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Reading @akalamusic Natives... and (it is fantastic, obvs) but it's made me question so of the concepts we teach as English teachers, for example, An Inspector Calls. A thread.
More often than not I've seen taught, and have taught myself, the idea that the class system, as it was, is pretty non existent and nowhere near as rigid as that of 1912. In part, there is truth in that. But is it as clear cut as we think? It certainly isn't 100% accurate.
The idea that we can 'move up' is realistic & often a narrative we love, as a nation. But the demonisation of the working class is still there as much as it ever was, I think, even if it isn't as explicit. David Cameron's 'hug a hoodie' campaign circa 2009 springs to mind.
If we think about events such a Grenfell, the poorest and most vulnerable were mistreated, with their homes placed at risk. Whilst a stones throw away, are some of the richest roads in the borough. The idea of extreme wealth and extreme poverty still very much exist.
The introduction of zero hour contacts & the age of austerity in which we live has surely widened the gap between classes and making the gulf even harder to cross. The disproportion of deaths in the BAME and working class communities via COVID is another example.
So, should we reconsider our references as teachers? The messages of the play, especially regarding the treatment of the working class, seem more prevalent than ever. Maybe we shouldn't dismiss the idea that a gulf between rich and poor doesn't exist. as it once did.
