Plot Summary

Plot Storyboard

• An Inspector arrives at the Birling’s home

• Arthur admits to sacking Eva Smith from his factory

• Sheila confesses she was responsible for Eva loosing her job in the dress shop

• Gerald admits to having had an affair with Eva last summer

• Sybil admits to having refused Evas request for financial aid through her woman’s charity

• Eric confesses he got Eva pregnant and stole money from his fathers firm

• Arthur is informed an inspector is on his way to make inquiries about a dead girl

Act One

• Begins in the dining room

• Arthur gives a pompous speech but is interrupted by the Inspector who is inquiring about a girl who died in the infirmary after drinking bleach

• Arthur is instantly dismissive, but eventually admits she was an employee of his

• He dismissed Eva for her participation in the strike for higher pay

• Inspector insinuates Evas dismissal may have resulted in suicide

• Sheila confesses she was responsible for Eva loosing her next job

• Inspector reveals Eva changed her name to Daisy Renton which disconcerts Gerald

• Inspector exits, leaving Gerald and Sheila

• Sheila suspects an affair, and confront him, he confesses

• Inspector returns and the scene ends

Act Two

• Gerald tries persuade Sheila to leave before he confesses to the Inspector

• Inspector interrupts and instructs Sheila to stay

• Sybil enters and attacks the impertinence of the Inspector

• Erics heavy drinking exposed by Sheila and Gerald and Arthur returns

• Inspector interrogates Gerald and he admits to the affair and keeping her as a mistress for several months

• Gerald was not in love with Eva but merely enjoyed the situation

• Sheila returns the ring despite her respect for his honesty

• Gerald goes on a short walk

• Arthur leaves to look for Eric and the Inspector starts questioning Sybil

• Arthur informs that Eric has gone out when he returns

• Sybil confesses she met Eva 2 weeks prior and refused her request for financial aid

• Sybil admits to being incensed when the girl called herself ‘Mrs Birling’ revealing she was pregnant

• Sybil chastises the unknown father, insisting he should be made to acknowledge his responsibility

• Sybil realises Eric is the father

• Eric returns and the scene ends

Act Three

• Eric confesses to meeting Eva in a bar last November when he was drunk

• Got her pregnant and stole money from his fathers firm to support her

• Becomes furious when he founds out his mother refused to help Eva

• Inspector interrupts and delivers a dramatic speech

• Inspector exits and Sheila and Eric attack their parents lack of guilt

• Sheila doubts whether the Inspector was real

• Arthur rebukes Eric and Sheila for confessing too much

• Gerald returns and reveals he learnt the Inspector may not be real

• Arthur rings the Chief Constable who confirms he wasn’t real

• Arthur, Sybil and Gerald rejoice on having avoided public scandal

• Sheila and Eric chastise them for their poor behaviour to Eva

• Arthur rings the infirmary and it is confirmed there was no admission of Eva

• Gerald tries return the ring to Sheila

• Phone rings again from a police inspector coming to make an inquiry on a girl who just died on her way to the infirmary, after swallowing bleach