questioned upper class leadership
1945
Still class divide; 1928 - women can vote
Still conflict between business and workers
1926 General Strike, many industries halted
1930 Great Depression - unemployment, poverty
WW2 - People wanted better society afterwards
People of different classes fought together
Questioning social structure - left become popular
Labour won 1945 General Election by landslide
Improved welfare system for poorest - NHS (1948)
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