Analysis of Act Three - The Birlings are Alone Flashcards
Who does Arthur blame for what’s happened as soon as the Inspector leaves?
Arthur blames Eric - he tells Eric “You’re the one I blame for this.”
Why does Sheila think that the timing of the Inspector’s arrival was strange?
Sheila thinks it’s “very queer” that the Inspector arrived just as Arthur was telling Eric and Gerald that “a man has to make his own way” and not worry about other people.
Why does Arthur think the man who visited the house might not be a real police inspector?
Arthur claims that he knows several police inspectors and they “don’t talk like that”.
What does Eric mean when he says “He was our police inspector all right”?
Eric means that even though the Inspector might not have been a real inspector, he still discovered a lot about the Birling family, uncovered secrets and lies, and showed them that they were guilty of contributing to the death of Eva / Daisy.
Sheila claims that her parents “are being childish”. In what ways does Sheila act more maturely than her parents after the Inspector leaves?
- Sheila realises that the
Inspector has taught them
a lesson and they can’t just
“pretend that nothing much
has happened”. She
recognises that everything
the Inspector told them
was true, even if he wasn’t
a real inspector. - Sheila doesn’t start
blaming the other members
of her family as soon as
the Inspector leaves, like
her parents do. She
realises that they each
need to accept
responsibility. - Sheila understands that
the Inspector already knew
everything and came to
teach them a lesson,
whereas Arthur still claims
that he just “made a few
smart guesses”.
