Post by The Thought Police (admin) on May 13, 2013 12:14:03 GMT -5
Choose a play in which there is conflict between two characters...
Explain what the conflict is and go on to show how it highlights the key concerns of the play.
Intro - Conflict is between Sheila and Arthur Birling. Conflict arising due to the visit of the police Inspector who forces them to confront their own responsibility for the death of Eva Smith Conflict is due to the way that the two characters view their responsibility.
Par 1) On the arrival of the police Inspector, Priestley reveals how each of the main characters has treated Eva Smith. He sparks conflict between Mr Birling and Sheila as Sheila sees how her own father has treated the girl.
- Outline how Birling has treated Eva Smith.
- Outline his attitude towards Eva Smith - He sees himself as ‘a hard‐headed practicalman of business’
- He has no care for taking responsibility for others - ‘a hard‐headed practicalman of business’
However, Sheila has now seen another side to her father and challenges his views - 'These girls are not cheap labour; they're people'
- Explain what Sheila means by this
- What does she think of her father's attitude
- How are we supposed to view Birling at this point
Par 2) Birling's attitude towards Sheila lso deteriorates. He begins to view her as a girl instead of a woman and begins to patronise her.
He interrupts her frequently and tries to shut down her protests. The family's attitude towards her is best expressed through Mrs Birlins's view
-(To Sheila) ‘when you’remarried, you’llrealise thatmen with important work
to do sometimes have to spend alltheirtime and energy on their business.
You’ll have to get used to that, just asI had.’
- This clearly shows the social situation young women like Sheila found themselves in. She has a particularly low status in the house as a woman, which again illustrates Priestley's view of prejudice and provides further grounds for the conflict.
Par 3) Priestley continues the conflict when the Inspector questions Sheila about her involvement with Eva Smith
- Explain how Sheila treated Eva Smith
- Explain that instead of siding with her father and joining forces against the Inspector, Sheila actually sees the wrong she has done the poor girl.
- Sheila leaves the room in tears as soon as she has seen the photograph and knows what she has done.
- Much more genuine reaction
- Instantly accepts responsibility
-‘I know I’mto blame and I’mdesperately sorry.'
-‘I felt rotten aboutit atthe time and now Ifeel a lot worse.’
Par 4) The conflict intensifies in the play's climax as the characters review how far they feel truly responsible. In the false ending, they believe for a moment that the Inspector was not real and may have escaped from being legally blamed for the death of Eva Smith.
Birling continues the conflict with Sheila, and indeed Eric:
- 'You should have seen the look on your faces'
- Birling imitates the Inspector 'You all helped to kill her'
- He finds the situation highly amusing and seems to forget that only a moment ago he wished he could 'give thousands' to take it back.
- Explain why this is the case - how far he=ad he really changed
- Sheila is not at all amused and quite sarcastically says: -'I suppose we're all nice people now'
- She believes that she has learned something about herself and has understood the Inspector's lesson
- Explain what he was trying to teach them about being responsible
- 'Thousands of Eva Smiths and John Smiths.
'We are members of one body. We are responsible for each other.'
Conclusion,
- Conflict over the nature of taking responsibility and admitting actions were wrong, taking responsibility for how you affect others.
Explain what the conflict is and go on to show how it highlights the key concerns of the play.
Intro - Conflict is between Sheila and Arthur Birling. Conflict arising due to the visit of the police Inspector who forces them to confront their own responsibility for the death of Eva Smith Conflict is due to the way that the two characters view their responsibility.
Par 1) On the arrival of the police Inspector, Priestley reveals how each of the main characters has treated Eva Smith. He sparks conflict between Mr Birling and Sheila as Sheila sees how her own father has treated the girl.
- Outline how Birling has treated Eva Smith.
- Outline his attitude towards Eva Smith - He sees himself as ‘a hard‐headed practicalman of business’
- He has no care for taking responsibility for others - ‘a hard‐headed practicalman of business’
However, Sheila has now seen another side to her father and challenges his views - 'These girls are not cheap labour; they're people'
- Explain what Sheila means by this
- What does she think of her father's attitude
- How are we supposed to view Birling at this point
Par 2) Birling's attitude towards Sheila lso deteriorates. He begins to view her as a girl instead of a woman and begins to patronise her.
He interrupts her frequently and tries to shut down her protests. The family's attitude towards her is best expressed through Mrs Birlins's view
-(To Sheila) ‘when you’remarried, you’llrealise thatmen with important work
to do sometimes have to spend alltheirtime and energy on their business.
You’ll have to get used to that, just asI had.’
- This clearly shows the social situation young women like Sheila found themselves in. She has a particularly low status in the house as a woman, which again illustrates Priestley's view of prejudice and provides further grounds for the conflict.
Par 3) Priestley continues the conflict when the Inspector questions Sheila about her involvement with Eva Smith
- Explain how Sheila treated Eva Smith
- Explain that instead of siding with her father and joining forces against the Inspector, Sheila actually sees the wrong she has done the poor girl.
- Sheila leaves the room in tears as soon as she has seen the photograph and knows what she has done.
- Much more genuine reaction
- Instantly accepts responsibility
-‘I know I’mto blame and I’mdesperately sorry.'
-‘I felt rotten aboutit atthe time and now Ifeel a lot worse.’
Par 4) The conflict intensifies in the play's climax as the characters review how far they feel truly responsible. In the false ending, they believe for a moment that the Inspector was not real and may have escaped from being legally blamed for the death of Eva Smith.
Birling continues the conflict with Sheila, and indeed Eric:
- 'You should have seen the look on your faces'
- Birling imitates the Inspector 'You all helped to kill her'
- He finds the situation highly amusing and seems to forget that only a moment ago he wished he could 'give thousands' to take it back.
- Explain why this is the case - how far he=ad he really changed
- Sheila is not at all amused and quite sarcastically says: -'I suppose we're all nice people now'
- She believes that she has learned something about herself and has understood the Inspector's lesson
- Explain what he was trying to teach them about being responsible
- 'Thousands of Eva Smiths and John Smiths.
'We are members of one body. We are responsible for each other.'
Conclusion,
- Conflict over the nature of taking responsibility and admitting actions were wrong, taking responsibility for how you affect others.