Year 11 - English
Naturalism and expressionism in 'An Inspector Calls'
'An Inspector Calls': Priestley's theatrical strategy; politics, genre, and form
Study Hub
Study Guides
This pupil-friendly study guide includes a unit summary, clear notes, common mistakes, and quick questions with answers.
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 analyse how Priestley uses conventions of naturalism and expressionism to support his political agenda.
Key Notes
- Naturalism presents realistic settings and characters to critique social and economic inequalities.
- Priestley uses naturalism to expose class disparities, making his political message convincing.
- Expressionism emphasises emotions, symbolism, and exaggerated elements to highlight societal flaws.
- Priestley's use of expressionism critiques capitalism and class hierarchies, supporting his political agenda.
- Daldry's staging enhances expressionism, symbolising the Birlings' moral decay and societal consequences.
Vocabulary To Learn
- naturalism: a style of theatre that portrays life realistically
- expressionism: a style that emphasises emotion and individual perception, often distorting reality for effect
- heredity: the passing of traits from parents to offspring, influencing behaviour and characteristics
- symbolic: representing something beyond its literal meaning, often used to convey deeper or abstract concepts
- radical: relating to or advocating for significant change or transformation, often challenging traditional views
Common Mistakes To Avoid
- Naturalism and expressionism are too different and cannot be used together in the same play.
3 Quick Questions (With Answers)
1. Explain this English learning goal in two key points.
Naturalism presents realistic settings and characters to critique social and economic inequalities. Priestley uses naturalism to expose class disparities, making his political message convincing.
2. Define this language term and use it in a sentence. 'naturalism'
a style of theatre that portrays life realistically.
3. Correct this common English misunderstanding.
Mistake: Naturalism and expressionism are too different and cannot be used together in the same play. Correction: Arguably, Priestley blends both styles. Naturalism makes the setting realistic, while expressionism distorts reality to highlight emotional and symbolic themes, strengthening his political message.
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
- Narrative voice and subjective truth 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
Browse all guides in the Year 11 English guide library.