‘An Inspector Calls’

2. What do we learn about the following characters in Act 2? Sybil Sheila Eric Gerald Eva What type of person are they made out to be and how do you know?

Help sessions This week – Tuesday after school Next week – Monday/Tuesday after school After that Tuesdays/Wednesdays

Homework Monday 16th – finish the Chocolate close reading. Make sure you take the paper and use your close reading notes to help you finish it. These will be collected in and marked.

Plot / Key Incidents Gerald confesses that he had an affair with Eva / Daisy. Daisy / Eva fell in love with Gerald, but he ended the affair. Sybil reveals that she refused to let her charity help Eva / Daisy who was poor and pregnant. Sybil blames the father of Eva / Daisy’s child for her death. Sheila guesses that Eric was the father. Act ends with a cliffhanger. Audience is left wondering whether or not he is the father of Eva / Daisy’s child.

Characterisation: Sybil Birling

Characterisation: Sybil Birling She is prejudiced She can’t believe that a working-class person would refuse stolen money She is head of a charity organisation, but is far from charitable.

Characterisation: Sybil Birling She is self-centred – 1. She hasn’t noticed Eric’s drinking problem 2. She isn’t worried that Gerald lost interest in Sheila last summer. 3. She won’t accept responsibility for Eva / Daisy’s suicide and claims she was in the right.

Characterisation: Sybil Birling She takes no responsibility for Eva / Daisy’s death and tries to blame the father. She doesn’t realise that it is a trap and that she is asking for her own son to be punished.

Characterisation: Sheila Birling

Characterisation: Sheila Birling She is strong-minded She has morals Wants to know the truth

Characterisation: Eric Birling

Characterisation: Eric Birling He is revealed to be a heavy drinker. At the end, Eric walks in looking “extremely pale and distressed”. It is as if he realises that everyone knows that he is guilty.

Characterisation: Gerald Croft

Characterisation: Gerald Croft He is a liar. He doesn’t feel sorry for his actions. Shows that young people can be just as self-centred as the older generation.

Characterisation: Eva Smith / Daisy Renton

Characterisation: Eva Smith Gerald rescued her from being a prostitute, but he left when it suited him. She is portrayed as having been a decent person. She refused help from the father of the baby because : He drank too much. The money he gave her was stolen. He didn’t love her. She didn’t want to get him into any more trouble.

Characterisation: Inspector Goole

Characterisation: Inspector Goole The Inspector is blunt and forceful towards Gerald. He is unwilling to accept the lies of the family. He is harshest with Sybil because she resists the truth the most.

Characterisation From Act 2 try to find two quotes for each of the following characters that you think sums up the points we have made about them: Sheila Gerald Inspector Goole

Dramatic Techniques - Tension Act One ends with the Inspector asking, ‘Well?’, Act Two opens in the same way. The audience will wonder about the answer to this question during the break, which adds to the suspense. At the beginning of the Act the audience expects to hear Gerald confess, but the focus shifts to Sheila and Sybil. This builds tension because the audience are left in suspense. The Act ends on a cliffhanger – is Eric the father of Eva / Daisy’s child?

Theme: Social Responsibility Sybil believes she has no responsibility to the working class. Her prejudice is so deep, it can’t be changed. Theme: Social Class The upper class in the play don’t feel responsible for the working class. Sybil Birling doesn’t care. Mrs Birling is involved in a charity, but it seems she is only doing it for the social status. Eva / Daisy is presented as more honourable than the middle / upper classes. This would have surprised some of Priestley’s audience.

Theme: Social Responsibility Sybil believes she has no responsibility to the working class. Her prejudice is so deep, it can’t be changed.

National 5 Close Reading Assessment Tuesday 8th and Wednesday 9th December.