Table of Contents
What happens in Act 2 of An Inspector Calls?
Act Two: More revelations Mrs Birling tries to bully the Inspector and to control events. Sheila realises that the Inspector’s enquiries are well founded, and that her mother might also have had some dealings with the girl.
How long does it take to read an inspector calls?
The average reader will spend 1 hours and 12 minutes reading this book at 250 WPM (words per minute).
How is Mr Birling presented in An Inspector Calls Act 2?
Mr Birling is a “heavy-looking man” in his mid-50s with easy manners but “rather provincial in his speech”. He is firmly capitalist, and right-wing in his political views. He has no concept of value other than wealth or social status, as he himself is a social climber.
How is Gerald presented in Act 2 of An Inspector Calls?
Gerald is described as ‘an attractive chap about thirty, rather too manly to be a dandy but very much the easy well-bred young man-about-town’. Mr Birling is very pleased that Gerald is getting engaged to Sheila because his family are upper-class business owners, Mr Birling hopes they can join forces in business.
What does Mrs Birling do in Act 2?
Mrs. Birling refuses to play into the Inspector’s motive to awaken the Birlings to their responsibility for the girl’s death. She sees her role on the charity organization not as to help people but to wield influence in deciding who does and doesn’t deserve aid.
How does Sheila change in Act 2?
The change in Sheila here is clear. She has become more assertive, using phrases such as ‘I tell you’. The events of the evening have made her aware of the serious impact one’s actions can have. At a number of points, Sheila shows that she can see things that the other characters cannot.
Is Inspector Goole a God?
Priestley uses the character of Inspector Goole to represent a ‘god like’ figure who can also be the mouthpiece of him. He is an omniscient, authorative character who heightens the drama of the play whilst also bringing important moral issues to the forefront for the characters and audience alike.
Is There An Inspector Calls 2?
BBC – An Inspector Calls, Part 2.
What does Mr Birling do in Act 2?
This represents the selfishness of capitalism. “Is there any reason why my wife should answer questions from you, Inspector?” (Act 2) Mr Birling is the patriarchal head of his household. He tries to defend his wife but treats her as if she cannot defend herself.
What does Sybil Birling represent?
middle-class snobbery
Sybil Birling, like her husband Arthur, represents a type of middle-class snobbery that existed prior to the World Wars. Priestley hoped that these sorts of attitudes would die out, and uses Mrs Birling to show how they can lead to cold and thoughtless behaviour.
How does Priestley present Sheila in Act 2?
Priestley initially presents Sheila as a naïve, entitled “pretty girl” whose worth is determined by her appearance, who transforms into an empowered, confident woman. Her metamorphosis develops from an infantilised capitalist into a passionate socialist.
How does Priestley end Act 2 dramatic?
Priestly makes the ending of Act 2 dramatic by adding intensity towards Eric’s entrance. This can be seen when Mrs Birling rants and blames the man who made Eva Smith pregnant while not even assuming that that man could possibly be her son, Eric.
How is Sheila presented at the beginning of Act 2?
At the opening of the play she appears to be a little immature and easily led. Her behaviour is childish and she very much does what her parents tell her. “I’m sorry Daddy actually I was listening.” Sheila shows her naivety and lack of maturity in the way she reacts to her father.
What is Eva and Eric’s Baby symbolic of?
Eva and Eric’s baby could be symbolic of a bridge between the upper and lower classes. It has the power to bring them two classes together and yet Mrs Birling destroys the baby because she is only interested in self preservation.
Is the Inspector Eva Smith’s father?
A hoax. I’ve studied this book so let me know if you need any help:) the inspector is eva smiths dead father, we learn from both the play and any movies that have been made that both her parents are dead.
Who dies at the end of An Inspector Calls?
An Inspector turns up at the house named Inspector Goole and tells them a girl named Eva Smith drank disinfectant and died. He explains that the girl had encounters with each member of the Birling family – and Gerald, each of them mistreated her and this led to her killing herself.
Why are Gerald’s parents absent from the engagement dinner?
His mother is described as coming from ‘an old country family – landed people’. It seems that his mother is disapproving of Gerald’s choice to marry someone of a lower social standing, hence her absence at the engagement meal.
Why did Gerald leave Eva?
Gerald honestly tells the story of how he met Eva. He was in the wrong to have an affair and then abandon Eva but, his use of emotive language ‘cry for help’ makes us realise that he genuinely felt sorry for her and wanted to help her.
How does Birling react to the Inspector’s inquiry?
Birling: (angrily) Inspector, I’ve told you before, I don’t like the tone nor the way you’re handling this inquiry. And I don’t propose to give you much rope.
Do you share your guilt with the Inspector?
Inspector: (sternly to them both) You see, we have to share something. If there’s nothing else, we’ll have to share our guilt. Sheila: (staring at him) yes. That’s true. You know. (she goes close to him, wonderingly.) I don’t understand about you. Inspector: (calmly) there’s no reason why you should.
What does Inspector Birling say to Sheila?
Inspector: you needn’t give me any rope. Sheila: (rather wildly, with laugh) No, he’s giving us the rope – so that we’ll hang ourselves. Birling: (to Mrs Birling) What’s the matter with that child? Mrs Birling: over-excited.
What would you say to an inspector who has done nothing wrong?
Simply because I’ve done nothing wrong – and you know it. Inspector: (very deliberately) I think you did something terribly wrong – and that you’re going to spend the rest of your life regretting it. I wish you’d been with me tonight in the infirmary. You’d have seen- Sheila: (bursting in) No, no, please! Not that again.