The inspector beings to question those who are present about their connection with Eva Smith. Could she have been driven to suicide by some action or conduct by those present at the dinner. Birling is arrogant and admits that Eva was sacked from his factory for taking part in a strike, he justifies his action with heartless argument that it was necessary for the success of his business. Sheila comes in at this stage and begins to be cross examined by the inspector. At first she is unmoved by what has been going on but when there inspector cleverly brings up the questioning around to pointing out her own responsibility. She had been responsible for Eva smith being sacked from a clothes shop because her vanity had been hurt by something that Eva Smith did. Her reaction shows the beginning of the stages by which she matures into a responsible and compassionate woman. She honestly admits her responsibility and makes no effort to hide her feelings of guilt
It’s a different Sheila Birling we see from the one we met at the beginning. You have to bring out this change in a convincing way.
The inspectors probing examination begins to extend to others in act 2. The importance of what he does will be shown largely in the way in which you greater and greater understanding hypocrisies of Sheila family and their class. You should be able to show your awareness of the fact that the inspectors seems to have some strange knowledge of the responsibility of each person for what happened to Eva Smith. He knows but he tries to draw from each character an admission of guilt, through he is not successful with everybody. You should show your distress at the way in which the responsibility of each person is becoming revealed and the reluctance of your parents (Birling and Mrs. Birling) top open their minds to the truth.
Sheila begins to learn something new about her lover Gerald Croft; she isn’t too pleased with this. He had an affair with Eva Smith and lied Sheila about his long absences from her. Sheila is sarcastic to Gerald as he begins to reveal details concerning his relationship with Eva. “I’m supposed to be engaged to the hero of it, Go on Gerald”. The cosy world Sheila has been living in is falling apart. But some how instead of braking down she’s coming out of it stronger and understanding person. She seems almost to be on the inspectors’ side, her parents regard him as meddling in their private affairs. They live in a narrow world and cannot understand the way in which the inspector tries to make them come out of it, look at themselves with greater honestly and change for the better.. Sheila knows that every question the inspector asks is aimed at making [people face up to the truth. The parents’ have been treating her like a child and can not understand the change taking place in her.
The difference between the parents and Sheila is shown when Birling tells the inspector angrily “I don’t propose to give you much more rope”. He’s blind to what is happening around him and how differently Sheila understands is shown by her comment “he’s giving us the rope-so that we will hang ourselves”. Every reply by the Birlings will bring out the truth the inspector wants them to face.
Sheila is disappointed with her lover (Gerald) she angry with her parents, because they seem more anxious to impress the inspector with their social position then to look deep into their own hearts “and can’t you see both of you, you’re making it worse”. She’s irritated at the blindness of those who can not see what she has come to realize. Gerald’s confessions are followed by what is revealed about Mrs. Birling heartless refusal to help Eva Smith. Sheila’s reaction is very very important. Her own feelings of guilt, her changed feelings towards Gerald, her irritation with her parents must be shown. AT the same time the audience must see how she reacts to the inspector as someone who is changing their lives of many in that room. Towards the end of act 2 tensions builds up when the inspectors’ investigation and Mrs. Birlings reply begin to be pointing towards Eric having had a connection with Eva. Sheila tries desperately to stop her mother making a bigger fool of herself “mother- I begged you and begged you to stop” she says at the end. It is at this moment that Eric appears the panic and distress and helplessness must be shown in your face.
In act 3 events move towards the climax and Sheila is a key figure in the action even she may not be one stage all of the time. The inspectors questioning have began to draw out each character an admission of responsibility for what happened to Eva Smith though not all of them feel guilt in the way in which Sheila and later Eric come to see. What comes to light about Eric is deeply upsetting to Birling and his wife. He drinks heavily he’s the father of Eva’s child, he has stolen money from his father. The respectable outside of the Birling family is seen to be full off hypocrisies and dishonesty. Both Birling and Mrs. Birling are rattled. “But each of you helped to kill her. Remember that. Never forget that.”
Birlings reaction too the disclosures about Eric is typical “I’ve got to cover up this up as soon as I can”. By fouls means he must prevent the scandal from getting known. He even begins to appeal to the inspector “look inspector- I’d give thousands yes thousands”. He feels no guilt but he only wants to use his money to hide the truth from getting known. The inspector leaves having made one final speech about “fire and blood and anguish” that will follow if people do not realize that “we are responsible for each other”. It is one of the most important dramatic scenes in the play. Sheila and Eric are completely affected by what the inspector has said. The senior Birlings feel no guilt they don’t think they have done anything wrong “it turned out unfortunately, that’s all”. There is no change of heart. When Sheila repeats the fathers last words “that’s all” she says it scornfully because she realizes her parents will not change. AT this stage you should show through your facial expression and the way in which you speak that your meeting with the inspector has been almost a religious experience. Later on when the inspector proved to be a hoax the others relax but not Sheila or Eric. To Sheila the inspector is a supernatural being “there was something curious about him. He never seemed to be an ordinary police inspector”. It is in relation to this that the audience must judge the reactions of the senior Birlings and Gerald when they learn that there is no inspector Goole . To you that is irrelevant because he has already changed your life and Eric’s also. He is more then a real inspector. When Birling says “it makes all the difference” your reaction must be one of bitterness and disbelief as you say “I suppose we’re all nice people now”. You can not believe that their moral sense can be so distorted.
There are discussions later about the photographs of Eva Smith followed by news at the end of a woman who is indeed dead. This is dramatic but the real climax is when it becomes obvious to the audience that the inspector’s message about our responsibility for others that “we don’t live alone” has been forcefully made. It will remain true regardless of whether the inspector was real and whether there ever was an Eva Smith.
It is important for you too show the change that takes place in Sheila Birling through the reactions to the inspectors question your disgraced about the selfishness of your parents and the part you also played. You must show the entire change from you being a naïve girl turning into a grown up woman.
Priestly passes a great moral message in this story and enforces several times. We are all equal and we do not live alone we must look out for each other regardless of social class.
Majuran Sivasupramaniam
11AD
