[CraigWM]

Hello.

GCSE English Lit is possibly the exam I'm most worried for, I'm not so confident with the whole analysis idea but I hope to get an A, which I understand last year was 36/60, which I got an A in, but I'm quite certain I fluked a 23/30 on one of them. I wrote a paragraph for a past paper, could someone possibly tell me what sort of mark this would get me and how I could improve it please?

'Explain how An Inspector Calls can be seen as a 'play of contrasts'.

'An Inspector Calls' can be seen as a play of contrasts, one contrast being between the Inspector and Arthur Birling, demonstrated in the variety of language used in their speeches, with the Inspector saying 'learn... in fire... blood... and anguish', making him seem an education figure, as he warns the family of the consequences if they don't change, hinting towards the upcoming World War I, which Priestley knew of, having written the play in 1945. The implication that the Inspector is extremely intelligent is shown to the reader with this phrase, trying to educate the family and despite some of the family's refusal to change, shown in Mr Birling's later line of 'You'll all have a good laugh about it later', indicating some of them believe it was a joke. The reader can see the Inspector is the face of good in the story if he is evidently trying to change the family for the better. Despite the educational tone of voice the Inspector has, the ways in which Priestley makes Birling seem business obsessed is just as easy to see in Birling's speeches, as he adds constant unnecessary references such as 'work for lower costs and higher prices', when celebrating his daughter's engagement. The audience is put into slight shock as to how Birling still makes references to business in what should be a more emotional time. The theme of class is shown here, as Birling clearly regards the lower class as inferior, as he wishes for 'lower costs', implying Birling wishes to pay his lower-class factory workers less, perhaps indicating he feels that they do not deserve a higher pay. Clearly, the language used in both Arthur Birling's and Inspector Goole's speeches represents one of the major contrasts one of the major contrasts in the story between the Capitalist Birling and the Socialist Inspector.

[CraigWM]

Anyone, please?

[Rose393]

This is good, in the last line you could write about how Priestly uses the inspector as a moral mouthpiece to convey to the audience his socialist views which contrasts with Birling's capitalist mantra that "a man has to look after himself and his own".

try to incorporate that the through this final speech, Priestley is addressing the audience directly and warning them about the need to take social responsibility, and due to the fact he is writing with the benefit of hindsight, he is able to do this effectively. the speech also has a religious quality and acts almost as a sermon.

hope this helps I've got this exam tomorrow too

[CraigWM]

Thanks a lot. Good luck!