Social Changes in Britain: 1850-1946

1. An Inspector Calls Revision on context, character and theme

2. Context – use the following pages to make notes on key events 1912-1946 The Class System (1850-1900) Changes in Britain (1906-1930s) Women and feminism Politics

3. Women and the birth of feminism Although there had been some advances in women's rights, women were not equal to men in the 19th century. In particular, they did not have the vote in Parliamentary elections. • • Campaign groups In 1897, Millicent Fawcett organised the National Union of Women's Suffrage Societies (NUWSS – the Suffragists) to campaign peacefully for the vote. In 1903, the Women's Social and Political Union (WSPU – the Suffragettes) was formed, led by Emmeline Pankhurst. The Suffragettes used violent protest, famously breaking windows and chaining themselves to railings. Another group campaigning for the vote was the East London Federation of Suffragettes (1913), under Sylvia Pankhurst. Despite all the campaign efforts, women had not won the vote by 1914: Parliament rejected every bill to give women the vote. Male members held strong views about the weakness of women. The Women's National Anti-Suffrage League (1908) campaigned against votes for women. When the First World War broke out, the Suffragettes and Suffragists stopped most of their campaign. However all this started to change after the First World War. During the war women contributed greatly to the war effort and kept the country going while the men were away. In 1918, the government passed the Representation of the People Act giving the vote to all men over the age of 21 and women over the age of 30 who were householders or married to a householder. The campaign for women's suffrage finally succeeded in 1928, when women were granted exactly the same voting rights as men • • • • • • • •

4. The Class System (1850-1900) • British people in the 19th century were often aware that they were living in a revolutionary age. They were excited by their world. Britannia 'ruled the waves' and they were surrounded by change. The Industrial Revolution brought factories, mines and machinery. Towns grew rapidly and with them came slums as well as elegant city centres. Steam trains and the Royal Mail made communication easier. There were massive advances in medicine and public health. Political and social reforms changed people's lives and at a personal level, there were lots of little developments from umbrellas to bicycles. Steam engine workshop The Victorian age was a time of confidence. The Victorians thought that, even if their society was not yet perfect, they were just about to achieve perfection. They believed in self-help, and emphasised strict morals. By 1851, British society had become divided into social classes: The aristocracy were powerful and wealthy. The middle-class, who ran the businesses, were ambitious and growing in wealth. The poor - in the villages, in the towns and working as servants in the homes of the rich – were very poor. By 1900 the class system remained, but it was beginning to break apart: The aristocracy had lost their power over Parliament and some were beginning to experience financial problems. Middle-class businessmen were facing competition from Germany and America. The working-class were beginning to grow in prosperity and influence. • • • • • • • • • • •

5. World events and changes in Britain • In 1901 found that 28 per cent of the population did not have the minimum to live on at some time of their life. Between 1906-1914 a wave of reforms were passed which helped children, old people get pension and better pay for the working classes. Strikes, especially in 1910-12, and trade unions, which helped working class people join together to improve working conditions, meant politicians feared that, unless standards of living improved for the workers, they might turn to Communism or rebellion. In May 1926, Britain's miners walked out and in a move of solidarity, other industry workers joined them - this was the first ever general strike in Britain. The Great Depression (which started in America) affected 1930s Britain. It saw an age of poverty and prosperity. While many poorer people were left unemployed and in poor accommodation, other wealthier people managed to grow their wealth. In 1942, the Liberal politicianWilliam Beveridge, was given the task of discovering what kind of Britain people wanted to see after the war. He tackled poverty, disease, ignorance, squalor and idleness by setting up a welfare state with social security, a national health service, free education, council housing and full employment. • • • • •

6. Politics and the rise of the Labour Party • Capitalism (in Britain after the Medieval times) is unconcerned about equality. It is argued that inequality is essential to encourage innovation and economic development. Private businesses will be owned by private individuals. Socialism (created after the French Revolution) is concerned with redistributing resources from the rich to the poor. This is to ensure everyone has both equal opportunities and equal outcomes. The State will own and control the main means of production. In some models of socialism, ownership would not be by the government but worker cooperatives. The Conservative party follows capitalist values and the Liberal Party followed values that looked towards changing society. The Labour Party was created in 1906 out of a socialist propaganda group. It helped to get more working class people the vote and support their values. In 1924 Labour and the Liberals formed a coalition government with Ramsay MacDonald as the first Labour prime minister. • • • • •

7. Fill in the gaps for Eva’s timeline

8. Mind maps 1. Use the questions to start your revision 2. Include quotations to support your comments 3. What can we infer from the quote in each case? 4. Is there a language/dramatic/structural technique used, if so why? 5. What are the possible connotations of a particular word? 6. Does this link to another part in the play? Is there any context linked to this or a theme? 7. How might different audiences react?

9. Character development • Why are they important to the play? What do they represent? Think context and their role in the play. • How do they interact with other characters? Do they take sides? If so against whom? • How do they change (if at all)? How is this shown through their speech or behaviour?

10. How do they change throughout the play? Eric Why are they important to the play? How are they presented? How to they interact with others?

11. How do they change throughout the play? Sheila Why are they important to the play? How are they presented? How to they interact with others?

12. How do they change throughout the play? Arthur Birling Why are they important to the play? How are they presented? How to they interact with others?

13. How do they change throughout the play? Sybil Birling Why are they important to the play? How are they presented? How to they interact with others?

14. How do they change throughout the play? Gerald Why are they important to the play? How are they presented? How to they interact with others?

15. How do they change throughout the play? The Inspector Why are they important to the play? How are they presented? How to they interact with others?

16. Key themes • How are the following themes presented in the play? • Think about how each theme divides groups of characters • Which quotations apply to each theme? • How does each theme relate to context? • How might different audiences react?

17. Responsibility

18. Class

19. Age

20. Class

21. Wealth

22. Power/ authority

23. Truth

24. Gender

25. Political views

26. Ignorance vs. knowledge

27. Key quotations • For each quotation write who says it to whom and when it is said • Write down what it shows about the character speaking or other characters involved • How does it link to key themes? • How does it link to context? • Why is it key to the plot? (structure) • Are there any language/dramatic techniques used? • How would different readers/audiences react? Think about the critics I gave you (Marxist, feminist etc.)

28. Why - you fool he knows. Of course he knows…You’ll see. You’ll see

29. Men with important work to do […] spend nearly all their time and energy on business. You’ll have to get used to that just as I had to

30. You’re just the kind of son-in-law I always wanted

31. Oh! - It’s wonderful! Look mummy - isn’t it a beauty?

32. Everything to lose and nothing to gain by war

33. That’s something this public school and Varsity life you’ve had doesn’t seem to teach you

34. You see? No, I don’t. And please be quiet Sheila.

35. You’ve had children. You must have known what she was feeling. And you slammed the door in her face.

36. She was claiming elaborate fine feelings and scruples that were simply ab surd in a girl in her position

37. That’s just the way I feel, Eric. And that’s what they don’t seem to understand.

38. Now look at the pair of them – the famous younger generation who know it all.

39. Academic writing • Specialist terminology (sonnet not poem) • Mini-quotes – judicious/precise • Contextual awareness • Structural reference • Participle phrase (portraying not this portrays) • Adverbial/subordinate clause (surely) • Tier two vocabulary (tyrannical not powerful)

40. Participle Phrases and Subordinates Sheila is presented as immature for someone in their ‘early twenties’. She addresses her parents as ‘mummy’ and ‘daddy’. This implies she is childish. It is also affectionate. This shows that she (perhaps naively) likes her parents. Inference Image and atmosphere Comparison suggests establishes contrasts implies creates contradicts connotes establishes juxtaposes indicates constructs reinforces shows devises refers Sheila is presented as immature for someone in their ‘early twenties’ when she addresses her parents as ‘mummy’ and ‘daddy’, implying that she is childish and illustrating her affection towards them, expressing the liking she (perhaps naively) has for her parents. expresses develops alludes demonstrates epitomises opposes symbolises outlines supports represents encapsulates develops illustrates reveals signifies intimates insinuates typifies

41. Academic Sheila, whose name means ‘blind’, is presented as immature for someone in their ‘early twenties’ when she addresses her parents as ‘mummy’ and ‘daddy’, implying that she is childish and illustrating her affection towards them, expressing the liking she (perhaps naively) has for her parents. However, after the climax of the play she sees Sybil in a new light, calling her ‘mother’, clearly suggesting that she has matured. This change could represent the change in women’s place in society as the younger generation embraced the feminist movement. This development makes the audience warm to Sheila. Specialist terminology Mini-quotes – judicious/precise Contextual awareness Structural reference Participle phrase Adverbial/subordinate clause Tier two vocabulary Writing