In the book it shows us that the Inspector intimidates the person he is interviewing by looking hard at the person before speaking. This tactic works to the extent that no one dares to challenge him while he is in the room. He manages to get the Birlings and Gerald to reveal everything that they new about Eva. Sheila notices this and informs the others the reason for it is that they feel he already knows what they have to say so there's no point in hiding what they know. Those who resist telling the inspector everything they know suffer the most. He passes conclusion upon them and is much harder on them. When Mrs. Birling tries to resist telling the inspector everything she knows about Eva the inspector is very harsh and says ' I think you did something terribly wrong...'.
None of them have actually done anything to Eva Smith which a court of law would describe as a crime so the only punishment that can be given by the inspector is the guilt for what they have done. The Inspector helps Eric and Sheila to take responsibility for what they have done and try and learn from their mistakes.
Eva Smith dominates the play invisibly. Even though she doesn’t actually enter the play at all.
Eva is very like Sheila and had it not been for Sheila being born into a rich family she could be in the same position as Eva.
The section to be analyzed runs from the point where the inspector produces a photograph and shows it to Mrs. Birling at the beginning of act two to the end of the act.
When the Inspector produces the photograph and shows it to Mrs. Birling she is very shocked at seeing the girl that appealed to her people that she turned down.
The Inspector asks her if she recognizes the woman in the photo. Mrs. Birling then becomes very defensive to the Inspector and says 'no why should I? '. With the snobby expression of why should I a high-class respected lady recognize some peasant from the streets.
Mrs. Birling believes that she can really hide the truth from the Inspector and is extremely shocked at the reply to her statement and says that she does not understand him. Her plan of trying to intimidate the Inspector fails miserably as he would repeatedly think that she is lying. Mr. Birling dithers slightly wondering what to do and then pluck up enough courage to confront the Inspector saying he must apologize at once. Now you can really see how tense things are becoming and how intimidating the Inspector is, putting Mrs. Birling in her place.
The Inspector looks at Mr. Birling puzzled for he can’t see that he has done anything wrong. Mr. Birling finds the Inspector not obeying his command and making a joke out of his family so he tries to use his social position to scare him saying 'I am a public man'.
Unfortunately for Mr. and Mrs. Birling have underestimated the Inspector . He informs Mr. Birling that "Public men have responsibilities as well as privileges" trying to make him responsible for what he has done.
Mr. Birling agrees with the Inspector but then tries to out wit him by saying "But you weren't asked to come and talk about my responsibilities.". Sheila helps the Inspector by trying to get her parents to face up to their responsibilities and stop lying to the inspector as she feels it only makes the situation worse when he destroys the barrier of lies and reaches the truth. The front door slams and Mr. Birling leaves to check if it was either Gerald coming back in or Eric leaving the house. This makes the impression that either Mr. Birling is worried about Eric or that he is finding the Inspector, a stranger who has just strolled in and undermined his authority to much of a bully and feels that he cannot face him any longer. Mr. Birling leaving also gives the Inspector a chance to interrogate Mrs. Birling without her husband defending her.
The Inspector suggests that Mrs. Birling is a member of the Brumley Women's Charity Organization to which she does not reply. This suggests to me that it is true as she feels she has to hide this fact. Sheila then confirms the audiences thoughts by saying that 'she is' and not knowing what this has got to do with Eva's death she asks 'why?'. This also shows that she is trying to help the Inspector in his investigation. Also is willing to accept responsibility for Eva's death.
Mrs. Birling becomes annoyed with the Inspectors questions as she feels he may find out what she did and asks him what business is it of his?'.
The Inspector is sharp and on the ball and sees that Mrs. Birling is annoyed at his. Her husband Mr. Birling returns, her hero who she feels will help defend her against the Inspector. This makes it rather obvious to me how weak Mrs. Birling is without her husband.
Mr. Birling informs everyone that it was in fact Eric leaving as he is not in his bedroom. Mr. Birling says he can't imagine why Eric would of gone out not that they need him.
The Inspector then reveals that Mrs. Birling in fact spoke with Eva only two weeks ago, a fact that causes a great deal of alarm in Sheila . Mr. Birling thinks what to do. In disbelief of what the Inspector has just said he asks his wife whether it is true. Mrs. Birling admits it without any emotion as she can see she has done nothing wrong.
The Inspector asks Mrs. Birling whether it was down to her, as she was the most prominent member of the committee that Eva was refused help. In Mrs. Birlings defence to this accusation says 'possibly'. Mrs. Birling manner has changed rather rapidly from being proud of what she has done to being worried at what she as done as she feels the Inspector may impose some penalty.
The Inspector asks her firmly 'was it not your influence?'. Mrs. Birling then admits that it was her who influenced the committees decision. This makes it obvious that Mrs. Birling cannot stand up to the Inspector as she gives in admitting what she had done to Eva.
Mrs. Birling tries not to tell the Inspector why Eva wanted help but stops him from gaining any more information and tells her that she has 'no hope of not discussing it'.
Mrs. Birling tells the Inspector she feels she has just outwitted the Inspector that he has no hope in discussing the matter any further as he knows she has done nothing wrong. The Inspector says 'I think you did something terribly wrong...'. This makes the atmosphere a lot tenser in the room as the inspector is actually getting angry with people.
The Inspector tells Mrs. Birling that Eva was pregnant in the hope that this will shock her enough for her to see that she was responsible for Eva's death.
Mr. Birling asks the Inspector if he was suggesting it was Gerald Croft. The Inspector informs them that it was nothing to do with Gerald Croft. I think that this is when the author allows people who read the book to start thinking through the characters in the play that could of got Eva pregnant.
Mr. Birling I think becomes very worried and starts to think of a good response. He then tell his wife angrily that 'when this comes out at the inquest, it isn't going to do us much good.'. This response is typical of Mr. Birling, putting himself first and not bothering to think about what has happened to Eva. Mrs. Birling tries to wriggle out of responsibility by blaming Eva's death on her husband and daughter. Which creates even more tension as she is lying repetitively now.
The Inspector tells the Birlings that Eva's position is on a slab with a burnt out inside. Mr. Birling feels the Inspector has gone over the top and tries to stop him from carrying on his investigation. Mr. Birling tries to protest and the Inspector turns on him. The Inspector asks Mrs Birling 'You're not even sorry now...'. This would make the audience feel extremely angry for how heartless Mrs. Birling is.
Mrs. Birling suggests the father of her child's fault that she and her own fault that she committed suicide. She never once suggests that it could of been her fault or any of the Birlings which shows just how arrogant she is. Mrs. Birling suggests that the culprit who she believes to be is the father is responsible and should be dealt with severely.
Sheila suddenly works out why the Inspector is asking her Mother what to do with the father as she realizes that Eric is the Father and that this unknown fact will later embarrass her mother even more when her mother has blamed the suicide totally on him. The Inspector tells Mrs. Birling he's waiting to do his duty and Mrs Birling I would think would go into shock. The whole feeling terrifies Mr. Birling before he himself hoping that it's not all true and then asks the Inspector if Eric is the father of Eva's child. He then says '...you're not trying to tell us - that my boy - is mixed up in this?'. He says he words 'my boy' giving the impression that he cannot except that his darling little son Eric could do such a disgraceful thing as impregnate a low social class woman and fund her by stealing from him. This shows how ironic the Birlings are: they don't believe Eric has an alcohol problem, Alderman Meggarty harasses girls, Brumley has prostitutes and that there son could steel from them and get Eva pregnant.
Eric enters into the room and then the tension mounts to a peak if whether the Birlings will go to jail and what Eric will say to what the Inspector has told his family he has done.