Hello, my name's Mrs. Butterworth and I will be your English teacher today.

Thank you for joining me.

And this lesson focuses on "An Inspector Calls." So do make sure you have access to a copy of the text 'cause we will be referring to that throughout.

And in particular, we will be focusing on the character of Eric.

So are you ready to get started? Great.

Then let's go.

In this lesson, you will understand and explain the significance of Eric while considering multiple interpretations.

Now, before we delve into the lesson, let's look at those all-important key words.

Now, the key words in this lesson are assertive, lenient, unreliable, narrative, and tentative.

Let's just read the definitions together.

So assertive is all about confidently expressing your opinions or needs in a clear and respectful way.

So we know that at the start of the play, part of Eric's description is that he's partly assertive.

We have the word lenient, and this means to be forgiving or more merciful, showing less strictness or severity in judgement or punishment.

So I want us to think about this word when we think about how the inspector treats Eric.

We've also got the word unreliable, which means not to be trusted or depended on often due to inconsistencies or inaccuracies.

We've got the word narrative, so a story or account of events real or imagined told in a specific order.

So in this lesson we'll be thinking about Eric's narrative and how he presents that, so Eric's story.

And then we have the word tentative.

So tentative is about hesitant or not fully decided.

Often used to suggest a possibility rather than a definite conclusion.

So we're gonna be thinking about using tentative language, which means you're using language that doesn't give a definite conclusion.

So the outline of our lesson looks like this.

We're going to begin by introducing Eric.

We're going to look at Eric and the inspector, and then think about challenging Eric's narrative.

So let's begin by introducing Eric.

Okay, so we have four images here.

Hopefully they will jog your memory of some of the key plot points.

And I want you to look at these images and discuss how might these images represent the character of Eric, okay.

So, and you're gonna need to pause the video so you've got time to discuss those images.

If you're working on your own, you may wish to sit quietly and think by yourself.

Pause the video and off you go.

Okay, thank you so much.

Lots of really great suggestions.

And I guess these images are open to interpretation.

So I think with the champagne links to kind of Eric's drinking, which we know is referenced throughout the play, it could also link to his wealth and his class and that sort of thing.

We have the baby here.

We know that Eric is the father of Eva Smith's baby, so it could link to that.

We have money as well.

So again, it could link to Eric's class and status.

It could also link to how he tried to help Eva by stealing money from his father's business.

So there's lots of things that we can think about in terms of those images.

But I want us to focus a little bit more on this image.

So you've already started thinking about some ideas around this image.

But now I would like us to consider this image specifically in relation to how Eric is described in act one.

So you may just want to look in your copies of the text to help you.

So look at this image and I'd like you to discuss how might it link to Priestley's description of Eric, okay.

How might this image links to Priestley's description of Eric? Great, I can see people grabbing their copies.

And when you are ready, pause the video and discuss or think quietly to yourself.

Off you go.

Okay, great.

Let's share some answers.

So here are some things that I have come up with.

You may have come up with some different things and that's absolutely fine.

So I've picked out the word shy and assertive because Priestley uses both of these words to describe Eric and they could almost be seen as opposites.

And this really hints at the complexity of his character.

We also get the idea that Eric guffaws, which is kind of like a laugh, and he challenges his parents' values, and this makes him an outsider within the family.

So if we think about that image, it's almost like he's, there's a barrier between him and his family.

You know, he's shy, he's hidden, he's not, not fully part of the family and what they believe in.

He's also described as uneasy, suggesting perhaps that he has something to hide.

So again, this image may have given you some ideas about him hiding things or concealing things.

He's also described as being not at ease, which suggests an awkwardness and perhaps some guilt.

And again, I think Eric's behaviour might be linked to this hiding this, trying to avoid his guilt.

And we know from the very start of the play, Eric does seem uneasy.

He's awkward.

There is definitely something he's hiding, something going on.

And Priestley makes that very clear through his stage directions and descriptions of Eric.

So true or false.

At the start of the play, Eric is presented as self assured.

Is this true or is this false? Come up with your answer now please.

Okay, well done to everyone that said false, but you now need to tell me why that statement is false and give me your answers now please.

Okay, so here's an answer.

Hopefully you have something similar.

Eric appears awkward and uneasy rather than self assured.

Hopefully you thought of something similar.

Now, interestingly, at the start of the play, Eric is positioned as a moral voice, okay.

So what I would like you to do is I want us to look for this.

So we're going to read act one from page 14 where Eric says "Bye" to page 17, where Eric says "It." Okay.

So if you just find it, you should see that section.

And as you are reading this, I'd like you to consider please.

What does Eric challenge and what does this reveal about his character? So you'll need to pause the video to give yourself time to read that short extract and consider that question and we'll feed back in a moment.

Off you go.

Okay, great.

So here is what it reveals about his character and what he challenges.

So we know that Eric's sense of responsibility is established early on.

So he's one of the first people to challenge his father's attitude towards his workers.

He's almost quite mocking of Mr. Birling when we first see that interaction between Mr. Birling and the inspector.

You know, he's quite sarcastic, he's very challenging.

You know, he blames Mr. Birling very early on saying he could have kept Eva Smith on.

So when Mr. Birling is telling his story, Eric keeps challenging it again, mocking almost saying, well, you could have kept her on.

And there's one moment when Eric is described as bursting, okay.

He almost bursts out this revelation, which shows that he is emotional about the situation, that he's on the edge if you like, and it even suggests that he supports the workers' demands for higher wages.

So there's this sense that Eric is this moral voice, but there's something he still struggling with.

There's some emotionality there.

He's on the edge, he's ready to burst.

And Eric's journey is interesting, as unlike Sheila, he begins the play with social awareness.

So if we think about Sheila at the start of the play, she's described as very pretty and excited and kind of presented as naive and immature.

Whereas Eric's kind of moral conscious and sense of responsibilities established very early on, even though he has this like underlying guilt.

And at the end of the play, Eric states that he can't let himself off, admitting his guilt and challenging his parents angrily.

So I'd like you to discuss please, considering Eric at the start and at the end, I'd want you to discuss what changes has Eric undergone by the end of the play.

So you'll need to pause the video to discuss your answers or think quietly to yourself, and we'll gather some answers in a moment.

Off you go.

Thank you for your responses, everyone.

So again, here's some examples.

You may have something different, you may have thought similar things.

So Eric moves from suppressed guilt, to holding his guilt in, to openly admitting his wrongdoing, and he takes full responsibility.

So I think Eric's complexity that's hinted at, at the start of the play really stems from this suppressed guilt that he's bursting to let out.

He rejects his parents' denial, showing moral growth and embracing social change, and he now appears more assertive.

So he's much more confident in the way he is speaking and the way he is challenging his parents.

Okay, another true or false.

Eric agrees with his father's values throughout the play.

Is this true or is this false? I want your answer now, please.

Okay, well done to everyone that said false.

You now need to tell me why that statement is false.

Off you go.

Okay, so here's an answer to consider.

So that answer is false because at the start of the play, Eric is positioned as a moral voice, challenging the way his father exploits his workers.

This continues right to the very end of the play where he becomes more assertive.

So well done to everyone who got those answers right.

Okay, so we have reached our first practise task.

So we have Sophia here who has made a statement, let's read it together.

So Sophia says that "Compared to Sheila, I think Eric's journey is more about personal growth and learning to assert his views." I'd like you to discuss how far do you agree with this statement.

So in a moment, your task is going to be to discuss how far you agree with this statement.

And you may wish to consider the following.

How Eric is established as a moral voice at the start of the play.

Eric's secrecy and his admission of guilt and how Eric is presented at the end of the play and how he challenges his parents.

Okay.

So lots to think about and really looking forward to these discussions and what you come up with.

So as you know, you're gonna need to pause the video and get discussing.

Thank you so much for those lively discussions and some really thoughtful explanations as to why you agreed or disagreed with that statements.

That's really good, well done.

And I loved that some of you were bringing in specific examples from the play, which is just fantastic.

So we have Jacob here and part of Jacob's response.

So we're going to read through this and then I'm going to ask you to discuss in a moment.

So Eric's journey reflects personal growth as he moves from guilt-ridden secrecy to openly challenging his parents.

Though Sheila changes more visibly, Eric shows moral strength, rejecting denial, and embracing responsibility, asserting his views with confidence by the play's end.

Okay, so maybe you discussed something similar in your own discussions, but what I would like you to consider now is do you agree or disagree with Jacob? So pause the video so you can discuss or think quietly to yourself.

Off you go.

I want us to consider the impact that the inspector has on Eric.

So after the inspector's arrival, Priestley uses emotive language to describe Eric throughout the rest of the play.

So words such as distressed, miserably, breaking, unhappily, bitterly, pale, shouting, frightened, are used in relation to Eric.

So I'd like you to discuss what does Priestley's use of emotive language suggest about the impact that the inspector has on Eric? So you may just wish to go back and read those words again and really think about what they tell us.

So pause the video and discuss or think quietly to yourself, what does Priestley's use of emotive language suggest about the impact that the inspector has on Eric? Off you go.

Okay, so let's look at an answer.

So perhaps you covered some of this in your discussion.

So Priestley's use of emotive language really highlights the deep guilt and remorse Eric feels after the inspector's questioning.

It suggests that the inspector forces Eric to confront his actions and triggers his moral awakening.

It also shows how difficult this is for Eric, doesn't it? Like this emotive language he's breaking, he's frightened.

It really shows how deeply the inspector impacts him and the effect it has on Eric.

Okay, so I'd like you please to read act three, page 51.

So a short extract from Eric where the stage directions say miserably to Eric, where he says that on the last line.

You'll be able to see it when you look into your texts.

And as you're reading this short extract, I'd like you to consider, please, how does the inspector treat Eric? How does this differ to the way the inspector interacts with Mr and Mrs. Birling? Okay, so when you found the part that you need to read, pause the video, get reading, and consider that question, and we'll feed back in a moment.

Okay, off you go.

Okay.

So it is very telling, isn't it? The way that the inspector treats Eric.

There's some interesting things to think about.

Because you may have thought about the fact that the inspector appears to be more lenient and gentle with Eric, even allowing him to pour a drink.

So there's definitely a lot more leniency there.

And you know, he even deals with Mr. Birling firmly and overrules him with Eric's request for a drink.

Mr. Birling's about to say, no, he can't have one and the inspector's like, well, yes he can.

And it's interesting, isn't it? That leniency and also that interaction with Mr. Birling.

And the inspector asks Eric short, direct questions that allow for his questions, allow for his confession to unfold.

And his line of questioning is really interesting.

It's almost like he's gently probing Eric because he knows Eric's going to spill everything that happened.

So in "An Inspector Calls," Eric is described as.

So you need to pick A, B, or C to finish that statement.

Come up with your answer now, please.

Okay.

And the answer is B and C.

So well done to everyone that picked up on those two.

Okay, so Laura, our pupil has made this comment.

Let's read it.

"It's interesting how lenient the inspector seems to be with Eric.

It's almost like he's acting as a fatherly, moral guide rather than trying to punish him for his actions.

This eventually leads him to turn on his own parents and blame them." It's a really interesting comment from Laura, isn't it? And I'd like you please to discuss the following in relation to Laura's comment.

Can you identify any examples of Eric lashing out at his parents? So I would look at page 55 if you want some examples where he really challenges and lashes out at his parents.

And then I would like you to discuss how does this present Priestley's key themes of generational conflict and social responsibility? So there's lots to think about there, okay.

So you're gonna need to pause the video to discuss or think about your ideas.

You may even want to write a few ideas down.

Look forward to seeing what you come up with.

Off you go.

Okay, so thank you for your work on that.

And it is really interesting, isn't it? How Eric suddenly just turns on his parents and starts to really blame them for everything that's happening.

So really good examples there.

So we're on our second practise task.

And what I would like you to do is we're going to look at some pupil statements about Eric and the inspector.

So let's read these through first and then you're going to need to pick one that you agree with most, but let's read them through first, okay.

So the first one is "Eric's interactions with the inspector reveal his deep guilt and internal conflict, positioning him as a character more open to self-reflection and change.

The inspector's approach highlights Eric's vulnerability, treating him not as irredeemable, but as someone capable of growth through acknowledgement of his mistakes." And finally, "Eric's alignment with the inspector's moral stance shows his rejection of his parents' values and his willingness to embrace social responsibility." So we've got our statements there.

You need to pick one that you agree with most and add another sentence that includes evidence.

So you're going to pick the statement you agree with and add another sentence to it.

And you can use the phrases in particular or more specifically.

So you are looking for some evidence for that statement.

So make sure you've got everything you need.

You'll probably need your text just to make sure you can find some key evidence.

Think about all that we have discussed so far as well, that might give you some help too.

Okay then, let's get this video paused and get going.

Okay, thank you very much.

Lots of you choosing different statements there, but some excellent use of evidence happening.

So we have Alex here, and this is how he has completed the task.

So let's read it through together.

So he picked this statement.

"The inspector's approach to Eric highlights Eric's vulnerability, treating him not as irredeemable but as someone capable of growth through acknowledgement of his mistakes." And Alex has added, "In particular, the inspector's focus on Eric's admission of guilt, such as his distressed confession, 'God', shows Eric's capacity for remorse and self-awareness." Okay, an excellent addition there by Alex.

So I'd like you to discuss please, which statement did you choose and why? And can you share your thoughts with a peer? So pause the video so that you can get those questions completed.

Off you go.

Right.

So here we are, the third and final part of our lesson, and this is all about challenging Eric's narrative.

So let's keep going.

So I'd like you to discuss, please.

I want to hear your own opinions first.

How might Eric be considered a sympathetic character? How might Eric be considered a sympathetic character? Okay, so pause the video so you can discuss that your ideas or think quietly to yourself.

Off you go.

Okay, thank you for sharing your opinions and perspectives.

They're so important and I really like hearing your thoughts.

So you may have come up with some of the following.

So let's discuss.

So how might Eric be considered a sympathetic character? Well, he acknowledges Eva's struggles and tries to support her financially, even if it is a bit misguided.

His emotional outbursts reveal his guilt, vulnerability, and inner conflict.

He is dismissed by his family and treated like an outsider.

And then finally, he admits his mistakes openly, demonstrating a willingness to take responsibility.

So all of these can lead us to feel a bit of sympathy for Eric and feel that he is a sympathetic character.

So like the other characters, Eric narrates his own stories.

So he tells his version of what happened with Eva.

Now it could be argued that Eric is an unreliable narrator.

Now what this means is that his perspective on events in the play may be skewed or influenced by his own guilt, confusion or attempts to protect himself.

So I think this is what's interesting about the narratives in this story, is it's from Eric's perspective.

So it could be influenced by yes, his guilt, confusion, or other things.

So a really significant and important example of this is how the assault on Eva is implied rather than explicitly mentioned.

Now, this could be linked to guilt and shame, like he doesn't want to truly admit to himself what has happened.

But it could also reveal how Eric controls the narrative to downplay his actions and what really happened.

So I'd like you please to read act three, page 51 from where the inspector says "Where" to page 52, where Eric "With," okay.

So find that section in your texts.

And then as you read that, I would like you to consider how Eric uses language to describe the event.

So pause the video to do your reading and to consider that language use.

Off you go.

Okay, thank you everyone.

It's really interesting, isn't it? Once you start thinking about unreliable narrators and this controlling of the narrative, it starts to show things in a slightly different light, doesn't it? It's very interesting.

Because if we look at the kind of language Eric uses, he uses words like "Chap" and "Squiffy," okay.

That kind of colloquial language from the time.

And this really downplays the potential severity of the situation.

To say that you are squiffy almost sounds like quite a fun lighthearted thing as opposed to what was really potentially happening.

He refers to the assault by saying that he insisted, okay, but this could be Priestley emphasising Eric's shame and guilt.

So again, he doesn't mention it explicitly, he just says he insisted.

He also refers to other women in a really derogatory way.

If you notice how he describes the women, he talks about them being tarts and he calls Eva like a good sport.

So again, it's kind of this derogatory, playful language that Eric's using to describe the event.

So these examples could show how Eric is controlling his own narrative.

Likewise, they could also reveal how guilty he feels.

And I think this is what's important to acknowledge about multiple interpretations, is that yes, it could be that he's controlling his own narrative, but it could also be that it shows how guilty he feels.

So we can interpret this language use in many different ways.

So these inspector's description contrasts Eric's account.

So the inspector describes the night as drunken and stupid, okay.

So whereas Eric says that it's squiffy, the inspector says it's drunken and it's stupid.

And he accuses Eric of using Eva like an animal or a thing.

So the inspector's language is a lot stronger than Eric's.

So I'd like you to discuss please, does this now make you question whether Eric is a sympathetic character? Does this make you question whether Eric is a sympathetic character? Pause the video to give yourself time to discuss or think quietly to yourself.

Off you go.

Okay, so it's true or false time.

It could be argued that Eric is an unreliable narrator and controls his own narrative to alleviate guilt.

Is that true or false? I'd like to hear your answers now, please.

Yes, well done to everyone that said true, but you now need to tell me why that statement is true.

Off you go.

Okay, so here's an example answer.

He downplays his actions, admits details, and becomes defensive, suggesting he's distorting the truth to protect himself.

So we have considered multiple interpretations of Eric.

Which is a really good thing to do.

We want to explore all of the possible interpretations.

So using tentative language can help develop your comments and explore different interpretations.

So when you come to discuss or write about multiple interpretations, tentative language is really useful.

Now, tentative language puts forward ideas rather than definite answers.

So for example, you might say things like Eric could or Eric may, or Priestley might.

Or perhaps Priestley is suggesting, or arguably Priestley presents Eric as or maybe Eric is.

So you can see through all of those examples how it kind of puts forward an idea and allows you to talk about these multiple interpretations.

So here are two examples of statements using tentative language.

Okay, let's read them through together.

Eric's narrative might suggest that he's deeply remorseful for his actions, as his guilt and emotional outbursts arguably reveal a sense of moral awakening and accountability.

Okay, here's the second one.

Arguably Eric's account is shaped by his desire to seek forgiveness, which could make his version of events less trustworthy and more self-serving.

Okay, so we thought about tentative language.

So can you tell me which of these is not an example of tentative language? Is it A, B, or C? Come up with your answer now please.

Okay, who's feeling confident? Lots of you.

Okay, so well done to everyone who said however, okay.

Perhaps and could are examples of tentative language.

Okay, so this is our third and final practise task.

So just a little bit more effort, final push towards the end of the lesson.

And what I would like you to do is I would like you to create two statements using tentative language in response to the following question.

So the question is, how might Eric's interactions with the inspector suggest different interpretations of his character? And in what ways could his narrative be seen as unreliable? So think about everything we've discussed in this lesson, all of the examples that you have come up with, and they should help you to create these two statements using tentative language.

And you've got your tentative language there to help you.

So make sure you've got everything you need to complete this task, and I look forward to seeing what you come up with.

So pause the video and get going.

Well done everyone, and thank you so much for your hard work on that.

It's really lovely to hear these multiple interpretations being explored using that all-important tentative language.

So there's an example here of a statement.

Let's read it.

So the inspector's treatment of Eric could indicate that he sees potential for growth in him, perhaps encouraging Eric to reflect on his mistakes rather than simply punishing him.

So very quickly I would like you to discuss, can you identify the tentative language in that example? See if you can identify it now.

Okay, great.

So hopefully you picked up on could and perhaps well done.

And what I would like you to do now is just look back at your own statements and can you highlight or underline your own use of tentative language.

So just highlight or underline anywhere you have used tentative language in your statements.

Pause video to get that completed.

And after all of that hard work, we have reached the end of the lesson.

Well done everyone.

We have covered a lot today.

We should be proud of ourselves.

So we know that Eric is established as a moral voice at the start of the play, but lacks the ability to be assertive.

Priestley uses emotive language to portray the impact the inspector has on Eric.

The inspector appears to be more lenient with Eric and acts as a moral guide.

It could be argued that Eric is an unreliable narrator.

And finally, tentative language can be used to explore and develop alternative interpretations.

Again, very well done.

I have really enjoyed exploring the character of Eric with you today, and I hope we can do another lesson again soon.

I'll see you then.

Goodbye.