Study Guides

Unit Summary

In this unit, pupils look at how Priestly uses dramatic forms to present his ideas. They look at naturalism and expressionism, before thinking about how the play fits with Brechtian theatre and the morality play tradition. They finally write about how Priestly uses form to present his ideas.

Lesson Summary

You will learn to explain how Priestley uses narrative voice and a fragmented narrative to present subjective truth and bias.

Key Notes

• Priestley uses multiple narrators to show how truth is subjective and shaped by bias.
• The fragmented narrative encourages the audience to question the reliability of each account.
• Arguably, Priestley uses this technique to critique class inequality and the lack of moral introspection.
• The Inspector could be interpreted as an unreliable narrator in how he controls the narrative.
• The use of multiple character narration and a fragmented narrative can be linked to political theatre traditions.

Vocabulary To Learn

• bias: a personal preference or prejudice that skews judgment or interpretation of events
• fragmented: broken into separate parts
• subjective: based on personal opinions, feelings, or experiences rather than objective facts
• narrative: a story or account of events
• manipulate: to control or influence others, typically in a deceptive or unfair way, to achieve a specific outcome

Common Mistakes To Avoid

• The Inspector can only be interpreted as representing absolute truth, as he always speaks with authority and moral certainty.

3 Quick Questions (With Answers)

More Lessons In This Unit

• 'An Inspector Calls' and the morality play tradition Study Guide
• 'An Inspector Calls' as Brechtian theatre and socialist realism Study Guide
• Considering 'An Inspector Calls' as a political text Study Guide
• Naturalism and expressionism in 'An Inspector Calls' Study Guide
• Using context effectively in 'An Inspector Calls' essays Study Guide
• Writing a response on 'An Inspector Calls' and theatrical traditions Study Guide