[Shamim Islam]

I have an English Literature exam tomorrow and I was wondering if I could compare the following:

Birling - Germany, as he wants more money and power.
Ms. Birling - Austria-Hungary, listened to everything Germany (Birling) says.
Gerald - Italy, only joined when he saw Birling was very confident and certain that he was right and Gerald took his side.

Inspector Goole - Britain, wanted peace and social equality, war (social hierarchy destroyed) to stop.
Sheila - France, influenced by Britain (Goole) and agreed with Britains ideals.
Eric - Russia, betrayed Germany (Birling) stole money off him similarly as to when Russia were going to double cross Germany.

Maybe I'm just reading too much into it, but if anyone can let me know what they think about this then it would be very helpful, thanks in advance.

[Shamim Islam]

BUMP.

[DonnyPaxton]

(Original post by Shamim Islam)
I have an English Literature exam tomorrow and I was wondering if I could compare the following:

Birling - Germany, as he wants more money and power.
Ms. Birling - Austria-Hungary, listened to everything Germany (Birling) says.
Gerald - Italy, only joined when he saw Birling was very confident and certain that he was right and Gerald took his side.

Inspector Goole - Britain, wanted peace and social equality, war (social hierarchy destroyed) to stop.
Sheila - France, influenced by Britain (Goole) and agreed with Britains ideals.
Eric - Russia, betrayed Germany (Birling) stole money off him similarly as to when Russia were going to double cross Germany.

Maybe I'm just reading too much into it, but if anyone can let me know what they think about this then it would be very helpful, thanks in advance.

Pretty unique and interesting, unfortunately I've never seen this on the marks scheme so you may want to play it safe

Also, like Shelia, didn't Eric feel sympathetic for the girl and didn't agree with his Parents social attitudes and how they couldn't learn from their mistakes?

[mel0n]

(Original post by Shamim Islam)
I have an English Literature exam tomorrow and I was wondering if I could compare the following:

Birling - Germany, as he wants more money and power.
Ms. Birling - Austria-Hungary, listened to everything Germany (Birling) says.
Gerald - Italy, only joined when he saw Birling was very confident and certain that he was right and Gerald took his side.

Inspector Goole - Britain, wanted peace and social equality, war (social hierarchy destroyed) to stop.
Sheila - France, influenced by Britain (Goole) and agreed with Britains ideals.
Eric - Russia, betrayed Germany (Birling) stole money off him similarly as to when Russia were going to double cross Germany.

Maybe I'm just reading too much into it, but if anyone can let me know what they think about this then it would be very helpful, thanks in advance.

This is quite an interesting perspective and unlikely something that others will talk about. However, at GCSE I think perhaps you should stick more closely to the mark scheme as has been said above - unless your teacher has categorically say that such original responses are allowed.

IF such responses are allowed (if question even permits this) then you need to think through it a little more deeply. On this basis this seems interesting but would you be able to span a whole essay discussing this? How about the fact that the Inspector acts as a mouth piece for Priestley's own views (from what I remember). If Britain (i.e the inspector and also therefore Priestley) want peace then is making the other countries look power and money hungry a good way to go about this?

[Lazar Wolf]

An Inspector Calls is set on the night of April 12th 1912, when the Titanic sank. This was done purposely by Priestley, as he wanted to point out that this Edwardian laissez faire complacency had a terrible underside but also, that it was doomed to destruction. (the sinking of the unsinkable Titanic also highlighted this theme, along with WW1 which soon followed).

It is JB PRiestley's huge critique of Edwardian Europe, the shocking complacency of the rich towards the poor, and the failure within society to look after its most vulnerable members.

The young members of the Birling family learn something from the inspector, that what they did was grossly immoral. Mr and Mrs Birling though learn nothing. This was another theme of Priestley's, the cruelty yet ultimate destruction of the old order. 'We are responsible for each other' the inspector says to the birlings.

Priestley was an ardent anti Nazi. the Nazis had him down in their 'little black book' to be arrested should they decide to invade England, along with others such as Churchill, Freud and quite a few more.

[mel0n]

^ And to add to that I guess the concept of learning within the younger members is a suggestion of hope and salvation according to Priestley. Perhaps this younger generation can get right what the older generation did wrongly and so may even redeem the wrong actions of the older generation. I'm not sure if this could be considered idealistic.

[DonnyPaxton]

(Original post by mel0n)
^ And to add to that I guess the concept of learning within the younger members is a suggestion of hope and salvation according to Priestley. Perhaps this younger generation can get right what the older generation did wrongly and so may even redeem the wrong actions of the older generation. I'm not sure if this could be considered idealistic.

Yes, Priestley was trying to use this as a way of saying the Younger generation can change our future.

[natnalie]

perhaps the writer is trying to make be optistic in the sense that we should hope that the younger generations can addmit to their responsibility and fix the flaws of society.