Analysis of Act Two - Sybil Blames the Father

• Mrs Birling really puts her foot in it

  1. While Sybil is blaming the father of the child, the Inspector doesn't intervene, but instead lets her walk straight into a trap - demanding that he punish her own son

  2. This is the most dramatic result of questioning each person separately - Sybil answers the Inspector's questions, totally unaware of what Eric is going to say

  3. But Sheila is open to the idea that her family are guilty and guesses that Eric might well be the "young man" that Sybil's determined to blame
• Sheila


  Quickly sees what's going on
• Sheila


  • Matured since the incident at Milwards
  • Now a very different Sheila from the well-behaved and blushing bride-to-be of Act One
• Sheila


  • Determined and stubborn like her parents
  • Her stubbornness leads her to seek out the truth
• Sheila


  1. Demands that Gerald and Sybil answer the Inspector's questions

  2. Tells Birling not to interfere when he's defending the behaviour of young men sleeping around
• Perfectly on cue


  KEY EVENT
• Eric walks in


  1. Eric looks "extremely pale and distressed"

  2. It's as if he has been summoned to the dock

  3. His mother's already declared him guilty without knowing
• Eric


  • He's been absent for much of the play
  • He left the dining room in Act One
  • He even left the house earlier in Act Two
  • Eric is always running away from his family and their expectations of him
• Act Two finishes with a cliffhanger
• The audience is left wondering whether or not Eric was the "drunken young idler" who got Eva/Daisy pregnant
• Turning point in the action
• All the major characters (except Gerald) are now on stage
• Eric is forced to give a public confession