In Section B you are required to focus on the plot, setting(s), character(s), theme(s) of the play you have studied. For your response, you need to determine which parts of the play you will refer to in your answer. AO1 requires you to develop an informed personal response while maintaining a critical style throughout. Well-chosen references should be an integral part of your response.
When approaching Section B, it is important to consider the quotation that you have been given at the beginning of the question. The intention of the quotation is to prompt your thinking and to give you a starting point for your answer. Below is an example of this from the play An Inspector Calls:
Birling: “I speak as a hard-headed business man, who has to take risks and knows what he’s about…”
In what ways is Mr Arthur Birling important throughout the play?
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Quotation Prompt
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Supporting quote(s)
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Interpretations (AO1)
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“I speak as a hard-headed business man, who has to take risks and knows what he’s about…”
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“social superior”
“now you’ve brought us together”
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Arthur Birling is important as he is the head of the Birling family who are central to the play. Priestley’s opening stage directions describe Arthur Birling as a wealthy and successful businessman, with a wife who is his “social superior”. The engagement between Gerald and Sheila is viewed by Birling as more of a benefit to his business, enabling the Birling and Croft companies to merge, rather than a marriage based on love: “now you’ve brought us together”. As a former Lord Major and magistrate, Birling is also hoping to obtain a knighthood, which reveals his obsession with public reputation, status and titles and the reassurance that they provide him with. However, by the end of the play, Arthur faces exposure to a public scandal and the loss of his reputation, which would represent a terrible downfall for him.
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When approaching AO1, you need to ensure your response keeps a clear focus on the question. Your textual references should be accurate and discerning and fully support the points you make. Any quotations you choose to use should always be directly relevant to the focus of the question. Below is an example of how to structure a paragraph to keep that consistent focus on the question:
The examiner is looking for a personal judgement and this needs to be evidenced by references to the play. Throughout your response you should aim to adopt a critical and mature style so that you demonstrate a perceptive understanding of your text. You should also aim to add your own interpretations and ensure that all of your points are fully developed. Here is an example paragraph that demonstrates a sustained, and fully developed response: