Objectives

• Analyse how Priestley uses Arthur Birling's dramatic irony in Act One to expose the complacency of the capitalist ruling class.
• Analyse how Priestley constructs the chain of responsibility by tracing each family member's treatment of Eva Smith across all three Acts.
• Analyse how Priestley uses Inspector Goole's language and stage directions to voice a socialist argument for collective responsibility.
• Analyse how the generational divide between the older and younger Birlings in Act Three dramatises the possibility of moral change.
• Write a sustained, evidenced analytical paragraph that embeds quotation and comments on Priestley's dramatic and linguistic choices in their 1945 context.

The sequence

1. Lesson 1: The Birlings' World and Birling's Dramatic Irony — Act One

   60 min · ch. 1

   Do now

   On the board: 'Take a look at the five statements listed below. Determine which ones you believe are true and which are false: (1) The Titanic never sank. (2) There was no major war between 1912 and 1920. (3) A businessman’s primary responsibility is to himself. (4) Community is more important than profit. (5) The class you are born into defines your value.' Write one sentence explaining your most controversial choice.

   Teacher input

   Model close reading on Birling's speech starting with "a man has to mind his own business and look after himself and his own" (Act One, just before the Inspector arrives). Show students how Priestley positions this speech right before Goole knocks, creating a deliberate structural trap. Annotate: the imperative "has to," the repetition of "his own," and the dramatic irony stemming from the audience's awareness of the impending disasters of 1912. Illustrate how the context of Priestley writing in 1945 enhances the satire.

   Independent task

   Students receive an excerpt from Birling's 'Titanic' speech ('The Germans don't want war… unsinkable, absolutely unsinkable') along with his 'hard-headed businessman' speech. They will write a single analytical paragraph addressing the question: 'How does Priestley use Birling's words in Act One to make the audience distrust him from the start?' Each response must include at least two quotations and discuss one structural or dramatic choice. The completed paragraph is submitted for marking.

   Exit ticket

   Dramatic irony occurs when the audience knows something that the characters do not, and in Act One, Priestley uses it against Birling when he confidently dismisses the possibility of war despite the audience's awareness of its impending occurrence.

2. Lesson 2: The Chain of Responsibility — Eva Smith's Story Across All Three Acts

   60 min · ch. 1, 2, 3

   Do now

   A timeline strip sits on each desk with six empty boxes labeled: Factory / Milwards / Gerald's rooms / The Palace Bar / The charity committee / Eric's involvement. Before diving into the play, try to fill in as many boxes as you can from memory: who was involved, and what actions did they take regarding Eva Smith?

   Teacher input

   Model how to interpret Sheila's confession in Act Two ('I'd been in a bad temper… I was horribly rude to both of them') alongside her Act One line 'I'm sorry, Daddy' following Birling's lecture. Guide students in exploring how Priestley uses Sheila's change in tone—from a petulant daughter to a self-accusing witness—to indicate her moral growth. Highlight the verb choices: 'I was horribly rude', 'I know I was to blame', in contrast with Birling's continuous deflection ('I can't accept any responsibility').

   Independent task

   Students will finish the timeline from the do-now using the provided text, and then they will write two analytical paragraphs: one analyzing how Priestley presents Sheila's sense of responsibility (Acts One and Two) and the other focusing on Mrs. Birling's denial of Eva at the charity committee (Act Two). Each paragraph should reference the Act, include direct quotes, and discuss Priestley's intended emotional impact on the audience. Both paragraphs should be submitted together.

   Exit ticket

   Eva Smith lost her job at Milwards due to Sheila Birling's complaint about her. She was then dismissed from her position at the factory owned by Mr. Arthur Birling for leading a strike for higher wages.

3. Lesson 3: The Inspector's Voice — Language, Rhetoric and Collective Responsibility

   60 min · ch. 1, 2, 3

   Do now

   Three short Goole quotations are on the board: (1) 'We are members of one body.' (2) 'Each of you helped to kill her.' (3) 'Public men, Mr Birling, have responsibilities as well as privileges.' Rank them from most to least threatening. Write two sentences explaining your top choice.

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   In my opinion, the most threatening quote is: 'Each of you helped to kill her.' This statement directly assigns blame to the individuals involved, provoking guilt and accountability, which can be incredibly unsettling.

   Teacher input

   Model a close reading of the Inspector's final speech ('But just remember this…fire and blood and anguish') in Act Three. Focus on Priestley's use of the tricolon 'fire and blood and anguish', the shift from conditional ('if men will not learn') to prophetic certainty, and the stage direction 'He walks straight out.' Show how the speech functions as Priestley's own 1945 address to a postwar audience — the Inspector is not just a detective but a moral and political voice.

   In the Inspector's final speech, Priestley employs the powerful tricolon "fire and blood and anguish" to create a stark emotional impact, emphasizing the dire consequences of humanity's failures. This repetition serves to heighten the sense of urgency and despair associated with the potential ramifications of ignoring social responsibility. The shift from the conditional phrase "if men will not learn" to the more assertive tone of prophetic certainty marks a significant transformation in the speech. It moves from a hypothetical warning to an unequivocal prediction of disaster, suggesting that the Inspector is not merely offering a cautionary tale but rather foretelling an inevitable outcome should society fail to change.

   The stage direction "He walks straight out" reinforces this sense of authority and conviction. The Inspector's exit is not just a literal departure but symbolizes a moral imperative; he leaves behind a stark warning and a challenge for the audience to confront their own complicity in societal issues. In this way, the speech acts as Priestley’s own address to the postwar audience of 1945. The Inspector transcends the role of a typical detective, emerging instead as a moral and political commentator, urging society to reflect on its values and choices in the wake of war and suffering.

   Independent task

   Students should select ONE of the three do-now quotations and compose a complete analytical paragraph discussing how Priestley employs the Inspector's language to critique the Birlings' values. They need to: identify the literary technique, incorporate the quotation, analyze its effect on a 1945 audience, and connect it to Priestley's socialist message. Completed paragraphs are to be submitted.

   Exit ticket

   The Inspector's final warning emphasizes the importance of social responsibility and the interconnectedness of humanity. For an audience in 1945, still reeling from the impact of World War II, this message resonates deeply, highlighting the need for change and accountability in a time of great turmoil. It serves as a poignant reminder that individual actions can have far-reaching consequences, urging viewers to reflect on their own roles in society.

4. Lesson 4: The Generational Divide — Sheila, Eric and the Older Birlings in Act Three

   60 min · ch. 3

   Do now

   On the board: two columns titled 'The older generation' and 'The younger generation'. Try to recall as many words as you can — from memory — that each group uses in Act Three when they find out there might not be an Inspector Goole. You have four minutes.

   Teacher input

   Model a comparative reading of two moments from Act Three: Birling's statement, "The whole thing's different now," which reveals his relief and self-interest, versus Sheila's reflection, "I remember what he made me feel… that's what's important," showcasing her moral conviction. Guide students to see how Priestley uses the same revelation—that the Inspector might be a hoax—to highlight the divide between the characters' generations. Annotate Sheila's present tense usage ("is important," "still feel") in contrast to Birling's past tense dismissal ("it was all a hoax"). Explore how this structural difference reflects the play's central argument.

   Independent task

   Students write a comparative analytical paragraph addressing the question: "How does Priestley use the reactions of Arthur Birling and Sheila in Act Three to demonstrate that the younger generation represents hope for change?" They should quote both characters, identify the technique used in each quote, and discuss the structural impact of placing these reactions next to each other. The paragraph is submitted.

   Exit ticket

   Priestley ends Act Three with a phone call instead of a resolution because…

5. Lesson 5: Putting It Together — Sustained Analytical Writing on Power and Responsibility

   60 min · ch. 1, 2, 3

   Do now

   On the board is today’s essay question: "How does Priestley present power and its abuse in An Inspector Calls?" Take four minutes to jot down a bullet-point plan: choose three characters, include one quotation for each, and make one point about the structure. No complete sentences just yet.

   Teacher input

   Sure! Here’s a humanized version of the passage:

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   Model the opening paragraph of a response using Gerald Croft's Act Two admission about Daisy Renton: "I didn't install her there so that I could make love to her." Begin with a conceptual claim—Priestley presents power as inseparable from exploitation. Embed the quotation and analyze the defensive syntax in "I didn't install her… so that," which reveals Gerald's attempts to distance himself from responsibility. Then, zoom out to consider his class position and the 1912 setting, which highlights the inequalities that persisted into 1945. Keep the analytical verb at the front of each sentence to avoid plot summary.

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   Summary of Changes:

   • Adjusted phrasing for clarity and natural flow.
   • Ensured the meaning and structure remain intact while improving readability.

   Independent task

   Students are required to write a complete essay response (three to four paragraphs) to the question: 'How does Priestley present power and its abuse in An Inspector Calls?' They should discuss at least two characters from different generations, reference at least two Acts by their numbers, integrate and analyze a minimum of four quotations, and include one contextual point regarding Priestley's purpose in 1945. Essays will be submitted for summative marking.

   Exit ticket

   Underline the sentence in your essay that you believe best connects language analysis to Priestley's message. Next to it, write: 'This is my strongest sentence because…'

Activities

Assessment

• Lesson 1 exit ticket: student can name dramatic irony and locate it in Birling's Act One speeches — looking for understanding that the audience's hindsight is Priestley's satirical weapon.
• Lesson 2 completed timeline: looking for accurate attribution of each act of harm to the correct character, with direct quotation — checks whether students can navigate the play's structure.
• Lesson 3 exit ticket: student can explain the Inspector's final speech and connect it to a 1945 audience — looking for the link between the prophetic tricolon and Priestley's postwar message.
• Lesson 4 exit ticket: student can articulate why Priestley ends on a second phone call rather than resolution — looking for understanding of open endings as a structural choice that implicates the audience.
• Lesson 5 self-annotation: student identifies and justifies their strongest analytical sentence — looking for metacognitive awareness of what makes language analysis effective.

Standards covered

Common Core 11 12

• RL.11-12.1 — Cite strong and thorough textual evidence to support analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text.
• RL.11-12.3 — Analyse the impact of the author's choices regarding how to develop and relate elements of a story or drama (e.g. where a story is set, how the action is ordered, how the characters are introduced and developed).
• RL.11-12.5 — Analyse how an author's choices concerning how to structure specific parts of a text contribute to its overall structure and meaning as well as its aesthetic impact.
• RL.11-12.6 — Analyse a case in which grasping a point of view requires distinguishing what is directly stated in a text from what is really meant (e.g. satire, irony).

AP Literature

• Literary Argumentation (LAN-1) — Develop a thesis that makes a defensible claim about how Priestley's dramatic and linguistic choices in An Inspector Calls create meaning.
• Textual Evidence (STL-1) — Select and cite evidence from specific Acts and speeches (e.g. Birling's Act One irony, the Inspector's Act Three tricolon) to support literary analysis.
• Character and Narration (CHR-1) — Analyse how Priestley constructs contrasting characters (Sheila vs. Arthur Birling in Act Three) to convey a thematic argument about moral change.
• Structure and Effect (STR-1) — Explain how Priestley's structural choices — the single-room setting, the chain of interrogations, the ambiguous ending — contribute to the play's meaning.

AQA

• AO1 — Read, understand and respond to texts, maintaining a critical style and developing an informed personal response, with references to the text to support interpretations.
• AO2 — Analyse the language, form and structure used by Priestley to create meanings and effects, using relevant subject terminology (e.g. dramatic irony, tricolon, stage directions).
• AO3 — Show understanding of the relationships between An Inspector Calls and its contexts: Priestley's socialist convictions, the 1912 setting, and the 1945 premiere in the aftermath of World War II.
• AO4 — Use a range of vocabulary and sentence structures for clarity, purpose and effect, with accurate spelling and punctuation.