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GCSE English An Inspector Calls


Master GCSE English An Inspector Calls with our interactive study cards designed for effective learning. These flashcards use proven spaced repetition techniques to help you memorize key concepts, definitions, and facts. Perfect for students, professionals, and lifelong learners seeking to improve knowledge retention and ace exams through active recall practice.


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question

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Answer:

answer

Who wrote An Inspector Calls?

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Answer:

J.B. Priestley

In what year was An Inspector Calls first performed?

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Answer:

1945

When is the play set?

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Answer:

1912

Where does the play take place?

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Answer:

The Birling family dining room in Brumley

What is the name of the mysterious visitor?

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Answer:

Inspector Goole

What is Arthur Birling's occupation?

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Answer:

A wealthy businessman and factory owner

What is Sybil Birling's role in the community?

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Answer:

She chairs the Brumley Women's Charity Organisation

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What is Sheila Birling engaged to at the start?

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Answer:

Gerald Croft

What is Eric Birling's main problem?

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Answer:

He has a drinking problem

What business does Gerald Croft's family own?

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Answer:

Crofts Limited

What happened to Eva Smith?

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Answer:

She died by drinking disinfectant (suicide)

What was Eva Smith also known as?

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Answer:

Daisy Renton

Why did Arthur Birling fire Eva Smith?

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Answer:

She was a ringleader in asking for higher wages

What wages were the workers asking for?

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Answer:

Twenty-five shillings instead of twenty-two and six

Why did Sheila get Eva Smith fired from Milwards?

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Answer:

She was jealous of how the dress looked on Eva

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What was Gerald's relationship with Eva Smith?

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Answer:

He kept her as his mistress for several months

Where did Gerald install Eva Smith?

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Answer:

In rooms he rented for her

Why did Sybil Birling refuse Eva Smith help?

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Answer:

She used the name Mrs. Birling and seemed impertinent

What organization did Sybil Birling refuse Eva Smith from?

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Answer:

Her charity committee

Who is the father of Eva Smith's unborn child?

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Answer:

Eric Birling

How much money did Eric steal from his father's business?

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Answer:

About fifty pounds

What does Inspector Goole claim about Eva Smith's death?

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Answer:

That they all contributed to it

What is significant about the Inspector's name?

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Answer:

Goole sounds like "ghoul" - a supernatural being

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What dramatic technique does Priestley use with the Inspector's timing?

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Answer:

He arrives just as Birling is giving a speech about individual responsibility

What is Arthur Birling's prediction about the Titanic?

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Answer:

That it is unsinkable

What does Birling say about war?

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Answer:

There isn't a chance of war

What is ironic about Birling's predictions?

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Answer:

The audience knows they are all wrong

What does the Inspector represent?

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Answer:

The voice of social conscience

What is the main theme of the play?

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Answer:

Social responsibility

How does Priestley show class differences?

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Answer:

Through the contrast between the Birlings' wealth and Eva's poverty

What does the engagement ring symbolize?

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Answer:

The privilege and security of the upper classes

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What does Eva Smith represent?

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Answer:

The working class and victims of capitalism

What is significant about Eva Smith's name?

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Answer:

Eva suggests "everywoman" - she represents all working-class women

What technique does Priestley use by setting the play in 1912?

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Answer:

Dramatic irony - the audience knows what will happen

Why is the 1912 setting significant?

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Answer:

It's just before World War I and major social changes

What does the Inspector's final speech warn about?

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Answer:

Fire and blood and anguish if we don't learn responsibility

How does the play end?

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Answer:

With news that a real inspector is coming

What is the effect of the circular structure?

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Answer:

It suggests the cycle will continue unless people change

What does Arthur Birling value most?

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Answer:

Money and social status

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How does Arthur Birling view his workers?

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Answer:

As cheap labor to maximize profit

What is Arthur Birling's attitude to social responsibility?

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Answer:

He believes people should only look after themselves

What does Sybil Birling represent?

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Answer:

Upper-class prejudice and moral blindness

How does Sybil Birling justify refusing Eva Smith help?

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Answer:

She claims Eva was putting on airs

What is Gerald Croft's main concern?

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Answer:

Protecting his and his family's reputation

How does Gerald try to help Eva Smith?

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Answer:

He rescues her from Alderman Meggarty and provides for her

What is Eric Birling's relationship with his father?

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Answer:

Tense and distant

How does Eric get money for Eva Smith?

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Answer:

He steals it from his father's office

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What does Sheila Birling learn during the play?

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Answer:

To accept responsibility for her actions

How does Sheila change throughout the play?

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Answer:

She becomes more socially aware and moral

What is the significance of Sheila returning the engagement ring?

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Answer:

She rejects Gerald and what he represents

What does the Inspector teach about consequences?

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Answer:

That our actions affect others

What is Priestley's message about collective responsibility?

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Answer:

We are all members of one body

What dramatic device does Priestley use to reveal information?

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Answer:

The Inspector questions each character in turn

How does Priestley create tension?

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Answer:

Through the Inspector's controlled interrogation

What is the effect of the single set?

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Answer:

It creates claustrophobia and intensity

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How does lighting change during the play?

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Answer:

From pink and intimate to brighter and harder

What does the pink lighting at the start represent?

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Answer:

False security and complacency

What does the brighter lighting represent?

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Answer:

Truth and harsh reality being revealed

What is significant about the Inspector's physical presence?

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Answer:

He dominates the stage and controls the action

How does Priestley use stage directions?

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Answer:

To show character relationships and power dynamics

What is the role of dramatic irony in the play?

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Answer:

The audience knows more than the characters

What does Priestley criticize about capitalism?

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Answer:

Its exploitation of workers and lack of social responsibility

How does the play reflect socialist views?

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Answer:

It promotes collective responsibility over individualism

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What historical context influenced the play?

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Answer:

The Russian Revolution and rise of socialism

What is the significance of Eva Smith never appearing on stage?

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Answer:

She remains a symbol rather than an individual

How does Priestley show generational differences?

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Answer:

Younger characters are more willing to change

What does the Inspector's exit represent?

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Answer:

The possibility of moral awakening

What is the importance of the telephone call at the end?

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Answer:

It suggests the events will repeat

How does Priestley use the Inspector as a dramatic device?

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Answer:

As a catalyst to reveal truth and hypocrisy

What does Arthur Birling's knighthood represent?

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Answer:

His desire for social advancement

What is the effect of the play being set in one evening?

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Answer:

It creates unity of time and intensifies drama

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How does Priestley show moral blindness?

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Answer:

Through characters who refuse to accept responsibility

What does the Inspector mean by "we are responsible for each other"?

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Answer:

Society should care for all its members

How does the play criticize the class system?

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Answer:

It shows how the wealthy exploit the poor

What is the significance of World War I in the context?

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Answer:

It brought social change and challenged class structures

How does Priestley use contrast in characterization?

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Answer:

Between older characters (unchanging) and younger ones (learning)

What does Eva Smith's death symbolize?

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Answer:

The destruction caused by selfish capitalism

How does the Inspector function as Priestley's mouthpiece?

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Answer:

He voices the playwright's socialist beliefs

What is the moral lesson of the play?

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Answer:

That we must take responsibility for our impact on others

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How does Priestley create a sense of mystery?

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Answer:

Through the Inspector's knowledge and timing

What does the play suggest about guilt?

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Answer:

That it must be acknowledged before redemption is possible

How does the ending challenge the audience?

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Answer:

It asks whether they will learn from the Birlings' example

What is the significance of the Inspector's methodical approach?

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Answer:

It ensures each character's guilt is revealed

How does Priestley show hypocrisy?

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Answer:

Through characters who preach morality but act selfishly

What does the play suggest about social change?

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Answer:

That it requires individual moral transformation

How does the Inspector's departure affect the family?

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Answer:

It temporarily relieves them but doesn't change them

What is the role of Eva Smith's photograph?

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Answer:

It's used selectively to manipulate each character

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How does Priestley present women in the play?

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Answer:

As victims of male-dominated society

What does the play say about the abuse of power?

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Answer:

That those with power often exploit those without

How does the Inspector challenge Arthur Birling's authority?

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Answer:

By taking control of the questioning and situation

What is the significance of Eric's drinking?

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Answer:

It represents his inability to cope with family pressure

How does the play reflect post-war attitudes?

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Answer:

It calls for social reform and collective responsibility

What does the final revelation about the Inspector suggest?

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Answer:

That moral truth exists regardless of his identity

How does Priestley use dramatic timing?

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Answer:

Each revelation comes at the perfect moment for maximum impact

What is the effect of the Inspector's calm demeanor?

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Answer:

It contrasts with the family's growing panic

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How does the play show the interconnectedness of society?

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Answer:

Through Eva Smith's connections to all the characters

What does Priestley suggest about moral courage?

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Answer:

That it requires standing up for your principles

How does the ending leave the audience?

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Answer:

With questions about their own moral responsibility

What is the ultimate message of An Inspector Calls?

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Answer:

That we must build a more just and caring society

How does the play remain relevant today?

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Answer:

Its themes of social responsibility and inequality persist

What does the circular structure suggest about human nature?

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Answer:

That people often resist learning from their mistakes

How does Priestley balance entertainment with message?

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Answer:

Through compelling drama that delivers serious social criticism

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