GCSE Exams: English - An Inspector Calls' Masterclass (Weekly)
This class examines each character and main themes within Priestley’s 1945 play An Inspector Calls. Every session helps students carefully consider lesser-known moments and reflect upon the importance of England’s context, Priestley’s intentions, audience responses, and the impact of props and staging.
Starts Thu, 8th Sep
8th Sep - 20th Oct
7:15pm - 8:15pm
Weekly on Thursdays
7 sessions total
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Class content
Session 1
60 mins
Our first class considers the context of Priestley’s post-war England and his political aims in writing the play. Using an Act 1 extract and Context Timeline, we will consider class, gender and generational tensions, political movements and strikes, and the aftermath of WW1 and the Great Depression.
Session 2
60 mins
Once the Inspector is onstage, class, gender and generational tensions come into sharper focus: Birling and Gerald rally together to oppose the Inspector’s authority while Sheila and Eric begin to realise their own roles in society. We’ll concentrate on stage directions, language, and tone of voice.
Session 3
60 mins
Sheila acknowledges her own contribution to Eva Smith’s death in this extract but her mother Sibyl Birling stubbornly denies all guilt. Sheila and the Inspector endorse the need for collective blame, while Sybil obstinately tries to use generational and class differences to deny any wrongdoing.
Session 4
60 mins
Eric, absent during most of Act 2, allows us to consider Priestley’s attack on the wilfully ignorant Sybil Birling and study the importance of staging, audience reception and dramatic irony. Sybil discovers Eric’s culpability in the worst way possible: by realising that she has failed him as a parent.
Session 5
60 mins
This session covers Eric’s scandalous confessions: mistreating Eva Smith; causing her “condition”; his theft and his drunkenness. We also discuss minor characters in this hour (Eva Smith, Edna, and the “millions of Eva Smiths and John Smiths”) by reading the Inspector’s final speech in the play.
Session 6
60 mins
Gerald (Sheila’s smooth, refined and privileged fiancé) is criticised by Priestley. He reveals deep insincerity and selfishness in working to debunk the Inspector’s “hoax” investigation to protect his own reputation. We will consider the photograph, telephone and engagement ring props in this hour.
Session 7
60 mins
Our final class will cover climatic ending of this tense and confrontational play. Recalling previous weeks’ discussions, and the Week 1 Context, we will reflect upon the characters’ speech and actions, staging, and dramatic irony, to better understand Priestley’s intentions and the audience(s) responses.
More about Hollyann
About me
PhD student & seminar teacher at Uni of Bristol Passionate 5★ English Lit & Lang tutor for over 3 years, supplying 1-to-1 tuition & weekly classes (1-to-1 rate £40 an hour). ✓ Y10, GCSE & A-Level students WELCOME! ✓ AQA & Edexcel
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