An Inspector Calls
Act II
J.B. Priestley
Summary
The second Act starts the same way the first Act ended: the Inspector is about to question
Gerald and Sheila is getting a little hysterical from the realization of being partially to blame for
Eva's suicide.
Goole points out that it's important to share, even if it's guilt and Sheila agrees.
Gerald eventually admits that he had an affair with Eva. Sheila already figured he wasn't telling
the whole truth when he claimed being very busy with work so she wasn't that upset, but felt
that they should get to know each other from scratch, as new people before they can get
married and returns the engagement ring.
Mrs. Birling remains stubborn the whole time and won't admit that she did anything wrong or
has something to do with the suicide in first place even after it's revealed that she is a very
influential member of a charity which helps women in need – the charity where Eva applied for
help as “Mrs. Birling” when she was pregnant but couldn't marry the father of the child, a young
man who drinks a lot and appears to steal money.
Mrs. Birling used her power to make sure that Eva's request was denied by the committee
because she disliked how she made use of the Birling family name and now suggests that that
young man is the only one responsible for Eva's death because he didn't take care of her
properly and should be punished severely. Then, Eric returns home.
(Julia)
The second act starts with Sheila and Gerald arguing. Sheila wants Gerald to suffer with his
faults too. Mrs Birling cuts in and interrupts the discussion. After Mr Birling joined the Party
the inspector starts the questioning of Gerald. He admits keeping Daisy Renton as his mistress
for some times. Sheila is outraged by that and is so angry with Gerald that she gives him the
engagement-ring back before he leaves the mansion. The inspector doesn’t do any breaks and
continues with Mrs Birling right after that. After a denial at first, she admits knowing a woman
coming to her for help and refusing to help her. She blames all responsibility and gives all the
blame to the young man who made the dead girl come to her organization.
(Sarah)
Act two continues directly where Act one ended. Further links between the misery of the poor
girl and the family are revealed, as the Inspector digs deeper into Gerald Crofts past and Mrs
Birlings recent activities. The mystery of what Croft did last summer is solved, as the Inspector
questions him about Daisy Renton, who he confesses was his mistress last summer. Another
link revealed is that Mrs Birlings is active in a local Charity, which is concerned with women in
need, where she refused to help the girl that committed suicide, which was as it turns out
pregnant at that time. Towards the end of the chapter things turn more dramatic as Mrs Birling
says that she is not to blame for the girls death and instead blames the man that impregnated
Eva Smith in the first place. This man is revealed to be Eric Birling, which is shocking for the
whole family.
(Luca)
1
An Inspector Calls
Act II
J.B. Priestley
Setting
In the second act the setting doesn’t really change. The Inspector and the Birlings are still in the Dining.
The general effect of the dining room is luxury but not very homelike. Also, the perspective of the dining
room the author has described before didn’t changed a lot. At the beginning of Act 2, Gerald tries to get
Sheila to leave the room . Eventually Sheila decides to stay. Later Mrs Birling enters the room and
meets the Inspector for the first time.
(Eduard)
The Door has a big Role in the second Act. The stage instruction describes the actions of the door four
times. If you ignore the actions of the characters, the only thing described in the Instructions is the door.
Now, one can assume that the door has an important role in this Act.
The first mention of the door is, when the inspector leaves it open behind him (p.31, l.5). It shows some
kind of power coming from the inspector. Normally, a well educated person doesn’t leave the door
open. One can assume it’s a sign that the inspector tries to get everything into the open so anybody can
see it.
In contrary to the inspector, Birling closes the door behind him (p.36, l.10). One can come to the
assumption; it also shows some kind of authority. He also doesn’t want that everybody knows what is
going on in his family. The last two mentions of the door are more forced, because the persons leaving
slam the door behind them (p.43f). You have to have a decent grade of force to slam a door. You can
assume by only looking at this action, that the persons leaving, Sheila and Gerald, are stressed or angry.
Nobody slams a door without intending to express something. Mostly the slamming of a door is an
attempt to get a position across.
To conclude, one has to consider that the door is a very important symbol in this Act. It symbolises the
power the different characters have and also support some characters points, like Birling.
(Jasmin)
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The scene and situation are exactly as at the end of act one
They are still into the dining room while discussing with the Inspector
In this act “ the door “ has a bigger importance:
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“closing the door behind him” (p.36)
“front door slam”(p.43)
“front door slam again”(p.44) ; (Inspector is leaving the Birlings )
When somebody else of the family is going to be asked the door opens or closes
The atmosphere is changing because something happens
è The reader is prepared that something new is happening and some new information
is coming “through the door”-> confessions of the characters in the drama
è The person who’s entering the room gets the total attention – focus on a special
family member
2
An Inspector Calls
Act II
J.B. Priestley
(Arta)
•
mostly like in Act One:
- dining room of a fairly large suburban house
- good solid furniture
- heavily comfortable
- not cosy and homelike
•
There is a front door, which is not seen on stage, but “We hear [it]” (p.43, l.14-15; p.44, l.21;
p.51, l.1-2) “slam” (p.43, l.14-15; p.44, l.21). It says “slam” so the door is probably quite heavy.
(Maarten)
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P. 33 l.6-10 Mrs Birling walks in briskly and self-confidently, already giving an impression of
arrogance
P. 43 Gerald is embarrassed and angry, what he shows by slamming the door
P.44 Sheila is slamming the door again, showing how upset she is about her families behaviour
P.45 Mr. & Mrs. Birling show debts about Eric’s behaviour by exchanging bewildered and
frightened glances, even though they still try to protect him
P.51 Eric is extremely pale and distressed. This shows his big inner conflicts and gives us a clear
hint that he is deeply involved in Eva’s death and also somewhat guilty for her death
(Christopher)
-inspector is leaving door open behind him (p.31,l. 5)
- open door creates an free atmosphere, prevents feeling of an
examination
- interchange of glance between: Mrs.Birling, Mr.Goole, Sheila (triangle) (p.33, l.36f.)
- emphazises tension during the conversation between every
single character.
- Mr. Birling enters, closes door (p.36, l.10)
- By closing the door, Mr. Birling underlines his authority
- front door slams (two times) 1. Gerald leaves (p.43, l. 15)
2. Sheila leaves (p.44, l.21 )
- Both have a lot of energy (angry,furious etc.?)
- They belong together, make up a union, add each other
(Jaya)
Language
3
An Inspector Calls
Act II
J.B. Priestley
•
Register used : formal language → most dialogues are between the inspector and the
characters questioned → Birlings and Gerald are using a formal language in order to
intimidate/impress the inspector.
•
Sheila continues using informal language: „Be careful you don´t ask for any more,
Gerald“(P. 31 l.35) → she is aware of the fact that Gerald might cheated on her.
•
Parenthesis : „Yes that’s it...That would be too horrible-“(P.32 l.37-41)
→ shows how affected Sheila is because of the death of the young woman
→ emphasizes the sadness of Sheila
→ are in general used in the book in order to describe a realistic dialogue between the
characters what is really important for a good play
(Federico)
register:
• the characters are mostly using a formal register whereas the Inspector is mostly
using simple language , because the main focus of the act is on the dialogue between
Inspector Goole and the characters -> the use of this register shows that the Birlings
want to make them look like high society people by talking down to the inspector
• Sheila keeps using colloquial language sometimes and also Gerald’s, "Sheila: Be
careful you don’t ask for any more, Gerald."(p.31,l.35) -> in this specific quote , her
use of language shows Sheila’s emotions and that she’s very angry about the fact that
Gerald might have cheated on her, it also shows Sheila’s childish behaviour
• Sheila : “For letting Father and me have her chucked out of her jobs!"(p.49,l.32)->
this quote shows once again that Sheila is emotionally loaded and that she can’t
handle the situation, which is expressed through her choice of language
stylistic devices and language :
• "Gerald: Yes, I suppose it was inevitable. She was young and pretty and warm-heartedand intensely grateful."(p.40,l.18-20) -> this enumeration shows the
emotions from Gerald towards Eva , and that he feels very concerned with the
situation and one could say he longs for her
• "Inspector: [...].She was her alone , friendless, almost penniless, desperate. She needed
not only money but advice, sympathy and friendliness."(p.47,l.42)-> the author once
again makes use of a enumeration but this time it comes from Inspector Goole who
tries to pressure Mrs. Birling by listing all these sad things about Eva Smith
• Throughout the play, Inspector Goole , skilfully manipulates the other characters by
his excessive use of penetrating questions and hard statements which leaves them all
feeling awkward and adds a lot of tensions to the play
• "Sheila: That was nice for you ."(p.41,l.30)->the irony that is used in this statement
once again shows that Sheila is overwhelmed by the situation because she is acting
hysterical and childish throughout the entire second act, which can be seen by the
language she uses but also the fact that she is permanently looking to argue with
Gerald
4
An Inspector Calls
Act II
J.B. Priestley
(Justin)
Characterizations
Eva Smith / Daisy Renton / Mrs. Birling
– Committed suicide
– Subject of investigation
– “She was very pretty – soft brown hair and big dark eyes” (p.38, l.8 f.)
– “She was young and pretty and warm-hearted – and intensely grateful”(p.40, l.18 f.)
– was pregnant (with Eric's baby) (p.47, l.18 f.);(p.50, l.35 ff.)
– Has been mistreated by Arthur, Sybil, Sheila, Gerald and Eric
– Did not accept the stolen money from Eric (p.49, l.10)
→ high moral principles
– working class
– was using different names
→ could stand for more than one person
(Lukas)
Sheila
what we already know (Act1)
-> pretty girl in her early twenties
-> pleased with life and rather excited
-> settled in traditions of her father (cultural and economic aspect)
-> beginning: mistrustful of Gerald’s absence last summer, but don`t want to prove it
-> end: is scoffing Gerald’s plan to keep his importance in Eva’s life from the inspector
-> in the second act she is a central and important character
-> her change/ development shows importance to the whole play
-> she is the first one who realize that that it is better to tell the truth to the inspector, for
example: she also reveals that Eric drank too much and is unable to response the questions of
the inspector
-> shows responsibility (not the drinking!)
-> clever and is able to link different aspects
Main point:
Priestley is talking about a girl that realizes that integrity relies on being honest and telling the
truth.
(Muriel)
5
An Inspector Calls
Act II
J.B. Priestley
Literary genius
Some quotes which help linking the above mentioned ideas:
"We really must stop these silly pretences."
-characterises Sheila as the only character capable of seing the truth
-shows a division growing between Sheila and her mother.
-shows that Sheila understands the need to stop lying
"Girls of that class."
-shows Mrs Birling thinks she is socially and morally superior.(snob)
-almost as though the poor are by definition squalid and worthless.
-ermphasis on "that" shows her disgust in the working class.
"She was very pretty - soft brown hair and big dark eyes."
-Gerald´s language stresses the contrast between Eva and "woman of the town" who he calls
"hard-eyed" and "dough-faced".
-stressing the positive aspects of Eva, it makes her mistreatment seem even more cruel.
"You´re not the kind of father s chap could go to when he´s in trouble."
-Reveals the lack of love in the family
-The Birlings are not only hard-hearted toward the working class, they are also inadequate
parents.
(Arber)
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