An Inspector Calls by
J.B Priestley
, Who was J.B Priestley?
• John Boyton Priestley was born in Bradford, Yorkshire in 1894 to a Victorian family. Sadly, his mother died the same
year and his father remarried when he was a toddler.
• Priestley decided that he wanted to work rather than to go to university. He wanted to become a writer and he
believed working and seeing how the world worked would inspire him. He became a junior clerk at a local wool firm.
• Unfortunately, it was during this time that WW1 was declared and as a young and healthy man it was his duty to
fight. In the trenches Priestley experienced horrifying and traumatic experiences. On one occasion he narrowly
escaped being killed when a German shell exploded a few metres from him. He was also a victim of a gas attack.
• After surviving the war Priestley decided to go to Cambridge University to study History and Politics. But, Priestley
did not enjoy being a student and left in 1921 to become a writer in London with his new wife.
• For the next decade Priestley became very successful in his writing and received some very positive reviews for his
novels and plays. Many of his plays had political messages because Priestley was a socialist; he understood that
people’s actions have an effect on other people and as a socialist Priestley believed that we must care for one
another and be considerate to all people of all walks of life.
• WW2 broke out in 1939 and the major cities of Britain were bombed. People began to realise that to survive they
had to look out for one another and to care for not just family and friends but neighbours and strangers.
• It was during this difficult time that Priestley wrote An Inspector Calls. In 1945, the year that the war ended, the
play was published and a production was put on.
• Priestley lived long past the war and passed away in 1984. Because we understand that we are responsible for one
another the play is still enjoyable and relevant today.
, Context
1945-
1901- Queen Germany
Victoria died. surrenders
King Edward VII, and WW2
her son, became ends. 60
king. The era April 15th 1912- 1918- Germany 1930s- America is bankrupted which million people
changed from the Titanic surrenders and effects the rest of the world. It was were killed
the Victorian era sank. WW1 ends. named the Great Depression. Adolf Hitler including
and became the Approximately Approximately 8 becomes the Fuhrer (dictator) of Holocaust
Edwardian era. 1,500 people million lost their Germany. victims,
died. lives. soldiers and
1910- King civilians. This
Edward VII 1914- 1920s- A time of prosperity. 1939- WW2 was 2.5% of
died and his WW1 broke out. the world’s
son, King broke population.
George v, took out.
the throne.
1918- Women were given the vote
Spring 1912- The play is During WW1 no and although men were still 1945- ‘An Inspector Calls’
set two weeks before matter how considered the superior gender was published during a
the Titanic sank and rich or poor this was a monumental step for time when Britain was in
two years before WW1 young men women’s rights. great disorder. People had
broke out. During this were they were learnt to ‘pull together’
period there was a very forced to during this time they had
strict social hierarchy conscript to to take care of one
where the rich and the the armed 1916- Priestley served during WW1
and was wounded in 1916 by mortar another and this is an
poor were divided. The forces and important moral message
rich generally did not fire. His experiences during the
fight the in the play.
care about the poor. Germans. What war, like so many other soldiers,
The capitalists took do you suppose changed his perception of society.
charge of the country; the implication
there was no welfare would be for
system so this was a the characters
laissez-faire society. in the play?
J.B Priestley
, Who was J.B Priestley?
• John Boyton Priestley was born in Bradford, Yorkshire in 1894 to a Victorian family. Sadly, his mother died the same
year and his father remarried when he was a toddler.
• Priestley decided that he wanted to work rather than to go to university. He wanted to become a writer and he
believed working and seeing how the world worked would inspire him. He became a junior clerk at a local wool firm.
• Unfortunately, it was during this time that WW1 was declared and as a young and healthy man it was his duty to
fight. In the trenches Priestley experienced horrifying and traumatic experiences. On one occasion he narrowly
escaped being killed when a German shell exploded a few metres from him. He was also a victim of a gas attack.
• After surviving the war Priestley decided to go to Cambridge University to study History and Politics. But, Priestley
did not enjoy being a student and left in 1921 to become a writer in London with his new wife.
• For the next decade Priestley became very successful in his writing and received some very positive reviews for his
novels and plays. Many of his plays had political messages because Priestley was a socialist; he understood that
people’s actions have an effect on other people and as a socialist Priestley believed that we must care for one
another and be considerate to all people of all walks of life.
• WW2 broke out in 1939 and the major cities of Britain were bombed. People began to realise that to survive they
had to look out for one another and to care for not just family and friends but neighbours and strangers.
• It was during this difficult time that Priestley wrote An Inspector Calls. In 1945, the year that the war ended, the
play was published and a production was put on.
• Priestley lived long past the war and passed away in 1984. Because we understand that we are responsible for one
another the play is still enjoyable and relevant today.
, Context
1945-
1901- Queen Germany
Victoria died. surrenders
King Edward VII, and WW2
her son, became ends. 60
king. The era April 15th 1912- 1918- Germany 1930s- America is bankrupted which million people
changed from the Titanic surrenders and effects the rest of the world. It was were killed
the Victorian era sank. WW1 ends. named the Great Depression. Adolf Hitler including
and became the Approximately Approximately 8 becomes the Fuhrer (dictator) of Holocaust
Edwardian era. 1,500 people million lost their Germany. victims,
died. lives. soldiers and
1910- King civilians. This
Edward VII 1914- 1920s- A time of prosperity. 1939- WW2 was 2.5% of
died and his WW1 broke out. the world’s
son, King broke population.
George v, took out.
the throne.
1918- Women were given the vote
Spring 1912- The play is During WW1 no and although men were still 1945- ‘An Inspector Calls’
set two weeks before matter how considered the superior gender was published during a
the Titanic sank and rich or poor this was a monumental step for time when Britain was in
two years before WW1 young men women’s rights. great disorder. People had
broke out. During this were they were learnt to ‘pull together’
period there was a very forced to during this time they had
strict social hierarchy conscript to to take care of one
where the rich and the the armed 1916- Priestley served during WW1
and was wounded in 1916 by mortar another and this is an
poor were divided. The forces and important moral message
rich generally did not fire. His experiences during the
fight the in the play.
care about the poor. Germans. What war, like so many other soldiers,
The capitalists took do you suppose changed his perception of society.
charge of the country; the implication
there was no welfare would be for
system so this was a the characters
laissez-faire society. in the play?
