Name

Theme

How does Priestley use the structure and features of a ‘well made play’ to explore this theme? (Provide one example in each row.) You do not need evidence at this point. You may answer in bullet points.

EXAMPLE:

Hypocrisy of the upper classes

EXAMPLE:

- Priestley uses the exposition/opening of the play to suggest the hypocrisy of the Birling family

- Using the opening scene, the audience realises that the Birlings see themselves as part of the Edwardian aristocracy (the furnishings in the room, the way they are dressed, their body language, what Mrs. Birling’s character says to Mr. Birling, etc.)

- They are presented as if they are only acting the part of the aristocratic upper class - they are pretending to be something that they are not

Capitalist Mentality

- Priestly uses the main plot in AIC to explore the Capitalist mentality which Mr & Mrs Birling share between themselves.

- Just before the Inspector enters, Mr Birling gives a speech to the younger generation of the Birling family about how it is everybody for themselves to be successful in life; ‘A man has to make his own way’ This is a main Capitalist view and they do not believe in ‘helping others’

- When the Inspector enters talks about the suicide Birling does not seem to care about Eva’s death as such, but cares more to the fact that he is being questioned about her death and becomes mortified at being linked with her death - he tries to deter the blame on someone else, this can be seen as a capitalist mentality as they do not care about ‘the lower class’ and do not like sharing blame for things

Later on in the plot Miss Birling shows the same type of antics that Mr Birling used, and she gets annoyed at being linked to Eva’s death and tries to blame someone else, making sure SHE is seen to be innocent.

Capitalist Mentality

- Priestley also uses the Denouement/ ending of the play to further back up the Capitalist Mentality

- At the end of the play when Inspector Goole leaves, Mr & Mrs Birling try to paper over the cracks by lying to themselves and the kids and by trying to forget about it. This is a very selfish act of Mr & Mrs Birling and shows that even after being confronted by the inspector, they refuse to reform themselves and go back to their capitalist ways of not caring about others.

- Miss Birling once again tries to shed the blame that was put onto her - onto somebody else. The fact she tries to blame others in her family can also shed bad light on her (and capitalism)

- The denouement of any ‘well made play’ has to be both logical and plausible (believable/realistic), and the fact that Miss Birling tries to blame others is very believable, as after reading most of the novel the reader would know because she is selfish that she would blame others and distance herself from the incidence as most capitalists would do.

Generational Gaps

Opening- The positions of the characters around the table in the opening of the play immediately exemplifies the traditional ‘mother and father at head of the table’ which was much a much more common practise in that time period, this therefore shows of a hierarchy between family members with Mr Birling top of the hierarchy, then Mrs Birling and so on.

Plot- Throughout the play there is constantly complications and differences in opinions between the characters, more so between the older and younger generations. The old are very set in their ways with a confidence that they are right in every situation seeing the young as naive and foolish, they very much represent a capitalistic mentality. The younger (Sheila and Eric) are however more open to new ideas and ways of looking at things. For example, early on in the play, both Eric and Sheila are sympathetic towards the people that went on strike against Mr Birling- whom thought that the situation was appalling and felt no compassion towards his workers whatsoever and continued to think only of himself and of production costs- ignoring Sheila and Eric’s new found socialist attitude.

Ending- The ending very clearly segregates the generation gap even more so as opinions of the elders fail to change. They seem to have never had to see the consequences of their actions now and unlike Sheila and Eric who admit their faults and refuse to try and cover their part of the tragedy up, they find they cannot be honest in their faults. Gerald Croft as a character is neither very young nor old so he lies in the middle of the generational gap. In the end he sways towards Mr and Mrs Birling’s capitalist and selfish view. All in all Priestley creates the message of optimism that it is the young in this world whom will go on into the future with compassion and shape what is to come.

Hypocrisy of the upper classes

-Priestley uses the detective to reveal the hypocrisy of the upper class

- The order of the interviews: Adult-child-adult suggest this sense that the adults cancel out the liberal views of the children showing hypocrisy within their own social class.

-Throughout the whole play the children will always get the blame showing that the elder generation is of higher standing to the children

-Adults were interviewed first showing that child’s views are unnecessary and gets in the way this is true through the play as the adult would always disregard the children’s opinions..

	Created by sian.allison about 10 years ago

GCSE English Note on How Priestly uses structure, created by sian.allison on 02/02/2014.

How Priestly uses structure