Analysis of Act Three - The Final Twist Flashcards
Which two characters don’t agree that it’s “all over now”?
Sheila and Eric — they continue to feel upset and frightened by what the Inspector has shown then and how their parents are acting.
How can you tell that Arthur hasn’t changed by the end of the play?
Arthur still thinks he knows everything and laughs at “the famous younger generation” for taking the Inspector seriously. He wants Sheila to ask for her engagement ring back, which shows he thinks things can just return to how they were before the Inspector’s visit.
When Gerald offers Sheila the ring again, she replies “No, not yet. It’s too soon. I must think.”
What does this suggest about how Sheila has changed during the play?
This suggests that Sheila has become more mature and realised that she needs to think for herself. In Act One, Sheila takes the ring from Gerald and kisses him “hastily” — she appears childish and naïve by agreeing to marry him even though she thinks he has been lying to her. In contrast, at the end of the play, she isn’t willing to simply accept Gerald again —her short, disjointed sentences show her uncertainty about him.
How does Priestley use the final telephone call to create tension?
The final call creates tension as the audience has to wait to find out what’s happening. The combination of the telephone ringing “sharply” and the “complete silence” that follows is unsettling, and Arthur’s broken sentences add to the sense that something is wrong.
