An Inspector Calls - ACT 2 Quotes
UPDATED ACTUAL Exam Questions and
CORRECT Answers
Pg 27: (to the Inspector) *"Miss Birling ought to be excused... she's had a long, exciting and
tiring day"* - Gerald Croft - CORRECT ANSWER - Gerald suggest that Sheila should
leave, but when she refuses, he questions her motives, thinking that she wants to see him
uncomfortable when questioned(now she wants to see *"somebody else put through it"*). The
Inspector intervenes and points out that Sheila wishes to stay because she does not want to
shoulder all the blame.
Pg 27: *"and you think young women ought to be protected against unpleasant things"* -
Inspector - CORRECT ANSWER - The Inspector says this to Gerald after he asks if Sheila
can leave. The Inspector goes on to say that Eva wasn't protected which shows that Gerald
displays different attitudes to middle-class Edwardian women than working class women. Gerald
demonstrates the Edwardian view that women are not to be tainted by unpleasant, worldly truths.
The Inspector holds a more modern view by questioning Gerald's request for Sheila to leave, and
also points out the hypocrisy in the treatment of Eva Smith: while middle-class women are to be
protected from the harsh realities of life, poorer working-class women are not.
Pg 28: *"i must obviously be a selfish, vindictive creature"* - CORRECT ANSWER -
Sheila believes that Gerald sees her in this way because of what she did to Eva Smith.
Pg 28: *"you don't believe me. And this is the wrong time not to believe me"* - CORRECT
ANSWER - Gerald and Sheila's relationship is breaking. Sheila feels like Gerald does not
understand or trust her, while he does not trust her motives for staying.
Pg 29: Sheila stares at the Inspector *"wonderingly"* - CORRECT ANSWER - Sheila
finds that she agrees with the Inspector on many things such as his statement that *"we'll have to
share our guilt"*.
Pg 29: *"we'll have to share our guilt"*. - Inspector - CORRECT ANSWER - Priestley
creates a moral figure in the Inspector to evoke sympathy from the audience and condemn the
actions of those who mistreated her. He explains that *"we'll have to share our guilt"* referring
, to the responsibility for Eva Smith, and for others like Eva Smith. Basically he implies that we
are responsible for each other. Priestley is using the Inspector to portray moral socialism to
contradict Mr Birling's individualism. There is a need for cooperation and community and social
justice in society, particularly for the audience in 1946 who have just suffered World War Two
and Priestley perhaps wanted to influence them as a new society is built.
Pg 29: *"briskly and self-confidently, quite out of key"* with the atmosphere - Stage directions -
CORRECT ANSWER - Shows that Mrs Birling is unaware of what has gone on and is
also unable to sense the mood of the room, suggesting she lacks awareness of other people.
Pg 30: *"They're more impressionable"* - Inspector - CORRECT ANSWER - The
Inspectors response to Mrs Birling's haughty observation that he has made an impression on
Sheila. Priestley is suggesting that the young are more open minded than the older generation
about the kind of society that they want to live in.
Pg 30: *"you mustn't try to build a kind of wall between us and that girl"* - Sheila - CORRECT
ANSWER - Sheila tries to warn Mrs Birling but Mrs Birling does not understand because
she too (like Mr Birling) can't understand how the welfare of her husband's employees could be
of any concern to her. Mrs Birling also can't understand Sheila's *"morbid curiousity"* and
believes that Ageila would never find out why Eva killed herself anyway because *"Girls of that
class"*. Mrs Birling clearly demonstrate a lack of understanding of girls in the working class,
and a lack of curiosity too.
Pg 30: *"a trifle impertinent"* - Mrs Birling - CORRECT ANSWER - Mrs Birling is
offended when the Inspector agrees that Sheila is right. Mrs Birling sees the Inspector as socially
inferior and he should not contradict her. Mrs Birling blatantly ignores Sheila's warning and talks
down to Sheila, calling her a *"child"*. Comparing this to on page 9 when her and Sheila were
light-heartedly *"talking about clothes"* shows how a rift between them is growing.
Pg 31: *"Lord Mayor only two years ago"* - Mrs Birling - CORRECT ANSWER - Mrs
Birling threatens the Inspector like Mr Birling had done earlier.
Pg 31: *"he had too much to drink tonight"* - Mrs Birling
Pg 32: *"some young men drink far too much"* - Inspector
UPDATED ACTUAL Exam Questions and
CORRECT Answers
Pg 27: (to the Inspector) *"Miss Birling ought to be excused... she's had a long, exciting and
tiring day"* - Gerald Croft - CORRECT ANSWER - Gerald suggest that Sheila should
leave, but when she refuses, he questions her motives, thinking that she wants to see him
uncomfortable when questioned(now she wants to see *"somebody else put through it"*). The
Inspector intervenes and points out that Sheila wishes to stay because she does not want to
shoulder all the blame.
Pg 27: *"and you think young women ought to be protected against unpleasant things"* -
Inspector - CORRECT ANSWER - The Inspector says this to Gerald after he asks if Sheila
can leave. The Inspector goes on to say that Eva wasn't protected which shows that Gerald
displays different attitudes to middle-class Edwardian women than working class women. Gerald
demonstrates the Edwardian view that women are not to be tainted by unpleasant, worldly truths.
The Inspector holds a more modern view by questioning Gerald's request for Sheila to leave, and
also points out the hypocrisy in the treatment of Eva Smith: while middle-class women are to be
protected from the harsh realities of life, poorer working-class women are not.
Pg 28: *"i must obviously be a selfish, vindictive creature"* - CORRECT ANSWER -
Sheila believes that Gerald sees her in this way because of what she did to Eva Smith.
Pg 28: *"you don't believe me. And this is the wrong time not to believe me"* - CORRECT
ANSWER - Gerald and Sheila's relationship is breaking. Sheila feels like Gerald does not
understand or trust her, while he does not trust her motives for staying.
Pg 29: Sheila stares at the Inspector *"wonderingly"* - CORRECT ANSWER - Sheila
finds that she agrees with the Inspector on many things such as his statement that *"we'll have to
share our guilt"*.
Pg 29: *"we'll have to share our guilt"*. - Inspector - CORRECT ANSWER - Priestley
creates a moral figure in the Inspector to evoke sympathy from the audience and condemn the
actions of those who mistreated her. He explains that *"we'll have to share our guilt"* referring
, to the responsibility for Eva Smith, and for others like Eva Smith. Basically he implies that we
are responsible for each other. Priestley is using the Inspector to portray moral socialism to
contradict Mr Birling's individualism. There is a need for cooperation and community and social
justice in society, particularly for the audience in 1946 who have just suffered World War Two
and Priestley perhaps wanted to influence them as a new society is built.
Pg 29: *"briskly and self-confidently, quite out of key"* with the atmosphere - Stage directions -
CORRECT ANSWER - Shows that Mrs Birling is unaware of what has gone on and is
also unable to sense the mood of the room, suggesting she lacks awareness of other people.
Pg 30: *"They're more impressionable"* - Inspector - CORRECT ANSWER - The
Inspectors response to Mrs Birling's haughty observation that he has made an impression on
Sheila. Priestley is suggesting that the young are more open minded than the older generation
about the kind of society that they want to live in.
Pg 30: *"you mustn't try to build a kind of wall between us and that girl"* - Sheila - CORRECT
ANSWER - Sheila tries to warn Mrs Birling but Mrs Birling does not understand because
she too (like Mr Birling) can't understand how the welfare of her husband's employees could be
of any concern to her. Mrs Birling also can't understand Sheila's *"morbid curiousity"* and
believes that Ageila would never find out why Eva killed herself anyway because *"Girls of that
class"*. Mrs Birling clearly demonstrate a lack of understanding of girls in the working class,
and a lack of curiosity too.
Pg 30: *"a trifle impertinent"* - Mrs Birling - CORRECT ANSWER - Mrs Birling is
offended when the Inspector agrees that Sheila is right. Mrs Birling sees the Inspector as socially
inferior and he should not contradict her. Mrs Birling blatantly ignores Sheila's warning and talks
down to Sheila, calling her a *"child"*. Comparing this to on page 9 when her and Sheila were
light-heartedly *"talking about clothes"* shows how a rift between them is growing.
Pg 31: *"Lord Mayor only two years ago"* - Mrs Birling - CORRECT ANSWER - Mrs
Birling threatens the Inspector like Mr Birling had done earlier.
Pg 31: *"he had too much to drink tonight"* - Mrs Birling
Pg 32: *"some young men drink far too much"* - Inspector
