Mr. Birling returns after looking to see who had left the house. He claims it was Eric who had left so suddenly. Mrs. Birling is alarmed by this, questioning her husband as to where he checked and hoping that he could have been mistaken. Mr. Birling then goes on to say, “He was in one of his excitable, queer moods.” Mr. Birling refers to his son as if he were a child. He has shown this on more than two occasions. One was when they were drinking before the inspector arrived, he and Gerald were both mocking Eric, and belittling him. The inspector cuts in sharply after Mr |Birling tells him that they don’t Eric there. This interruption reveal to the family and the audience that Eric is also a very significant in what happened to Eva Smith. The inspector says he will have to go and find Eric it then says that Mr Birling and Mrs Birling exchange bewildered and rather frightened glances this build tension.
The inspector reveals that Mrs Birling had spoken and seen Eva only two weeks prior to her suicide. He then goes onto say that she hadn’t spoken to this woman as Eva Smith nor Daisy Renton. Mrs. Birling says that Eva had given her name as Mrs. Birling. This sparked rage in Mr. Birling. Mrs. Birling admits to being prejudiced against the girl’s case and she influenced the other members of the committee, using her prominence to refuse the girl help. Mrs. Birling tries to justify herself and claims that she had done nothing wrong. However, when the inspector reveals that the young girl was pregnant, both Sheila and Mr. Birling react in the same way: Sheila says, (with feeling) “Mother, I think it was cruel and vile.” Mr. Birling goes on to say, (dubiously) “I must say, Sybil, that when this comes out at inquest, it isn’t going to do us much good. The press might easily take it up.” Although Sheila is more passionate towards the girl’s situation, Mr. Birling being a man of high stature in the town, is more concerned about what other people will think of him and his family. The stage directions for how the actor must speak displays my point. She reacts with feeling and he is dubious. These two quotes from Sheila and Mr. Birling create tension between the two characters. It also creates tension because the whole family are considering which act drove Eva Smith to suicide, and none of them want the responsibility of having someone's blood on their hands.
Mrs Birling now turns on her husband now there is family argument between husband and wife which we haven’t seen before.
Mrs. Birling now tries in desperation to get the others to see her point of view. She says, “ In the circumstances I think I was justified. The girl had begun by telling us a pack of lies. Afterwards, when I got at the truth, I discovered that she knew who the father was, she was quite certain about that, and so I told her it was her business to make him responsible. If he refused to marry her– and in my opinion he ought to be compelled to– then he must at least support her.” She makes a case that Eva refused to marry the father as he was too young and it would have been wrong for them both. Eva had taken money from the father, but she did not wish to take anymore from him. The inspector asks why the girl had not wished to take any more money from him and Mrs. Birling claims that Eva told her a lot of nonsense and that she didn’t believe a word of it. The audience sees that this comment does not impress the inspector so she goes on to say that Eva had some fancy reason, but she did not believe a girl of “that sort would ever refuse money!” Yet again the inspector is not impressed with Mrs. Birling’s answer and he wont give up. She goes on to say that Eva had told her that the father of her child had stolen the money. Eva had come for help as she did not want to take any more stolen money and didn’t wish for the father to get in any more trouble. Mrs. Birling claims that it sounded ridiculous and the girl had told so many lies already this could have just been one more.
Once again, Mrs Birling claims her belief that she was justified in her decision to persuade the committee not to allow her to claim for assistance. The inspector questions her as to who is to blame and she says that firstly the girl is to blame and secondly the father of her child. If he did not belong to her class and was a drunken idler, then that should be more reason for him to be made an example of this is dramatic irony the audience by now will realise that she is talking in these terms about her son Eric. She then goes on to say that the father should be, “dealt with very severely.” Sheila then enters the conversation with much alarm, pleading with her mother to stop, but her mother silences her and once again she is labelled as hysterical. Mrs. Birling continues her rant of accusation, advising the inspector of the young man’s punishment. This conversation is taken over by this act’s two main characters, Mrs. Birling and the inspector. He has evidence that Eva tried to find help from the committee, but Mrs. Birling takes offence after Eva had introduced herself as Mrs. Birling and from then on tried to persuade the committee to refuse her assistance. The tension is built because she repeatedly argues that her point is justified and seeks to be considered “in the right” and noble whereas in reality, she is possibly the most to blame in this girl’s suicide. The inspector says ‘’ make an example of the young man eh? Public confession of responsibility – um?’’ he repeats Mrs Birlings words this adds tension. Mrs Birling later realises that Eric is the man she’s been talking about she says ‘’ but surely…I mean…its ridiculous… she is stumbling for words this builds tension. She then has a frightened glance at her husband and it says that Mr Birling is terrified now this shows how much tension has built up. Later Mrs Birling wont believe that Eric is to blame she says ‘’ I don’t believe it. I wont believe it.’’
In the last part of act two drama is caused by sound effect the front door opening. Then they are waiting looking at the door, Eric then comes in and the curtains fall quickly.
The final few paragraphs are the most tense because Mrs. Birling has created a build up. Each character in turn has been shown to have a greater degree of guilt and the audience realises through her, that the father of the child is a young man who likes his drink, not in the same class as Eva is the embodiment of Eric, and as Eva had introduced herself as Mrs. Birling, we assume she has taken Eric’s last name in order to make her case seem more respectable. She sought help as a young, pregnant woman left by her husband rather than having a bastard child to a young drunken thief. The Inspector has always made it clear that he wished to talk to everyone in the household and when Eric left he said, “We do need him here. And if he’s not back soon, I shall have to go and find him. Suggesting it is of great importance that the inspector question him, making it apparent that he too has something to do with the lead up to this girl’s suicide. Mrs Birling suggests that the inspector say good night, but the inspector says that he is waiting to do his duty. Earlier Mrs. Birling had suggested that it would be the inspector’s duty to make sure the young man is compelled to confess in public his responsibility. The only person the inspector is yet to speak to is Eric and if he must wait for Eric to return then Eric is the one that must confess.
Priestly has cleverly revealed everything the audience knows about each of these characters through their relationship and response to Eva and her predicament. At this point, the audience is left to feel that the only person who really knows the full story is the inspector himself. If he hadn’t turned up that night, each of the characters would have carried on in ignorance and without guilt. We know nothing about this girl Eva Smith and we know nothing about any of the characters’ lives before the night when the inspector calls. We have no idea about their personalities and what kind of people they are. Their personalities blossom before the audience’s eyes. In some cases e.g. Sheila’s the character’s personality appears to change. At the beginning we are given the impression that she is a spoilt brat of a girl. This is shown when she gets Eva sacked from her job at Millwards just because of a look. When Sheila realises what she has done and what a big part she has played in this girl’s suicide she becomes a more considerate and caring person and even though her behaviour was so despicable she comments on the others behaviour as though she is better than them.
In the beginning of this play Mrs. Birling seems to be a refined, genteel and weak woman who does as her husband tells her but as she tells her story, Priestly shows another side to her character. She is head strong and convinced that she is in the right. She does not change her opinion of the girl from the moment the girl introduces herself as
Mrs. Birling even when she finds out the girl is pregnant she maintains that she is in the right by refusing the girl assistance. Mr Birling reacts in a similar way to his wife. He has no feeling for the girl and sees everything purely in the business sense. This is displayed when he says ”I must say, Sybil, that when this comes out at inquest, it isn’t going to do us much good. The press might easily take it up.” Gerald is a very polite young man in the beginning and his politeness does not change. However his relationship with Sheila the girl he is engaged to marry. The engagement being the reason that everyone was gathered there is the first place. Their opinions change of one another Sheila says when she gives Gerald her engagement ring back “ I don’t dislike you as I did half an hour ago, Gerald. In fact, In some odd way, I rather respect you more than I’ve ever done before. I knew anyhow you were lying about those months last year when you hardly came near me. I knew there was something fishy about that time. And now at least you’ve been honest.” The only character we are yet to see change is Eric from what he has been like in the begin of the play he likes his drink and he is mocked by his father and Gerald for it. His mother describes his as a silly boy when she finds out his has left the house and his father has told her he is in one of his, “queer moods,” His parents treat him like a child.
To reinforce the tension in this section of the play I would direct the characters in different ways relating to their personality and to their position and effect to the girl’s life. As the play goes on the inspector introduces each character as having an involvement in the girls life. Each new character the inspector questions involvement has a more guilty story. To create tension Priestley has done a great deal. Each character believes they know nothing of the girl, however the inspector is constantly revealing new information that makes one of the characters realise that they know Eva Smith.
The stage setting could do a great deal for displaying tension. In the play there is a large table to which all the characters are sitting around. The two ladies decide to go to the drawing room and expect the man to arrive shortly after them. When the inspector arrives he is shown into the dining room. Soon after it is advised that Eric leave and go to bed as he is in a drunken state. Sheila then enters to room inquisitively as she wanted to know why the men had not joined them in the dining room she takes a seat in the dining room and Mr Birling leaves in order to explain what is happening to his wide. Mr Birling at this point is in a state of anger as the inspector has been winding him up. Mr and Mrs Birling enter the dining room soon after and they all take a seat. Mr Birling is the first to be questioned, the inspector reveals a photograph of the girl and Mr Birling recognised it. The inspector watches every single move of Mr Birling. This shows great tension as the inspector knows Mr Birling knows Eva as she was an employee of his, he fired her for staging a protest for more money, and him denying not knowing her could lead to the inspector becoming more suspicious. Sheila is the next to be questioned she got the girl fired from a job at Milwards. Sheila becomes very hysterical. Gerald is next to be questioned, (this is the first part of act 2) This is a major part of tension between the young couple. Sheila as yet has had the biggest impact on this girl’s life. It is suggested by Gerald that she should leave as his questioning will only upset her, but she wishes to stay. She wishes to know what involvement Gerald has had in this young girls life.
