Cameron’s Great
Britain
Listen to David Cameron’s speech. What is
meant by ‘Big Society’?
• That is our duty, but if you like, what is my mission? What is it I am really
passionate about? It is actually social recovery as well as economic recovery.
I think we need a social recovery, because as I have said lots of times in the
past, there are too many parts of our society that are broken, whether it is
broken families or whether it is some communities breaking down; whether
it is the level of crime, the level of gang membership; whether it’s problems
of people stuck on welfare, unable to work; whether it’s the sense that some
of our public services don’t work for us – we do need a social recovery to
mend the broken society. To me, that’s what the Big Society is all about.
• I think it is a different way of governing, a different way of going about trying
to change our country for the better, and it’s going to get every bit of my
passion and attention over the five years of this government. But above all,
it’s going to depend on many of the people in this room, because it’s actually
enterprise, it’s entrepreneurship that is going to make this agenda work.
LO: To learn about the Birlings’ values.
LO: To learn what the play is about.
Resit today
after school.
What does the title
‘An Inspector Calls’
suggest about the
story?
What does the trailer for ‘An
Inspector Calls’ suggest will
happen in the play?
Remember to use
evidence to back up
your opinions.
• A young woman has committed suicide.
• The events leading up to her death were as follows:
Resit today
after school.

•  Whilst working in a factory, in bad conditions and for low pay, she was part of a group
which organised a strike. Her employer sacked her for being a trouble maker.

•  She then got a job as a sales assistant in an expensive clothes shop. An important
customer (in a bad mood) thought she was giggling at her, and used her influence to get the
girl sacked.

•  She then became despondent and thought about becoming a prostitute. She got picked up
in a bar by a man who pitied her and ‘keeps’ her for several months. She fell in love with him,
but he was forced to dump her because he was engaged to be married.

•  She went back to the same bar, thinking again of becoming a prostitute to earn a living,
when she was picked up by a younger man, who saw her twice, but then left her.

•  She found she was pregnant and applied for help to a charity. The head of the charity
refused her help because she didn’t believe her.
• WHO IS TO BLAME FOR HER DEATH?
To learn about the values of the Birling’s.
To learn what the play is about.
Let’s Meet The Birling’s
Resit today
after school.
What type of person is Sheila?
Write down 4 things we
learn about her – and 4
quotes to support your
idea.
• To begin to understand how the character of Sheila develops throughout the
play.
Copy the two terms.
Write down what you think the images
indicate about Socialism and Capitalism.
Sheila / Themes
An Inspector Calls is a very political play. To understand it fully
you will need to discover what is meant by the following words:
Socialism
Capitalism
• To begin to understand how the character of Sheila develops throughout the
play.
Key Themes
Socialism
a political theory or system in which the
means of production and distribution are
controlled by the people and operated
according to equity and fairness rather
than market principles
Capitalism
an economic system based on the
private ownership of the means of
production and distribution of goods,
characterized by a free competitive
market motivated by profit
J.B. Priestley
New
To
learn about each of the characters
at the start of the play.
J B Priestley was born in Bradford in
1894 and died in 1984. He left school
at 16 in 1910 and began work as a
junior clerk at a wool firm. Priestley
said that the period just before the
first world war (1911 to 1914) ‘set
their stamp upon me’ and it is this
period of history that Priestly chose to
set his play An Inspector Calls.
Priestly was a committed socialist and
a great deal of his writing conveyed his
political beliefs. Priestley was very
critical of the social inequality of life
in Britain in the first half of the
twentieth century and he was
influential in developing the idea of
the Welfare State which the Labour
Party established in the years following
World War II.
The Historical Context
‘An Inspector Calls’ was written in 1945
just after the second world war: a time
of great change and opportunity.
Through the play, J. B. Priestly
encouraged his audiences to take the
opportunities for progress available to
them. He wanted the public to reject
the values of early twentieth century
Britain and build a new, more equal
society out of the ruins of the second
world war.
Priestley sets his play 33 years earlier in
1912, the era of the Titanic and World
War One. This was before the days of
the welfare state, Britain was a country
of great social inequality and deeply
divided by class.
To learn about each of the characters
at the start of the play.
How does Sheila conform to a
‘stereotypical idea of women
(during 1912) ’ at the start of the
play?
Key Words:
Analysis
Impressions
Character Analysis
To learn about each of the characters at the start of the
play.
To learn about each of the characters at the start of the play
From what we know already, build on your
first impressions of the characters
• To read to p 8-16
• What impression is formed of each of the characters and
why? Choose 2 adjectives/phrases to describe each
character – with a quote to support each phrase.
Character
Eric
Impression
immature
Mrs Birling
Mr Birling ….
Gerald, Edna, Inspector, Sheila.
Why and
quote?
Mocks Sheila
‘Terrible temper’
Sheila doesn’t appear between
pages 8-16. Why?
What have we learned about the
difference between the ‘younger’
and ‘older’ characters?
Arthur and Sheila
The characters
of Mr. Birling and
his daughter are
very different.
Now you have
read the opening
scenes think
about the
contrast between
these two
characters.
Draw a table like
this one in your
books, then,
complete the
necessary
details.
Arthur Birling
Sheila Birling
Include page numbers
Include page numbers
‘about fifty’
Unaffected by the
news of Eva’s death
Pompous and self
centred
Social Class
1912
1924
2013
Huge difference in
wealth between
upper and lower
classes.
Difference is
smaller, due to War
and aftermath of
rationing
Lower classes
worked 11/ 12
hour days with few
breaks. Many rich
did not work at all.
Most people
worked to re-build
Britain. Working
conditions were
improved.
Power more evenly
distributed.
Wealth is much
more evenly
distributed,
although there still
are some ‘rich’.
Strong trade
unions for workers.
Working day much
shorter.
The rich had all the
power, and the
poor had little to
none.
Learning Objectives:
To learn and about the bigger picture.
Power is equal
Gender Issues
1912
1945
2013
Women were
second-best to men,
with no power to
vote.
Women can vote,
although women
still ‘obey’ men.
Upper class women
did not work. They
had some power, but
still had to obey
their husband.
Many women were Most women work
housewives.
at various levels and
However, many did jobs.
not want to give up
their war jobs.
Lower class women
worked for less pay
than lower class
men.
Still a difference in
pay between men
and women.
Learning Objectives:
To learn and about the bigger picture.
Equality between
the sexes.
Equal Pay Law
1970.
Sexual Issues
1912
1945
2013
Many poor women
were forced into
prostitution, as
there was no
benefits.
Benefits in place
and so less
prostitution.
Having a child out of
wedlock was heavily
frowned upon. It
could result in
disownment.
Still heavily frowned Common to have a
upon, although less child out of
disownment.
wedlock.
Learning Objectives:
To learn and about the bigger picture.
Similar to 1945.
Political Issues
1912
1945
2013
Minimal health care
and benefits.
Some benefits
including
unemployment
benefit available.
Some free health
care.
NHS and a variety
of benefits
available.
Political parties very
much orientated to
benefiting the upper
classes.
Political parties
more concerned
with the good of the
country after War.
Current Coalition
Government party
(working class)
orientated?
Learning Objectives:
To learn and about the bigger picture.
2013
Take a good look you will be
recreating this timeline
WW1
begins
1914
Play is
written
Labour
in office
1924
WW2
ends
We read
the play
Play is set in
First woman
1912
Prime minister
Welfare
Women
Equal Pay
introduced
Titanic
can vote
Law 1970
1941
sinks
1918
WW2 begins
NHS set
1939
up 1948
Learning Objectives:
To learn about the context of the play.
Key Words:
Analyse
Context
Development
Year 10 Exam: 2 writing
assessments
Next year: changes to classes
Analysing quotes
LO: to understand how to analyse quotes
effectively, and to use these to create a PEEL
paragraph on Sheila.
(Read pg. 17-21)
"(half serious, half playful) Yes - except for all last
summer when you never came near me, and I wondered
what had happened to you."
• The stage directions of this quote suggest that the actress
say this line seriously and playfully. This suggests that
Sheila's character, although appearing cheerful, is actually
sensible.
• However, this could be betrayed as bitterness. The quote
also suggests that she holds grudges as she still holds this
knowledge from 'last summer' against her soon to be
husband.
Sheila (coming farther in)
What business? What’s happening?
•
Gerald
… don’t look like that Sheila.
Sheila: (rather distressed)
Sorry! It’s just that I can’t help thinking about this girl.
•
Sheila: What do you mean by saying that? You talk as
if we were responsible-
•
Sheila: What was her name? Eva Smith?
•
Eric: Can’t blame her.
Sheila: (to Birling) I think it was a mean thing to do.
Perhaps that spoilt everything for her.’
•
"But these girls aren't cheap labour - they're people."
This quote shows her compassion
towards the workers.
Sheila: What – what did this girl look like?
•
Key Words:
Analyse
Context
Development
Year 10 Exam: 2 writing
assessments
Next year: changes to classes
Analysing quotes
LO: to create a PEEL paragraph on Sheila.
: to create a piece of writing, from Sheila’s point
of view.
(Read pg. 17-21)
She looks at it closely, recognises it with a little cry, gives
a half distressed sob, and then runs out.
•
Birling: (angrily) Why the devil do you want to go
upsetting the child like that?
•
Now, what do we know about
Sheila?
How is her character changing?
• Write a PEEL paragraph explaining how the character
of Sheila has changed, from when we saw her at the
start.
Read page 22 and 23.
• Write down 5 adjectives that describe how Sheila is changing in these
pages.
End of Act 1
• Sheila shows that she
has ‘changed’ here.
• She represents the ‘new
generation’ of young
people who are willing
to adapt and amend
their personalities to
ensure change takes
place.
• At the start of the play, she
is rather childish and says
inconsequential things.
Calls her mother ‘mummy’
and says words like ‘squiffy’
and ‘jolly well.’
• Yet, she is the first one to
accept responsibility for her
actions.
At the end of Act 1…
• She is perceptive –
• She corners Gerald and demands to know how her
knew Eva.
• She realises that the Inspector is there to challenge
them all, and she knows that Gerald is involved.
Act 2 – Sheila is in charge
• Pg. 28 – ‘it can’t be any worse for me than it has
been.’ (Gerald doesn’t want her to hear what he has
to say.)
• (cutting in) Yes, you did. And, if you’d really loved me,
you couldn’t have said that. …And now you’ve made
up your mind I must be a vindictive, selfish creature.’
• Yes, but you don’t believe me. And this is just the
wrong time to not believe me.
• Pg 29: (to Inspector) 'There's something I don't understand about
you'
The Change of Sheila, cont.
LO: to understand what the implications are of
Sheila’s actions, and to compare her to the other
characters.
JUST WRITE – SAME LO FROM YESTERDAY.
Sheila - feels responsible
• Page – 29: pick out 4 quotes that prove this.
• Yes, I know I am to blame – and I’m desperately
sorry – but I can’t believe – I won’t believe – it’s
simply my fault that in the end – she – she
committed suicide.
• You see, I feel you’re beginning all wrong.
Sheila is intuitive and tries to prevent her mum from intimidating
the Inspector. pg. 30 & 31
A) Sheila tries to stop her mum from ‘second-guessing’
the Inspector. Why?
Quotes:
• (urgently, cutting in) Mother, don’t – please don’t. For
your own sake, as well as ours…
• (slowly, carefully now) You mustn’t try to build up a kind
of wall between us and that girl. If you do, then the
Inspector will just break it down. And, it’ll be worse
when he does.
Sheila is the first to realise
something here.
B) Sheila realises something and tries to prevent Mrs. B
from revealing more than she should.
• What does Sheila realise?
• Quotes:
• Sheila gives a short hysterical laugh.
• But, Mother, do stop before it’s too late.
Sheila takes control, once again,
supporting the Inspector.
• Pg: 32 – discussion about Eric’s drinking and whether
he drinks too much.
• And Eric is one of them.
• Yes, but don’t you see? He hasn’t started on you yet.
(to her mum.)
• Then, page 36-41 – discussion with Gerald, where he
reveals to Sheila that he had a ‘mistress’ for a few
months.
Sheila
hears
about
Pg.Pg:
41 –36-41:
she is now
furious,
annoyed,
Gerald’sand
part
in Eva’s downfall.
desperate
suspicious.
• How is Sheila different here to the rest of the characters?
• Pg. 41
It means that we’ve no excuse now for putting on airs that if we’ve
any sense we won’t try. Father threw this girl out because she
asked for decent wages. I went and pushed her farther out, right
into the street, just because I was angry and she was pretty. Gerald
set her up as his mistress and then dropped her when it suited
him. And now you’re pretending you don’t recognise her form that
photograph. I admit I don’t know why you should, but I know jolly
well that you did in fact recognise here, from the way you looked.
And if you’re not telling the truth, why should the Inspector
apologise? And can’t you see, both of you, you’re making it worse?
Pg. 43 – Mrs Birling is being
questioned by the Inspector.
• Read 43-49.
• Sheila becomes very distressed during this part of the play – why?
• Write down 5 different adjectives to describe her.
• Find 5 quotes to support the what you’ve said about her.
Write 2 PEEL paragraphs that tell
you about what Sheila is like in Act
2.
• Each PEEL must contain:
• 2 pieces of evidence
• Punctuation analysis
• Language analysis
• What your analysis says about Sheila
• Each PEEL must be, no less, that 13 lines each.
Example PEEL
• At the start of Act 2, Sheila is presented as…
• This is shown through, ‘QUOTE.’
• From this quote, we can tell that Sheila feels... because of the
use of ….
• The use of the verb/personal pronoun/adjective, tells us that….
• The use of dashes/ellipsis/exclamation mark/question mark
tells us..
• Another quote to show that Sheila feels… is, ‘QUOTE.’
• This quote tells us….
• The use of dashes/ellipsis/exclamation mark/question mark
tells us..
• The use of the verb/personal pronoun/adjective, tells us that….
• Priestly did this to show us ….
Understanding Sheila – Act 3
LO: to understand how Sheila behaves in Act 3 – and how she changes.
• Check that 2 PEELs have been completed for home learning.
• Connor and Jade – Miss Howard – Thursday after school
• My re-sitters – today after school
• Pg. 56
Sheila (who is crying quietly) That’s the worst of it.
• Pg. 57
I behaved badly too. I know I did. I’m ashamed of it. But now
you’re beginning all over again to pretend that nothing much
has happened –
• Pg. 58
(sharply attentive) Is that when the Inspector came, just after
father had said that?
It doesn’t matter now, of course – but was he a police
inspector?
• Pg. 59
I’m going now anyhow in a minute or two. But don’t you see, if
all that’s come out tonight is true, then it doesn’t much matter
who it was ho made us confess. And it was true, wasn’t it? You
turned the girl out of one job, and I had her turned out of
another. Gerald kept her bust to see me. Eric – well, we know
what Eric did. And mother hardened her heart and gave her
the final push that finished her. That’s what’s important – and
not whether a man is a police inspector or not.
• Pg. 61
All right. (To Gerald) But we’re all in it – up to the neck. It got
worse after you left.
•
Sheila: (bitterly) I suppose we’re all nice people now.
• Pg. 63
• Birling: There’s no Inspector Goole on the police. That man
definitely wasn’t a police inspector. As Gerald says – we’ve
been had.
Mrs. B: I felt it all the time. He never talked like one. He never
even looked like one.
Birling: This makes all the difference, y’know. In fact, it makes
all the difference.
Gerald: of Course!
• Pg. 64
Eric: (bursting out) What’s the use of talking about behaving
sensibly. You’re beginning to pretend now that noting’s really
happened at all. And I can’t see it like that. This girl’s still dead,
isn’t she? Nobody’s brought her to life, have they?
Sheila: (eagerly) That’s just what I feel, Eric? And it’s what they
don’t seem to understand.
• Pg. 71
Sheila: No, because I remember what he said, how he looked,
how he made me feel. Fire and blood and anguish. And it
frightens me the way you talk, and I can’t listen to any more of
it.
Pg: 58 – Sheila questions the validity of the
Inspector.