An Inspector Calls - Act Three

An Inspector Calls - Act Three

1. Key Events

   • Eric's interrogation
     • Eric is open with his answers
       • Doesn't lie about what he has done
       • Doesn't try to dodge the questions
     • Angry at his family, especially parents
       • 'Why, you little sneak!'
       • 'You're not the type of father a chap could go to when he's in trouble.'
       • 'You don't understand anything... you never tried'
   • Inspector's final speech
     • Puts guilt on everybody
       • 'Each of you helped kill her.'
       • 'Remember what you did...'
     • Mentions the World Wars
       • 'if men will not learn that lesson, then they will be taught in fire and blood and anguish.'
   • After Inspector leaves
     • Mr and Mrs Birling don't learn
       • 'You're just beginning to pretend all over again.'
       • 'The whole thing's different now.'
     • Learns Inspector isn't real
       • 'That man wasn't a police officer'
       • 'There's no Inspector Goole on the police.'

2. Change in Characters

   • Sheila
     • Continues Inspector's message
       • 'Whoever the Inspector was, it was anything but a joke.'
   • Mr Birling + Mrs Birling
     • Falls back to their old ways
       • 'You're ready to go on in the same old way.'
     • Find it funny
       • 'amused'
   • Eric
     • Angry with Mr Birling
       • 'Oh for God's sake! What does it matter now...'
   • Gerald
     • Out to prove Inspector isn't real
       • 'He swore there wasn't any Inspector Goole'

3. Key Quotations

   • Character Quotes
     • 'One Eva Smith has gone - but there are millions and millions of Eva Smiths and John Smiths still left with us'
       • Millions more working class people out there that need help
     • 'What about this ring'
       • Misjudged by Gerald
       • Acting like everything can go back to normal
   • Theme Quotes
     • Conflict
       • 'Why, you hysterical young fool - get back - or I'll -'
     • Responsibility
       • 'There's every excuse for what both your mother and I did.'
       • 'You don't seem to have learnt anything.'
     • Gender
       • 'lively good-looking girl'
       • 'But she was very pretty... I couldn't be sorry for her.'
         • Only thought of as pretty, not how she works or her personality

4. Staging/set design

   • Eric's entrance to Act Three
     • In resignation of what he's done
       • 'You know, don't you?'
     • Biggest revelation in the play, especially for Mrs Birling
       • 'Eric, I can't believe it.'
   • Eric attacking his mother
     • Eric at his breaking point
       • 'almost threatening'
     • Biggest divide in the family since the beginning of the play

5. Important Themes

   • Responsibility
     • Younger generation ready to accept responsibility, older generation aren't able to accept it
   • Conflict
     • Conflicting views between family members
       • Sheila + Eric agree with Inspector's message
       • Parents think its all lies from the Inspector
     • Family start fighting between each other
   • Gender (women)
     • Don't have many rights
       • Higher class have some
       • Working class have none
   • Generation Gap
     • Older generation are arrogant and stubborn, won't listen to others
     • Younger generation want to learn from the Inspector