The Inspector: Planning an exam response for An Inspector Calls
A carefully scaffolded essay question planning resource to guide KS4 students through the process of planning a GCSE English Literature exam answer on the presentation of the Inspector in J.B. Priestley's iconic play, An Inspector Calls.
The essay planning worksheet focuses on the role of Inspector Goole in the play and includes sentence starters, a word bank of subject terminology (including words related to historical context) and a paragraph plan to complete, as well as some key quotes from the play to analyse. Students may also wish to consider Priestley’s use of stage directions.
Students plan their answer to the following exam question:
What is the importance of the Inspector and how does Priestley present him?
This exam-style essay question could easily be adapted to suit the question rubric of any GCSE English Literature exam board, including AQA.
You might also like a similar essay planning resource on Mrs Birling.
Example paragraph from the essay plan:
Paragraph 1: What is the importance of the Inspector dramatically? Why is he a key character in the play? Whose opinions does he voice?
Paragraph 2: How is the Inspector presented through his language?
Paragraph 3: How is the Inspector presented? What is the effect of the Inspector on other characters? (Students could consider Gerald Croft, Sheila Birling, Eric Birling, Mrs Birling etc.)
Subject terminology word bank for students:
character, playwright, audience, social class, J.B. Priestley, capitalist/capitalism socialist/socialism, social responsibility, questions, moral voice, mouthpiece, accusing, interrogation, responsibility, function, representative, trope, firm, impatient
