The Student Room Group

AQA English Literature - An Inspector Calls help!

I got my English Literature exam next week Monday and I'm doing An Inspector Calls and OMAM. I need help immediately please!

Can somebody PM me or reply here a sample answer for the character question for AIC? It'd be great if it was Mr Birling but the other characters are fine too. I need a B at least in this but I want to get an A or A*. Just looking for one paragraph so that I know what I need to write.

In addition to that, how should I structure my paragraphs to answer this question? Like, if there's a mnemonic could you also explain that too please?

I hope this isn't too much to ask. Thanks for the help!!

Scroll to see replies

Reply 1
Can anyone help at all? I need to know how to do this so I can practice on the weekend.
The PEE method should be enough (Point, Evidence, Explanation)
Point: Through the Inspector and Mr Birling, Priestley presents the difference between socialism and capitalism.
Evidence: Mr Birling is used to symbolize capitalism through the cold way in which he dehumanizes the death of Eva Smith by dismissing it as "Yes, yes horrid business." In contrast, the Inspector fights for Eva Smiths rights and is adamant that justice will be served through "fire and blood and anguish" thus symbolizing socialism.
Explanation: Through this, Priestley demonstrates his support of a socialist society over a capitalist one as at the conclusion of the play, Mr Birling is presented to the audience as ignorant and foolish while his children are shown as enlightened and intelligent due to their support of the Inspector.

Not amazing but 11:30pm and I thought you might need a reply :smile:
(edited 8 years ago)
Reply 3
Original post by staringatshadows
The PEE method should be enough (Point, Evidence, Explanation)
Point: Through the Inspector and Mr Birling, Priestley presents the difference between socialism and capitalism.
Evidence: Mr Birling is used to symbolize capitalism through the cold way in which he dehumanizes the death of Eva Smith by dismissing it as "Yes, yes horrid business." In contrast, the Inspector fights for Eva Smiths rights and is adamant that justice will be served through "fire and blood and anguish" thus symbolizing socialism.
Explanation: Through this, Priestley demonstrates his support of a socialist society over a capitalist one as at the conclusion of the play, Mr Birling is presented to the audience as ignorant and foolish while his children are shown as enlightened and intelligent due to their support of the Inspector.

Not amazing but 11:30pm and I thought you might need a reply :smile:


Thanks, that was actually kind of helpful.

What grade would that answer be? Like, if all the other points were consistently like that what would the grade be?
Original post by pryze_
Thanks, that was actually kind of helpful.

What grade would that answer be? Like, if all the other points were consistently like that what would the grade be?


I'm a consistent A* student and imo, it's a good start for an A* piece of work. But you'd have to go on to include some more context, writers ideas etc. for the entire piece to be considered A*.
Reply 5
Original post by staringatshadows
I'm a consistent A* student and imo, it's a good start for an A* piece of work. But you'd have to go on to include some more context, writers ideas etc. for the entire piece to be considered A*.

Hey also AIC.

What am I meant tonwrite about? That's the thing I don't understand, I find finding points difficult in AIC compared to OMAM, but can explain well. What points should you write about
Reply 6
Original post by staringatshadows
I'm a consistent A* student and imo, it's a good start for an A* piece of work. But you'd have to go on to include some more context, writers ideas etc. for the entire piece to be considered A*.


Oh, okay. It's good knowing this example is from an A* student.

I know I may be asking for too much, but if you have time (hopefully before Monday 18th), do you think you could add onto that point you made so it's complete? It doesn't have to be quite long. I'd appreciate it a lot and it'll help more for a B/A grade student like me.

Thank you!
Reply 7
Does anyone know what kind of context you have to include for the play?
Original post by MissPR
Does anyone know what kind of context you have to include for the play?


I'm doing an Inspector calls but for WJEC next week. We went over context yesterday in class. I think you have to say how different classes in Edwardian Britain didn't really mix, meaning that Eric would be looked down on by his class if he did marry Eva/Daisy Renton.
The play is set before WW1 and Mr Birling talks about how there won't be a war when the reader knows that there will be, so is makes him look ignorant.


Posted from TSR Mobile
Reply 9
Original post by Scarllett
I'm doing an Inspector calls but for WJEC next week. We went over context yesterday in class. I think you have to say how different classes in Edwardian Britain didn't really mix, meaning that Eric would be looked down on by his class if he did marry Eva/Daisy Renton.
The play is set before WW1 and Mr Birling talks about how there won't be a war when the reader knows that there will be, so is makes him look ignorant.


Posted from TSR Mobile


Aah thank youu! :smile:
We also touch on the titanic that was claimed to be "unsinkable" by Mr Birling, but I'm not sure how I can relate that to the text
Original post by MissPR
Aah thank youu! :smile:
We also touch on the titanic that was claimed to be "unsinkable" by Mr Birling, but I'm not sure how I can relate that to the text


I think that Priestly included that to make Mr Birling look ignorant again, because we know that the Titanic wasn't unsinkable, so it makes us doubt Mr Birling's opinions on other things.
Reply 11
Ohh that makes sense now!
Thank youu
Also we learnt that the titanic represents a metaphor of the upper class citizens in the society due to their ignorance
Original post by MissPR
Ohh that makes sense now!
Thank youu
Also we learnt that the titanic represents a metaphor of the upper class citizens in the society due to their ignorance


Thank you :smile: We didn't learn that one.
Reply 13
No problem :smile:
I'm also aiming for an A* for my modern texts exam, I'm not so bad at Inspector Calls but I'm quite worried about my other book To Kill a Mockingbird
Hey, you should look at the mark scheme from past papers to get an idea of what and how to write to get the highest marks. I don't think there's enough time to write a perfect A* answer but within the time limit; I'd start of with a little opening about the key theme of the question. So for example maybe defining the key theme? Then do like 3 PEE's but make sure you add atleast one sentence about the structure and form of the play and how it links in with the question, if you're aiming to be in the top band. Also,include a good analysis of a short quote or in other words "a lot about a little" and conclusion linking with the opening. Use contextual knowledge and interpretations. If you want, email me the specific question and I'll answer it for you using the mark scheme.
Original post by metrize
Hey also AIC.

What am I meant tonwrite about? That's the thing I don't understand, I find finding points difficult in AIC compared to OMAM, but can explain well. What points should you write about


Most people think Mr Birling is going to come up so some points could be the difference between capitalism and socialism (shown through Mr Birling and the Inspector); how the family first seem perfect but as the play goes on, the audience realizes they barely know each other and are full of faults; and how each of the characters represent one of the seven deadly sins (e.g. Mr Birling = gluttony). Concentrate on capitalism vs socialism the most since its the overall theme of the play.
Original post by pryze_
Oh, okay. It's good knowing this example is from an A* student.

I know I may be asking for too much, but if you have time (hopefully before Monday 18th), do you think you could add onto that point you made so it's complete? It doesn't have to be quite long. I'd appreciate it a lot and it'll help more for a B/A grade student like me.

Thank you!


It doesn't directly my point exactly but this could be used as context:
Priestley presentation of Mr Birling as a foolish character is shown through his belief that that their won't be a war (idk the exact quote) which the audience knows to be false, thus making Mr Birling seem foolish and ignorant. Moreover, following the conclusion of World War 2, Britain was left bankrupt and broken, and focus began to shift from foreign affairs to rebuilding the nation. Due to this, Priestley uses the play as a warning to society to remind them not to return to the type of society it was before, in which the working - class was exploited. This is achieved through the way in which, following the Inspectors departure, Mr Birling works to forget the events of the play and the Inspectors message and instead to return to how their lives were previously. However, when he finds out that Eva Smith has actually died, this becomes impossible. Through this, Priestley is showing society that if they choose to forget the impovrished masses, they will rise up in rebellion and the middle class will regret not helping when it was possible.
Original post by MissPR
No problem :smile:
I'm also aiming for an A* for my modern texts exam, I'm not so bad at Inspector Calls but I'm quite worried about my other book To Kill a Mockingbird


I'm doing Mockingbird too if you have any specific questions?
For aqa you dont get any marks for context for an inspector calls but you can use it if you feel like it will back up your point but you NEED to use context for section b which is of mice and men for me where the context is 1930s america
Original post by amina-jpg
For aqa you dont get any marks for context for an inspector calls but you can use it if you feel like it will back up your point but you NEED to use context for section b which is of mice and men for me where the context is 1930s america


It doesn't specifically say context but its needed for "writers ideas".

Quick Reply