How to tackle the exam

AQA Literature Exam

Character and Voice: Poetry Techniques

Character and Voice: Themes and Ideas

Character and Voice - Essay Structure

Character and Voice - Past AQA Questions

Language Techniques

The language used by each character helps us to form a clear picture of them.

Eva Smith/Daisy Renton

Eva Smith/Daisy Renton is the two names given to the girl who suffers at the hands of the Birlings and Gerald.

Eric Birling

Eric is the only son of Mr and Mrs Birling.  He is employed in his father's business and drinks more than he should, which leads him into trouble.

The Inspector

Introducing himself as Inspector Goole, he's a police officer who comes to investigate the background to a young woman's suicide.

Themes: Love

Throughout the play the idea of love varies, depending on which character is talking about it.

Mrs Birling

Mrs Birling is a prominent member of her society and believes that, as a result, she should be treated in a manner that befits her stations.  She's unable to grasp the situation at hand and takes no responsibility in the part she plays.

Sheila

Sheila is the daughter of Mr and Mrs Birling and is engaged to Gerald Croft.  Sheila represents the younger generation and the new ideas that they possess.

Themes: Responsibility

Throughout the play, Priestly highlights the different roles the Birling family played in the fall of Eva Smith.  Although he highlights that each had some hand in her ultimate suicide, he does not lay the responsibility of it at any sole person.  Instead, he comments that responsibility is shared.

Gerald Croft

Gerald Croft is the son of wealthy industrialist and business rival of Mr Birling, and he has just become engaged to Sheila Birling.

Videos

Mr. Birling

Birling is a key character within the play An Inspector Calls.  Throughout the play, Priestly pokes fun of him and his beliefs, which helps to reinforce his own ideals, that capitalism is bad and that socialism is a fairer way of life.

Stage Directions

The directions given by Priestly are very important.  They inform us about what the characters look like, but through the way in which they say things, they give us an insight into what they’re thinking/feelings.

Context

Context

Context plays an important part in An Inspector Calls.  In order to get into the top bands for your exam, you will need to be able to refer to context and it’s implications in the play.