GCSE An Inspector Calls 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Who is engaged to Sheila Birling at the start of the play?
- Gerald Croft (Correct answer)
- Eric Birling
- Inspector Goole
- Edward Birling
Correct answer: Gerald Croft
Sheila and Gerald Croft's engagement is being celebrated at the family dinner when the Inspector arrives.
Gerald's engagement to Sheila is meant to strengthen a business alliance between the Birling and Croft firms, reflecting how marriage and business were intertwined among the upper-middle class in Edwardian society.
Question 2: Which theme is most strongly conveyed by the Inspector's final speech about 'millions and millions of Eva Smiths and John Smiths'?
- Collective social responsibility (Correct answer)
- Romantic love
- Scientific progress
- Religious faith
Correct answer: Collective social responsibility
The Inspector's closing speech argues that everyone is responsible for one another's wellbeing in society.
The Inspector states 'We are members of one body. We are responsible for each other,' summarising Priestley's socialist message that individuals must act with responsibility towards the wider community, not just their own self-interest.
Question 3: Which Birling sibling shows the clearest change and accepts responsibility by the end of the play?
- Sheila (Correct answer)
- Neither sibling changes
- Mrs Birling
- Mr Birling
Correct answer: Sheila
Sheila is deeply affected by the Inspector's investigation and comes to accept her share of responsibility for Eva Smith's death.
Unlike her parents, who remain defensive, Sheila genuinely reflects on her actions, apologises, and warns her family not to dismiss the Inspector's message, making her a symbol of hope for the younger generation.
Question 4: What structural technique does Priestley use at the very end of the play, when a phone call announces a real inspector is on his way?
- Cyclical structure (Correct answer)
- Flashback
- Chorus narration
- Direct address to the audience
Correct answer: Cyclical structure
The play ends as it began, with news of an inspector arriving, creating a cyclical structure.
This cyclical ending suggests the family may get a 'second chance' to learn the Inspector's lesson, reinforcing Priestley's warning that failing to act responsibly will have consequences that repeat if unheeded.
Question 5: In what year did J.B. Priestley write An Inspector Calls?
- 1945 (Correct answer)
- 1912
- 1918
- 1939
Correct answer: 1945
Priestley wrote the play in 1945, just after the end of the Second World War.
Writing in 1945, Priestley reflected on two world wars and hoped Britain would build a fairer, more socially responsible society, which is why the play champions collective responsibility over Edwardian-era individualism.
Question 6: What does Mr Birling do when Eva Smith and other workers ask for a pay rise?
- He dismisses (sacks) the ringleaders, including Eva Smith (Correct answer)
- He grants the pay rise immediately
- He resigns from the company
- He promotes Eva Smith to manager
Correct answer: He dismisses (sacks) the ringleaders, including Eva Smith
Mr Birling refuses the pay rise and sacks the workers who organised the request, including Eva Smith.
This action shows Mr Birling prioritising profit and control over his workers' welfare, and it is presented as the first step in a chain of mistreatment by different characters that ultimately contributes to Eva Smith's suicide.
GCSE An Inspector Calls 2
Who is engaged to Sheila Birling at the start of the play?