,1
,Table of Contents
Introduction .......................................................................................................................................... 3
How to write excellent essays ................................................................................................................ 4
Writing your essay:................................................................................................................................ 8
Terminology ........................................................................................................................................ 10
Context ............................................................................................................................................... 21
Time.................................................................................................................................................... 21
Socialism, Capitalism and Communism ................................................................................................ 23
Analysis of stage directions .................................................................................................................. 35
Mr Birling ........................................................................................................................................... 36
Mrs Birling .......................................................................................................................................... 41
Sheila .................................................................................................................................................. 44
Gerald ................................................................................................................................................. 48
Eric ..................................................................................................................................................... 51
The Inspector ...................................................................................................................................... 53
Eva ...................................................................................................................................................... 58
Test your understanding ...................................................................................................................... 65
What will my essay question be? ......................................................................................................... 67
Practice questions ................................................................................................................................ 68
Full example essays: ............................................................................................................................. 70
2
, Introduction
Over the years I have found that many of my students struggle with English Literature. They may have
an idea about a text, or a collection of ideas, but the problem comes in knowing how exactly to put these
down on paper. I tried to analyse why exactly students may face this problem and, in discovering this,
how to structure my materials to evade or correct these issues. I concluded that there was a real
disconnect in the way that students were being taught and the way that they are examined. Students go
into one lesson about terminology, then learn about historical and social context, then finally they read
the play. This means that all of these elements are separated during teaching and revision which creates
a fundamental problem as, to achieve high marks, students must formulate their essays in a way that
integrates all of these components seamlessly and to support a variety of interpretations.
So, how do we ensure that our essays are coherent and connected pieces of work? Essentially, we need
to form links between themes, characters and context, understanding the author’s views on society
thereby enabling us to explain how their writing can hint at what those beliefs are. You need to start
thinking about characters not as real people but as constructs, an invention of the author that conveys a
3
,Table of Contents
Introduction .......................................................................................................................................... 3
How to write excellent essays ................................................................................................................ 4
Writing your essay:................................................................................................................................ 8
Terminology ........................................................................................................................................ 10
Context ............................................................................................................................................... 21
Time.................................................................................................................................................... 21
Socialism, Capitalism and Communism ................................................................................................ 23
Analysis of stage directions .................................................................................................................. 35
Mr Birling ........................................................................................................................................... 36
Mrs Birling .......................................................................................................................................... 41
Sheila .................................................................................................................................................. 44
Gerald ................................................................................................................................................. 48
Eric ..................................................................................................................................................... 51
The Inspector ...................................................................................................................................... 53
Eva ...................................................................................................................................................... 58
Test your understanding ...................................................................................................................... 65
What will my essay question be? ......................................................................................................... 67
Practice questions ................................................................................................................................ 68
Full example essays: ............................................................................................................................. 70
2
, Introduction
Over the years I have found that many of my students struggle with English Literature. They may have
an idea about a text, or a collection of ideas, but the problem comes in knowing how exactly to put these
down on paper. I tried to analyse why exactly students may face this problem and, in discovering this,
how to structure my materials to evade or correct these issues. I concluded that there was a real
disconnect in the way that students were being taught and the way that they are examined. Students go
into one lesson about terminology, then learn about historical and social context, then finally they read
the play. This means that all of these elements are separated during teaching and revision which creates
a fundamental problem as, to achieve high marks, students must formulate their essays in a way that
integrates all of these components seamlessly and to support a variety of interpretations.
So, how do we ensure that our essays are coherent and connected pieces of work? Essentially, we need
to form links between themes, characters and context, understanding the author’s views on society
thereby enabling us to explain how their writing can hint at what those beliefs are. You need to start
thinking about characters not as real people but as constructs, an invention of the author that conveys a
3
