Act Two - Summary

Question 1

Briefly summaries the key events of Act Two.

Answer 1

Gerald admits to his affair with Eva / Daisy, Sheila gives Gerald his ring back and Gerald leaves. The Inspector reveals that Sybil stopped her charity from helping Eva / Daisy, even though she was pregnant. He tricks Sybil into blaming the child’s father, who is Eric.

Question 2

Put the following characters in the order in which they knew Eva / Daisy.
A. Gerald
B. Sheila
C. Eric
D. Arthur
E. Sybil

Answer 2

D. Arthur
B. Sheila
A. Gerald
C. Eric
E. Sybil

Question 3

In what ways are the endings of Act One and Act Two similar?

Answer 3

Both acts and on a cliff-hanger and with the action being frozen as a character re-enters. The audience discovers that someone else knew Eva/ Daisy right at the end of both acts — Gerald in act one, than Eric in act 2.

Question 4

How does Priestley use the structure of Act Two to build tension?

Answer 4

Priestly builds tension in Act two by structuring the plot so that the audience has to wait before finding out exactly how Gerald and Sybil were involved in a in Eva / Daisy’s death. The Inspector also drops hints throughout Act 2 that there is trouble ahead — e.g. he is very eager for Eric to return. This contributes to the growing tension.

Question 5

Do you think the Inspector succeeds in changing the way Sybil thinks and acts by the end of Act Two?
Explain your answer using examples from the play.

Answer 5

The inspector doesn’t succeed in changing the way that Sybil thinks and acts, because she continues to claim that she doesn’t regret her actions and that she was “perfectly justified” and refusing to help Eva / Daisy. However, Sybil is clearly shocked by the news that Eric was the father of her child. This means that the audience is left at the end of Act 2 with the possibility that this could cause her to change.