What techniques does Priestley use to present his characters in 'An Inspector Calls'?
The main characters in the play are:
Mr Birling - the father
Mrs Birling - the mother
Sheila - the daughter of Mr and Mrs Birling
Eric - the son of Mr and Mrs Birling
Gerald Croft - Sheila's fiance
Eva Smith/Daisy Renton- a girl who we never see on stage but learn has committed suicide. Eva changes her name to Daisy Renton
Inspector Goole - an 'inspector' investigating the death of Eva Smith
In the exam, you may be asked to write about how a particular character is presented in 'An Inspector Calls'.
To achieve a higher mark in the exam, you need to show that you are analysing a character.
To do this try to
- Pick out some of the language/structure/dramatic devices used to present the character.
- Consider how the character reflects something about the context in which Priestley was writing and in which the play is set.
In this activity, we will practise analysing the characters in 'An Inspector Calls' in this way.
You should always refer to your own text when working through these examples. These quotations are for reference only.
View the activity introduction for more information on the topic
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Teacher explanation