Ask the Expert Tutor: An Inspector Calls
For today’s blog post, we enlisted the help of Edward, BartyED’s senior English tutor, for advice on an IGCSE modern drama text: An Inspector Calls, by J.B. Priestley.
Thematic significance of Priestley’s ‘An Inspector Calls’
Modern dramas are their own style of text and require a certain level of analysis to assess their meaning. Indeed, An Inspector Calls is no different. As J.B. Priestley was the founder of the political ‘Common Wealth’ Party, a socialist organisation, his political beliefs imbue the play with many moral and ethical overtones that are, in many ways, just as relevant today as they were in post-war 1945 England when the text was written. IGCSE candidates must drill down into the themes of the play and how they speak to social inequalities, from gender and male chauvinism to class and industrialism.
IGCSE English Modern Drama sample response
We will now consider a question from Paper 2 of the Edexcel IGCSE English Language exam:
How does Priestley present the character of Sheila Birling in An Inspector Calls? You must consider language, form and structure in your response.
Upon reading this question, you should note that the exam is asking for a balanced analysis that considers language, form, and structure, which is something many students miss. IGCSE English students may compose a response like this:
In An Inspector Calls, Sheila Birling is the daughter of an upper-middle class factory owner, Arthur Birling. She is often presented as superficial and shallow, such as when she got a retail employee fired for looking at her the wrong way. She is also celebrating her engagement with Gerald, and is very happy because of this. Similarly, she follows along with her father and Gerald’s beliefs, until she changes her mind to agree with the Inspector.
Why is this response considered weak for IGCSE English?
What’s wrong with this paragraph?
There is no discussion of form, structure or language. The play is simply summarised.
Little analysis, no use of evidence.
A response must mention the author and context. IGCSE candidates who show knowledge of authorial purpose will score higher.
The response does not follow a Point, Evidence, Explanation structure, nor does it elaborate upon a single concept.
Improved IGCSE English response on ‘An Inspector Calls’
Instead, consider the following model response:
Initially, Priestley presents Sheila Birling’s character as naive. The stage directions in the beginning of the play describe Sheila as “a pretty girl in her early twenties, very pleased with life and rather excited”. Sheila is young, naive and hopeful, which juxtaposes her character development at the end of the play. “Excited” and “playful” is emotive language which highlights her youth and the gendered expectations of young women in the 1920s. Her enquiring about Daisy’s age and prettiness illustrates her immature, superficial values, confirmed by her statement to the Inspector, “You talk as if we were responsible.” Her inability to take responsibility is representative of the capitalist/industrialist class Priestley is critiquing in ‘An Inspector Calls’. This naivety underlines the dramatic irony of the text, set in 1912, just before the sinking of the Titanic and WWI, which nullifies Mr Birling’s opening message to Gerald as ultimately misguided. Sheila’s initial naiveté and compliance with Mr Birling’s values aligns her with his misguided message. That is before Gerald’s infidelity is revealed, and she reevaluates her expectations. In summary, Priestley displays Sheila’s initial naiveté and lack of autonomy as a product of capitalist society.
Why is this IGCSE English response stronger?
This paragraph is stronger for the following reasons:
There is analysis of language, structure, and form (e.g. looking specifically at emotive language, juxtaposition, and stage directions).
The candidate includes contextual elements to strengthen the analysis.
Adjective stacking (e.g. “young, naive, and hopeful”).
Clear P-E-E-L (Point-Evidence-Explanation-Link) structure that specifically signals to the examiner how this paragraph answers the question.
Overall, students should keep in mind that the examiner wants to give out marks—you just have to make it easy for them. Following a clear structure and including all of the main points in the question will garner the points needed to reach the top markband. Remember that no amount of Spark Notes or LitCharts will substitute actually reading the play.
Reach out to a BartyED IGCSE tutor today to get comprehensive guidance on how to navigate this text and IGCSE English in general.