Themes

Start with an overview

Begin with the mind map An Inspector Calls - Themes that covers generations, mystery and the supernatural. Its branches contrast the older and younger generations and their attitudes to responsibility. Use it to identify ideas you want to look at more closely.

Another mind map, Themes, brings together wealth, power and influence, blame and responsibility, and class politics. Compare its branches with the generations map. Notice which ideas appear in both and which each map presents differently.

Focus on responsibility and class

The mind map An Inspector Calls Themes looks at responsibility through Eric, Sheila, Mr Birling and Mrs Birling. Start with its branches about the characters, then consider how their responses differ. You can return to the overview maps and connect those responses to the wider ideas they show.

The notes with the same title introduce social hierarchy. Read them alongside the mind map on class, age, gender and responsibility, which considers how the Birlings' class affects their view of Eva Smith. Together, these resources offer different ways to approach class and responsibility within the Themes section of the An Inspector Calls unit in Literature.

Use flashcards alongside maps

The flashcards Themes in An Inspector Calls cover social responsibility through examples involving Eric. After studying the responsibility map, use the cards to revisit those examples. Then return to the map and consider how they relate to its branches about the characters.

There are no quizzes listed on this page, so the flashcards offer another format for going over the material. Teachers can also use the maps and notes as starting points for class discussion. Choose a resource and follow a theme across the page.