related to written works, especially those with artistic or intellectual value

a political ideology that believes in equality and shared ownership of resources and production

background information that helps readers understand a text

a broad statement or idea that applies to a group of people or things, often based on limited evidence

Using context effectively in writing about 'An Inspector Calls'

English

In 'Animal Farm: The Pigs and Power', pupils develop a clear understanding of the plot, main characters and themes of the novella. In the second exploration unit, 'Animal Farm: Barriers to Leadership', pupils undertake more nuanced analysis of the pigs grasp for power.

In 'Lord of the Flies', pupils explore how power corrupts and destroys communities. 'In Animal Farm: The Pigs and Power', pupils focus on how power corrupts the pigs, leading to the downfall of their utopian dream.

In this unit, pupils start their exploration of the characters, themes and ideas in 'An Inspector Calls'. They first look at the key context behind the play, before exploring each of the main characters and themes. They finally plan and write an essay about the role of responsibility in the play.

Modern text: first study

Historic or outdated representations of people that may portray inequality or injustice.

Depiction or discussion of discriminatory behaviour

Depiction or discussion of serious mental health issues including eating disorders, self-harm, suicide or attempted suicide, or the aftermath of such an event.

Depiction or discussion of mental health issues

what was happening when the text was written

what influenced the text's style or genre

what the shared values and ideas of the time period were

what the life experiences of the writer were

In every 'An Inspector Calls' essay, you should include context where relevant. Match the type of context to its definition.

J.B. Priestley was influenced by his service in WW1. What type of context is this?

Is the answer true or false? Context should focus on isolated historical facts.

to demonstrate your knowledge of historical facts

to support the overarching argument of the essay

to provide background information about the writer

to avoid making generalisations about societal norms

Why is it important for contextual points to be anchored to the text in analytical essays?

including the catch all phrase 'at the time'

making sure context is encapsulated in one sentence at the end of each paragraph

placing all your contextual knowledge in one paragraph at the end of your essay

Which of the following could allow for meaningful use of context in an English literature essay?

when every quotation is analysed a word at a time

evidence which supports your topic sentence

analysis of writer's methods exemplified through evidence

Which of the following can make for compelling evidence in an English literature essay?

In what year is 'An Inspector Calls' set?

In what year was 'An Inspector Calls' first performed?

In 'An Inspector Calls', which social class does the Birling family represent?

social responsibility and class inequality

In 'An Inspector Calls', which societal issue is central to the play’s themes?

Which political ideology did J.B. Priestley, the writer of 'An Inspector Calls', strongly support?

introduce the main quotations of the paragraph

analyse how the language contributes to the argument

In essay writing, which of the following should a topic sentence do?

Content guidance

Depiction or discussion of discriminatory behaviour

Depiction or discussion of mental health issues

Adult supervision required

Starter Quiz