Lesson Ten – Exit of Inspector
p56 to end of play
Learning Objectives
By the end of the lesson:
- Students will develop critical opinions about the Inspector’s identity (AO1) and evaluate the effect of the play’s ending. (AO1)
Starter Activity
Students to discuss with their learning partner which character they think is to blame for Eva/Daisy’s death now that they have heard all the confessions. Remind them to find evidence from the text to support what they say.
Introduction
Look at what Sheila says on p 58 – ‘The point is, you don’t seem to have learnt anything.’ Ask students what the various characters would have learnt from their encounter with the Inspector. Which character has most to learn? Have any of them learnt anything?
Development
Eric and Sheila are the first to wonder about the timing of the Inspector’s visit and whether he is what he seemed to be.
- Eric points out what Mr Birling said just before the Inspector called ‘a man has to make his own way, look after himself and mind his own business’. Students to think of 2 or 3 instances in the play which illustrates this attitude.
- Sheila asks ‘was he really a police inspector?’ Students to look back to when the Inspector first enters – who calls him a police inspector? What does he call himself?
- What are the differing attitudes to this idea by the various members of the family? – Mr and Mrs Birling think they’re off the hook; Eric and Sheila think it makes no difference. Students to discuss which they agree with in pairs/small groups.
Main Activity
Look at Eric’s statement ‘He was our police inspector all right’. What is this suggesting? Students to contrast the different reactions of Mr Birling, Mrs Birling, Eric and…
