Act 2 Key Quotes

Test yourself

Sheila - Key Quotes

Sheila says the following key quotes in Act 2:

‘I’m afraid you’ll say something...'

‘I’m afraid you’ll say something or do something that you’ll be sorry for afterwards.’
- At this point, Sheila understands the Inspector’s role in the story. She attempts to warn her mother about the Inspector knowing more than he seems to.
- She knows that Inspector Goole is giving each character the rope to hang themselves with – he is letting them explore their own involvement and work out their own guilt.

‘We really must stop these silly pretences’

Sheila quickly becomes the mature voice of reason (person who influences others to act sensibly) – she knows that the Inspector already knows how every member of the family was involved with Eva Smith.
She tries to get her family to just play along and tell the truth. This could also link to the idea that these upper-class people cared so much about presenting perfect personas that they never presented their true selves to anyone.
Priestley, through Sheila, tells these upper-class people that they need to care less about social appearances and more about the consequences of their actions.

‘You and I aren’t the same people who sat down to dinner here’

Sheila shows a great deal of emotional maturity.
She breaks her engagement because she realises that she does not really know her fiancé.
Although she had said many sarcastic, harsh comments to Gerald during his interrogation (questioning), she does not hate him. But she feels that she cannot commit to spending her life with a man she does not know – she is not worried about losing a close business connection (unlike her father).

Inspector Goole - Key Quotes

Inspector Goole says this key quote in Act 2: ‘Public men, Mr Birling, have their responsibilities as well as their privileges’.

Message

This is a message to wider British society in 1945.
During his time fighting in World War One, Priestley saw soldiers being sent off to die for their country. Upper-class generals and leaders stayed in safe places. They didn’t fear for their own lives but sent their social inferiors (those of lower class) into battle. This made him feel very angry at the class system.
In this quote, Goole wants to make it clear that although upper-class men are free to enjoy the benefits of their lifestyle, they must also be responsible members of society who care about the lower-class people who make the upper-class lifestyles possible.

Mrs Birling - Key Quotes

Mrs Birling says the following key quotes in Act 2:

'You seem to have made a great impression on this child'

Mrs Birling is talking to Inspector Goole.
She shows that she doesn’t respect Sheila as a young adult – she still thinks of her as a child, and talks about her as if she is not in the room.
She also belittles (plays down) the effect the Inspector has had. She suggests that this ‘impression’ will be short-lived, and that Sheila will not be permanently affected by him.

'You know, of course, that my husband...'

‘You know, of course, that my husband was Lord Mayor only two years ago and that he’s still a magistrate?’
- This highlights the influence of the upper classes.
- Most people would let the Birlings be treated differently and receive special treatment – both Mr and Mrs Birling find it unacceptable that Inspector Goole refuses to worship or fear them.
- Priestley uses their attitudes to show the corruption (moral wrongness) in a society that lets the social classes be treated differently and, in some cases, not even be included in criminal investigations purely because of their social class.

‘It’s you – and not the Inspector’

This exclamation from Mrs Birling to Sheila shows a crack in their apparently-perfect family façade (fake image).
The family members have begun to separate. They verbally attack one another, suggesting that their perfect family is not so perfect after all.

‘She had only herself to blame’

Mrs Birling says many times that Eva Smith was to blame for her own fate, and for the charity refusing to help her. She then goes on to blame the man who got Eva pregnant.
At no point in the whole play does Mrs Birling accept any responsibility for her own actions, or think that her actions may have negative consequences for others. She doesn't understand that she should think about other people.
Mrs Birling only cares about her own family, how they look to other people, and keeping (or improving) their social standing.

‘Go and look for the father of the child. It’s his responsibility’

As soon as Mrs Birling finds out that Eva was pregnant, she shifts all blame to the father of the child. -
As this man is described, dramatic irony (when the audience knows something the characters don’t) unfolds as the audience realise that this man is actually Eric, Mrs Birling’s son.
As Mrs Birling continues her speech, the audience waits for her to work out that she is actively criticising her own son.
As long as this man is anonymous (not named), she does not care what happens to him.
When she starts to realise it could be her son, she stutters and stops talking.

1Plot Summary

1.1Act 1

1.1.1Act 1 Summary

1.1.2Act 1 Key Quotes

1.2Act 2

1.2.1Act 2 Summary

1.2.2Act 2 Key Quotes

1.3Act 3

1.3.1Act 3 Summary

1.3.2Act 3 Key Quotes

1.3.3Act 3 More Key Quotes

1.3.4End of Topic Test - Acts 1, 2 & 3

2Context & Key Themes

2.1Context & Key Themes

2.1.1Social Class & Equality

2.1.2Class Tension

2.1.3Abuse of Power & Corruption

2.1.4Socialism vs Capitalism

2.1.5Blame & Responsibility

2.1.6Attitudes to Women

2.1.7Characterisation of Women

2.1.8Dramatic Function of Characters

2.1.9End of Topic Test - Context & Key Themes

2.1.10End of Topic Test - Context & Key Themes 2

2.1.11Grade 9 - Key Themes

3Key Characters

3.1Mr Birling

3.1.1Mr Birling Analysis

3.1.2Mr Birling Quotes

3.2Mrs Birling

3.2.1Mrs Birling Analysis

3.2.2Mrs Birling Quotes

3.2.3Exam-Style Questions - Mrs Birling

3.3Sheila

3.3.1Sheila Analysis

3.3.2Sheila Quotes

3.3.3End of Topic Test - The Birlings & Sheila

3.4Eric

3.4.1Eric Analysis

3.4.2Eric Quotes

3.5Gerald

3.5.1Gerald Analysis

3.5.2Gerald Quotes

3.6Inspector Goole

3.6.1Inspector Goole Analysis

3.6.2Inspector Goole Quotes

3.6.3End of Topic Test - Eric, Gerald & Inspector Goole

3.7Grade 9 - Key Characters

3.7.1Grade 9 - Key Characters

4Authorial Method

4.1Arrangement & Structure of the Play

4.1.1Setting, Lighting & Dramatic Irony

4.1.2Structure & Chronology

4.1.3Structure & Chronology 2

4.1.4End of Topic Test - Authorial Method

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