Welcome to Literature Day

Welcome to Literature Day

Assessment Objectives Skills targeted: AO1 Respond to texts critically and imaginatively; select and evaluate relevant textual detail to illustrate and support interpretations AO2 Explain how language, structure and form contribute to writers’ presentation of ideas, themes and settings. Do you know what assessment objectives are in each exam part? To do list?

Remember What Literature Is… Characters Events Themes/ Issues/Ideas Plus, language and techniques – in this case including stage directions because it’s a play are used to make these more effective

Previous Question Focuses Language and Techniques Characters Events Themes/ Issues/Ideas Previous Question Focuses Tension Selfishness Responsibility Gerald Contrasts Sheila The Inspector Stage Directions Language and Techniques As you can see, they do not ask about events. This is not a assessment of memory. It is a test of understanding, interpretation and analysis. AO1 Respond to texts critically and imaginatively; select and evaluate relevant textual detail to illustrate and support interpretations AO2 Explain how language, structure and form contribute to writers’ presentation of ideas, themes and settings.

So… You can only be asked about CHARACTERS, THEMES or LANGUAGE/TECHNIQUES To do: Prepare a basic plan for all the characters, all the themes, all the techniques… If you do this, you cannot go wrong!

Today, we’ll spend 15 minutes on: A character question A theme question A technique question Mr Birling - Revision Rocks

This question is 45 minutes long. So you’ve got to rattle through it. 5-6 mins per section? Character Do you know the play well enough to be able to do this? To do list??? Mr Birling Events? Themes/ Issues/Ideas? For instance, our essay could cover: How he is introduced/described How he speaks What’s he like at the beginning? What’s he like after being inspected? What’s he like at the end? What themes does he bring out? 7. What language or techniques are used to present him? Language and Techniques This is separate because you would be looking at this throughout when SALAAL with quotations but it could also be a separate section

Take ONE of them Write for FIVE MINUTES 1. How he is introduced/described 2. How he speaks 3. What’s he like at the beginning? 4. What’s he like after being inspected? 5. What’s he like at the end? 6. What themes does he bring out? 7. What language or techniques are used to present him? Write for FIVE MINUTES Say something intelligent (A01) Quote (AO1) Analyse language, technique etc and say more intelligent things (AO2 and 1)

Theme Respon-sibility This question is 45 minutes long. So you’ve got to rattle through it. 7 mins per section? Theme Do you know the play well enough to be able to do this? To do list??? Characters Events? Respon-sibility For instance, our essay could cover: 1, 2, 3. How different characters (3?) have different attitudes to responsibility and how Priestly uses them to say different things. 4. What techniques Priestley uses to discuss responsibility Language and Techniques This is separate because you would be looking at this throughout when SALAAL with quotations but it could also be a separate section

Take ONE CHARACTER and ONE MOMENT Write for FIVE MINUTES Say something intelligent (A01) Quote (AO1) Analyse language, technique etc and say more intelligent things (AO2 and 1)

This question is 45 minutes long. So you’ve got to rattle through it. 5-6 mins per section? Character Do you know the play well enough to be able to do this? To do list??? Characters Events? Themes/ Issues/Ideas? For instance, our essay could cover: Two or three moments in the play where tension is created. 1. What techniques Priestley uses to create tension including… 2,3,4. How different characters (3?) are used to create tension Tension

Choose ONE moment Write for FIVE MINUTES Say something intelligent (A01) Quote (AO1) Analyse language, technique etc and say more intelligent things (AO2 and 1) Which techniques does Priestley uses to create tension? Which characters are used to create tension?

Further Reading/Ativities

Playwrights include stage directions (props, scenery, lighting) to inform directors how they want their play performed. What hints is Priestley giving directors about the atmosphere he wants them to create in the opening scene? Make a note of the connotations. Good, solid furniture Connotations: Decanter of port Cigar box Champagne glasses Connotations: Edna, the parlourmaid Connotations: The men in tails and white ties, not in dinner jackets Connotations: The general effect is substantial and heavily comfortable, but not cosy and homelike. Connotation:

LABEL THIS FOR AO1 and AO2 HITS Eric Birling is presented as immature and foolish by Priestley. In the introductory stage directions he is described as being ‘not quite at ease’. This implies that Eric lacks the social confidence of the older characters, but his ‘half shy, half assertive’ nature also suggests that he is uncertain of what type of man he wants to be. Furthermore, in the character’s dialogue he is also shown to be slightly immature. He responds to the scene of affection between Sheila and Gerald with the exclamatory ‘Steady the Buffs!’ Priestley’s use of this informal language further reveals the character’s immaturity and silliness to the audience. It also intrigues the audience to see how this immaturity could have contributed to the death of Eva Smith.

This review gives 4 interpretations of the play’s message and ends with the idea that ‘no-one ever learns’. Do you agree that this is true? Do you think that the play still has something to teach a modern day audience? Explain your thinking. A passionate indictment of social injustice and the widening chasm between the ‘haves and have nots’ in early 20th century Britain, An Inspector Calls ends on a sombre and prophetic note. The inspector’s soliloquy, preaching a unified society where we are all responsible for each other, is a fitting precursor to the magnificent destruction of the set which explodes and shatters around the ears of the distraught Birling Family. The inspector’s warning that if we cannot learn this lesson ‘we will be taught it in fire, blood and anguish’ would once have been read as a specifically post Second World War I-told-you-so. Considering the fine mess the world has gotten itself into lately, the inspector’s words sound less like a sombre warning, more like an archaic reminder of a morality that no longer exists. The only lesson is, no one ever learns. http://www.newcastleandme.com/eventsandactivities/an-inspector-calls-at-theatre-royal-newcastle

Timeline the key events On a large paper, create a timeline of key events. You must include: The events The acts and scenes The page numbers

10 mins Character Focus Start End Draw an outline of a character on the large paper (draw around yourself if you must). Then cut them in half. Focus on how the character is presented at the start of the play, two then focus on how the character is presented towards the end of the play. On the inside of the body, fill this with quotes from the play said by or about the character. On the outside of the body write the impression the audience get of this character and why you think Priestley has portrayed them like that. Quotes

STOP – Back to your timeline 2 mins STOP – Back to your timeline If you were to answer a question on how the character changes, which two key parts of the play would you focus on for: Mr Birling Mrs Birling Sheila Gerald Eric Inspector Goole? Task: Using a different coloured pen for each character, write on your timeline which two parts you would focus on for that character.

Context There are four key areas of context that you need to know for An Inspector Calls: Class divisions Gender roles Socialism and responsibility Capitalism You do not get marked specifically on context in this question – however because it is so closely linked to Priestley’s purpose, you have to be able to comment on how he was influenced by context. These may also be classed as a theme and you could be asked specifically about them in the question.

It’s a PLAY! We HAVE to remember that this is a play – that means it is written to be performed. There is an audience watching and all stage directions are crucial to our understanding of this as a piece of drama. If you can analyse how Priestley has used dramatic devices then you are sure to be moving into the top marks – remember the mark scheme asks you to analyse language, structure and FORM. Remember: An Inspector Calls can be classed as a: Morality play Naturalistic drama Murder mystery Supernatural drama

Task: focus and research on: 4 mins Dramatic Devices Task: focus and research on: Entrances and exits Stage directions Setting and props Dramatic irony

STOP – Back to your timeline 2 mins STOP – Back to your timeline Another dramatic device is structure. Task: Identify where Priestley has created moments of tension and how you think the audience feel at these moments. Remember: An Inspector Calls has a cyclical structure and makes use of foreshadowing.

Language Analysis Learning Ladder 2 mins Language Analysis Learning Ladder One of the crucial elements of your literature exam is being able to analyse language closely. But what is it that we look for when analysing language? What comments can you make? What features should you spot? What techniques should you be looking out for? Task: create a ladder of as many different elements of language that you could possibly comment on.

8 mins Task: Choose a question and write one paragraph of close language analysis How does Priestley show that tension is at the heart of the Birling family? How does Priestley present the change in Sheila during the course of the play? How do you think this change reflects some of Priestley’s ideas? How important do you think social class is in An Inspector Calls and how does Priestley present ideas about social class? How do you respond to Gerald in An Inspector Calls? How does Priestley make you respond by the way he writes?

Reflection: Priestley’s Purpose 4 mins Reflection: Priestley’s Purpose Overall – what do you think Priestley’s purpose was? Rank these statements as a group across the bottom of your timeline depending on how much you agree with them. Be prepared to feedback. The play’s purpose is to show the importance of social responsibility- the idea that people should act in a way that helps less privileged people. Priestley’s purpose is to highlight the responsibility of employers over their workers. He wanted us to see that Eva Smith was completely at the mercy of the Birling family. An Inspector Calls is written to make the audience question how responsible they are for their own actions. By making the audience wary of Birling’s short-sighted opinions, Priestley uses Birling to promote his own socialist ideas. Priestley’s purpose was to question whether the world can learn from past mistakes following two World Wars. Inspector Goole was used as a device to make us all question our consciences.