An Inspector Calls – Big Idea 4: Gender Expectations

As an AQA examiner, I’ve seen how students often lose marks by focusing too much on memorised quotations instead of engaging with Priestley’s Big Ideas. One of the most crucial of these is Gender Expectations.

This resource explores how men and women were treated differently in 1912, the double standards at play, and how Priestley challenges these inequalities. It links directly to the 2023 AQA exam question:
“How does Priestley present what life is like for women in An Inspector Calls?”

By working through this theme, students learn how to explore Priestley’s methods, use evidence effectively, and link their ideas to wider social messages.

What’s inside:

• A student-friendly overview of gender expectations, with vocabulary (patriarchy, gender roles, exploitation).
• The 2023 AQA exam question, plus an additional exam-style question.
• A Level 6 example response (~500 words) with clear AO1, AO2, and AO3 coverage.
• Starters such as ranking gender expectations (jobs, marriage, family, freedom).
• An evidence hunt activity to track key moments in the play.
• A full debate lesson: “Has society really moved on from the gender expectations shown in An Inspector Calls?”
• A Language Paper 2 crossover task (Q5 speech): “Write the text of a speech arguing whether gender expectations still unfairly limit men and women today.”
• Designed for 4–5 full lessons, or as focused revision support.

Why it matters:

Priestley uses An Inspector Calls to criticise the double standards of Edwardian society: men are excused for behaviour that ruins women’s lives, while women are expected to remain loyal, obedient, and silent. Sheila’s growth, Eva’s exploitation, and Mrs Birling’s hypocrisy show how deeply these expectations were embedded.

This theme remains highly relevant today and gives students the chance to connect Literature analysis with Language Paper 2 skills — writing persuasively about gender inequality in a modern context.

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Key Features

• Written with examiner insight.
• Includes the 2023 AQA exam question and a model Level 6 response.
• Debate, discussion, and writing to express a point of view.
• Integrated Language Paper 2, Q5 speech task.
• Ready-to-teach: works as a mini-scheme (4–5 lessons) or as targeted revision.

Download Big Idea 4: Gender Expectations today and help your students explore how Priestley exposes gender inequality — and how to turn this into top-band exam responses.

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