An Inspector Calls J.B.Priestley Lesson 6

Mood, Atmosphere and Tension To analyse how Priestley creates mood, atmosphere and tension. (where are you on the arrow?) MOST will begin to explore how Priestley creates mood, atmosphere and tension. SOME Will being to analyse and explain how and why Priestley creates mood, atmosphere and tension. ALL Will be able to recognise where in the play Priestley creates mood, atmosphere and tension.

Starter ALL will create a ‘Character tree’ that details the characters in the play, their relation to each other and explains their encounters with Eva Smith/Daisy Renton. (see e.g. on next slide) MOST will write the conversation between Eva/Daisy and Mrs B when Eva/Daisy asks for help and is refused. Write in a script form. SOME will write a prediction of how Eva/Daisy first met Eric Birling: Where? When? How? Who made the first move? What was said between then? What happened after they first met? EXTENSION: create a mind map of words to describe how audiences would feel about Eric and the fact he abandoned a poor, pregnant girl.

Character Tree which character? Inspector Goole (questions Birling family about Eva Smith/Daisy Renton) _______________________ Arthur Birling------ m ------- Sybil Birling (sacks Eva Smith) (refuses to help girl at her charity) Eric Birling Sheila Birling -- e -- Gerald Croft (?) (?) (?) which character? Brief example (with pieces missing) of a character tree. Students need to ensure they write how each character was involved with Eva/Daisy; they must also think about which ‘deceased’ character (apart from Eva/Daisy) that Eric is related to.

Atmosphere and Tension To analyse how Priestley creates mood, atmosphere and tension. (where are you on the arrow?) MOST will begin to explore how Priestley creates atmosphere and tension. SOME Will being to analyse and explain how and why Priestley creates atmosphere and tension. ALL Will be able to recognise where in the play Priestley creates atmosphere and tension.

Copy these terms into your blue exercise books. Key Words: Atmosphere – a main emotional tone or attitude in a specific time and place e.g. scary; awkward; funny; suspicious. Tension – the build up of suspense and foreboding e.g. that something bad is going to happen. Copy these terms into your blue exercise books.

Task: Paired Work As a pair, choose an extract from either Act 1 or Act 2 in which you think there is a strong sense of atmosphere and tension. In your jotters, note down any quotes that suggest that atmosphere and tension. (Include the character name so you remember who is speaking when you come to revise!) Make brief notes (bullet points if you wish or just one word answers) about how/why Priestley has created atmosphere and tension in these quotes. (you do not need to write a PEAL paragraph). Be prepared to feedback some of your ideas to the class. Make notes of quotes in BOTH books – you will both need these notes to help you revise.

Now, join with another pair. Take turns to feedback your quotes and explain how/why tension is created in these quotes. Return to your seats when the buzzer rings.

Main Activities: ‘How does Priestley create atmosphere and tension? Sentence Starters Priestley creates atmosphere and tension in this quote by…. Atmosphere is established by…. Tension is built…… This quotes shows a clear…. Priestley’s intention was….. In 1912 it was believed that…. Priestley builds….. ALL will choose one quote from your notes and write a PEAR paragraph based on the above question. Try and refer to Priestley’s intention. MOST will choose one quote from the extract and write a PEAR paragraph based on the above question, with a focus on social and cultural context. MOST will choose one quote from the extract and write a PEAL paragraph based on the above question, with a focus on social and cultural context. SOME will choose two quotes from your notes and write a PEAEAR paragraph based on the above question, with a focus on writer’s intention AND social/cultural context.

Task: Example In Act 2, Priestley is successful in creating and building up atmosphere and tension to heighten the interest of the audience. We see this development of atmosphere and tension when Priestley has Mrs Birling say, ‘Go and look for the father of the child. It’s his responsibility.’ Priestley creates atmosphere and tension with this quote to suggest to the audience that we are about to discover who the father of the child is. The atmosphere that is created by Mrs Birling’s repeated condemnation of the father would cause an audience to feel uneasy, as we fear she may be condemning someone she knows rather than a member of the lower class. Mrs Birling would expect such behaviour of a lower class male because it was believed by those in the higher class that all members of the working class were uneducated and had no understanding of the ‘proper’ way to behave or conduct themselves. Tension is built up by Priestley to prepare the audience, and characters, for the impending arrival of Eric and consequently the answer to Mrs Birling’s demands to find the father of the child. Therefore, we can clearly see another way in which Priestley establishes atmosphere and tension. P.E.A.R?

Main Activities: ‘How does Priestley create atmosphere and tension? Sentence Starters Priestley creates atmosphere and tension in this quote by…. Atmosphere is established by…. Tension is built…… This quotes shows a clear…. Priestley’s intention was….. In 1912 it was believed that…. Priestley builds….. ALL will choose one quote from your notes and write a PEAR paragraph based on the above question. Try and refer to Priestley’s intention. MOST will choose one quote from your notes and write a PEAR paragraph based on the above question, with a focus on social and cultural context. MOST will choose one quote from the extract and write a PEAL paragraph based on the above question, with a focus on social and cultural context. SOME will choose two quotes from your notes and write a PEAEAL paragraph based on the above question, with a focus on writer’s intention AND social/cultural context.

Mood, Atmosphere and Tension To analyse how Priestley creates mood, atmosphere and tension. (where are you on the arrow?) MOST will begin to explore how Priestley creates mood, atmosphere and tension. SOME Will being to analyse and explain how and why Priestley creates mood, atmosphere and tension. ALL Will be able to recognise where in the play Priestley creates mood, atmosphere and tension.