Transcript No Slide Title

Standard Grade Drama
Slide:- 1
An Inspector Calls:Act 2:- March 1911 Eva and Gerald Croft
Gerald met Eva Smith [ now Daisy Renton ] in the Palace Music Hall bar
in March 1911, which was two months after being fired by Millwards.
The Palace Music Hall bar was a place that prostitutes came seeking
clients.
She was being coerced by Alderman Joe Meggarty and Gerald had
taken pity on her.
Mrs. Birling is shocked that someone like Alderman Meggarty is not
only there but flirting with girls.
“There’s no need to be disgusting. And surely you don’t
mean Alderman Meggarty?”
P. 35
“Well, really! Alderman Meggarty! I must say, we are
learning something tonight.”
P. 35
Standard Grade Drama
Slide:- 2
An Inspector Calls:Act 2:- March 1911 Eva and Gerald Croft
It is clear from Sheila that many in Brumley know about Meggarty and
indeed his appearance with Eva is not the first time he has done that
sort of thing.
“..everybody knows about that horrible old Meggarty. A girl
I know had to see him at the Town hall one afternoon and
she only escaped with a torn blouse -”
P. 35
Gerald first gets involved with Eva because he sees that she is in
distress from Meggarty’s attentions.
The girl saw me looking at her and then gave me a glance
that was nothing less than a cry for help.
P. 35
Standard Grade Drama
Slide:- 3
An Inspector Calls:Act 2:- March 1911 Eva and Gerald Croft
Gerald may have been sincere in his rescue of Eva and assisting her
with food and drink. However the meeting has an impact on him. He
decides two days later to meet her.
“…two nights later we met again - not accidentally this
time of course”
P. 36
It is during this meeting that Gerald discovers that Eva is so broke that
she is to be thrown out of her lodgings. He offers to put her up in his
friends flat.
Because he goes out of his way to meet her two days later, again at the
Palace bar, and because of the speed he offers the flat it is clear he
wants a relationship with her. He denies that was his reason for doing
this.
Standard Grade Drama
Slide:- 4
An Inspector Calls:Act 2:- March 1911 Eva and Gerald Croft
I want you to understand I didn’t install her there so I
could make love to her. I made her go to Morgan Terrace
because I was sorry for her and didn’t like the idea of her
going back to the Palace bar.
P. 37
Gerald makes it clear why he was attracted to her and why he was
happy that an affair between them was bound to happen and indeed
why he wanted it to happen.
She was young and pretty and warm hearted - and
intensely grateful. I became at once the most important
person in her life.
P. 37
Standard Grade Drama
Slide:- 5
An Inspector Calls:Act 2:- March 1911 Eva and Gerald Croft
When asked by Sheila whether he loved Eva, he replies:
I didn’t feel about her as she felt about me
P. 38
Whereas Gerald did not love Eva, Eva deeply loved Gerald.
I became at once the most important person in her life
P. 37
The affair with Eva lasted seven months and ended in September 1911.
Gerald used the time he knew he would be away on business to end the
affair with Eva. Eva had not expected the affair to last long and was
prepared when Gerald decided to tell her it was over.
However although the affair meant little to Gerald, it had meant
everything to Eva. After it ended she had to be away on her own to
come to terms with his leaving.
Standard Grade Drama
Slide:- 6
An Inspector Calls:Act 2:- September 1911 Eva and Gerald Croft
She told me she’d been happier than she’d ever been before
P. 39
She had to leave the flat and, although Gerald offered her money she
did not want to take it but Gerald insisted…….however it was not a
great deal of money he gave her.
The Inspector informs Gerald that Eva went away on her own to
remember the time she had been with Gerald.
..she said there that she had to go away and be quiet and
remember “just to make it last longer”.
P. 39
Standard Grade Drama
Slide:- 7
An Inspector Calls:Act 2:- September 1911 Gerald Croft & Selfishness
Gerald’s contact with Eva Smith is outright selfishness.
Although he shows some concern when he hears of Eva’s
death, it is soon over with:• It is he who makes contact the second time: he goes back
to the Palace bar two nights later to see if he can meet her
again.
• While this is happening he is still going out with Sheila
Birling.
• It is he who offers the flat to Eva.
• Although Sheila also expects to be seeing him, he informs
her that he can’t because he is too busy at work.
• At one point he decides to go back with Sheila and
promptly ditches Eva
Standard Grade Drama
Slide:- 8
An Inspector Calls:Act 2:- September 1911 Gerald Croft & Selfishness
• He chooses a time to tell Eva when he knows he will be
away for three weeks so that she is not able to contact him.
• Although he does not love her, he is aware that she is
deeply in love with him. It is maybe for that reason that he
offers her a little money.
He tells Sheila that he wishes to go outside for a while and
when he does return it is he that leads the others into
doubting the Inspector is real and that indeed Eva Smith
has killed herself.
At the end of the play when it seems that the Inspector may
not be real Gerald feels very confident and turns to Sheila:
“Everything is alright now. Sheila what about this
ring?
P. 71
Standard Grade Drama
Slide:- 9
An Inspector Calls:Act 2:- Early Spring 1912 Sybil Birling & Eva Smith
Two weeks before the Inspector arrived Eva met Sybil
Birling. Sybil Birling was the most prominent member of
the “Brumley Womens’ Charity Organisation”. This was an
organisation to aid and help women in distress.
Her contact with Eva was as follows:i. Eva had approached her committee two weeks earlier.
She was pregnant and had given her name as Mrs. Birling.
I didn’t like her manner. She’d impertinently
made use of our name, though she pretented
afterwards it just happened to be the first she
thought of.
P. 44
Standard Grade Drama
Slide:- 10
An Inspector Calls:Act 2:- Early Spring 1912 Sybil Birling & Eva Smith
ii. The committee refused her help. This was mainly due to
pressure from Sybil.
iii. Under Sybil’s questioning, Eva admitted that she was
not married and that the story she had first told about a
husband deserting her, was a lie.
iv. Sybil told her to find the young man who had got her
into this condition and demand he is responsible.
I told her it was her business to make him
responsible. If he refused to marry her - and in
my opinion he ought to be compelled to marry her
- then he must at least support her.
P. 46
Standard Grade Drama
Slide:- 11
An Inspector Calls:Act 2:- Early Spring 1912 Sybil Birling & Eva Smith
v. In the end Eva left having gained no assistance.
Mrs. Birling’s attitude towards Eva was based on four
points.
a. Eva had called herself Mrs. Birling when she first
approached the committee. It got Mrs. Birling very angry.
She referred to it as a “piece of gross impertinence”.
b. Eva had told a pack of lies at being married.
c. Eva not only refused to name who the man was but went
on to comment that the person was too immature to be able
to cope with marriage. She felt marriage was out of the
question. This got Mrs. Birling really angry.
Standard Grade Drama
Slide:- 12
An Inspector Calls:Act 2:- Early Spring 1912 Sybil Birling & Eva Smith
..it made me finally lose all patience with her. She
was giving herself ridiculous airs. She was
claiming elaborate fine feelings and scruples
that simply absurd in a girl in her position. P. 46
d. Eva also informed Mrs. Birling that she refused any
further help from the person when she discovers that the
aid she is receiving is stolen by that person.
Standard Grade Drama
Slide:- 13
An Inspector Calls:Act 2:- Early Spring 1912 Sybil Birling & Prejudice
Sybil Birling’s attitude towards Eva Smith is one of severe
prejudice.
It is based on three elements:i. Name
ii. Class
iii. Situation
i. She is shocked that Eva has used the name of “Birling”.
Sybil grills her to find out whether she has married Eric or
has another claim to the name.
She had to admit, after I started questioning her,
that she had no claim to the name.
P. 44
Standard Grade Drama
Slide:- 14
An Inspector Calls:Act 2:- Early Spring 1912 Sybil Birling & Eva Smith
It is not clear why Eva used the name, maybe she thought
that being Eric’s mother she would be more sympathetic
especially since she was Chairwoman of the “Brumley’s
Womens’ Charity”. She was find that she was very wrong.
ii. She is astonished that Eva should have feelings and
considerations for people and situations. She know she is
“Working Class” and Mrs. Birling feels she has no right to
be “choosy”. She should be grateful if offers of help were
made to her by other people, whoever they are. The idea
that Eva should decide whether a certain man was or was
not right for her she found absurd.
Standard Grade Drama
Slide:- 15
An Inspector Calls:Act 2:- Early Spring 1912 Sybil Birling & Eva Smith
She said that the father was only a youngster silly and wild and drinking too much. There
couldn’t be any question of marrying him - it
would be wrong for them both
P. 46
Ah - she had some fancy reason. As if a girl of
that sort would ever refuse money!
P. 47
Standard Grade Drama
Slide:- 16
An Inspector Calls:Act 2:- Early Spring 1912 Sybil Birling & Eva Smith
iii. The third reason that Sybil was prejudiced against Eva
was that she was pregnant. She did not feel it was the
responsibility her organisation to look after Eva. In her
mind that was the responsibility of the father.
Go and look for the father of the child. It’s his
responsibility.
P. 45
She is convinced that whoever got her pregnant should be
forced to marry her and support her.
If he refused to marry her - and in my opinion he
ought to be compelled to - then he must at least
support her.
P. 46
Standard Grade Drama
Slide:- 17
An Inspector Calls:Act 2:- Early Spring 1912 Sybil Birling & Eva Smith
She clearly also blames Eva for becoming pregnant. She
comments on her character when she refers to her refusal
of money from Eric.
As if a girl of that sort would ever refuse money
P. 47