Sheila Birling PDF

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Detailed summary of the role of Shiela Birling in the book An Inspector Calls. Includes quotes...

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Bethany Cunningham

An Inspector Calls

Sheila Birling

1. What Shelia says and does (the impression  of her) ● Hers and Gerald's relationship 2. How other characters respond to her ● Facial expressions/body language ● The methods Priestly uses to present Shelia ● Stage directions ● How she reacts in certain circumstances (phrases) ● Show how everything is placed for one thing.

How Shelia is described at first? 'Pretty girl in her early twenties, very pleased with life, rather excited’ What are the readers first impressions? How simple Shelia's life has been and it seems very easy for girl in her 'early twenties' and this implies that she is oblivious to the real world and it is almost as if she is been protected from what is really going on outside her capitalist bubble - where life isn't as easier as having a father as wealthy as Arthur Birling . Priestly begins with Sheila's life seeming perfect and this contrasts with the realism of life also as this is the first part of the play, it is probably going to change because nothing stays perfect for everyone. The writer is portraying that something is going to change very soon. What does Shelia seem like in Act 1? Shelia is spoilt and seems to be involved in an arranged marriage this involves her (the daughter of a successful business and Gerald Croft - the son of the rival business ) . Priestly uses this to indicate how many capitalists believed in an arranged marriage in order to secure two successful businesses and took this in as normal to have an arranged marriage . Shelia doesn't seem mature enough for a commitment such as marriage because she seems to be more interested in the ring and not the life after the ring. The attention surrounding her "important" engagement gives her great pleasure which clarifies her as self-centred. At one point in act one she also seems superficial. Also she possibly implies signs of intelligence but she reverts to her childish and sly comments such as 'don’t be an ass Eric ' . Priestly uses Shelia at this part in the play to connote the stereotypical capitalist's offspring, however with the signs of intelligence Priestly is trying to convey indicates that Shelia has the chance to change but she hasn't been brought up in the right way and she just needs a "nudge" in the right direction. However at one point she doesn't follow her spoilt and immature act when she seems very playful at the beginning of the play but it seems a darker undertone when she mentions 'last summer when you never came near me'. It suggests that she isn't as naïve and shallow as she first appeared. What is Sheila's relationship with her father portrays about her character and what her father sees her as? From Mr Birling's point of view Sheila is a parting gif in the joining of the two companies and he doesn't seem interested in whether Shelia is fine with the deal or not, he leaves her out of the deal. However once the inspector begins to interfere he seems to finally consider Shelia and try to protect her. 'Nothing to do with you Shelia, run along' and it seems as though her is trying to shield her away from the realism of life but this also could establish Mr Birling's views on women's rights at the time because it doesn’t seem to involve her he tries to avoid her out of the "grown up" conversation. Also 'run along' validates that Mr Birling still treats Sheila as a child even though she is in her 'twenties', this is Mr Birling's sexist views being outlined her, how he can't even treat his own daughter with respect even though she is grown up and able to make her own decisions and mistakes. Once the inspector questions Sheila and she changes her whole character she stands up to her father and says 'but these girls aren't cheap labour, they are people'. Even before the inspector changed her she is filled with compassion from her father's treatment of his workers. After the inspector opens her eyes to the real world she finally understands the fakeness of her father's approach to business. T  his explains the

Bethany Cunningham

An Inspector Calls

Sheila Birling

views of many people in 1912 especially those who were forced to work for low wages and the bosses earning a lot of money. It displays one such example with Mr Birling and how he works for 'lower costs and higher prices' not thinking about his worker's lives. T  his portrays the capitalism state in 1912 and how many people were treat in order for the bosses to make a load of money. What is Priestly trying to convey with Shelia's close relationship with her mother? Shelia's close relationship with her mother reminds the reader of her immaturity with phrases such as 'go on mummy', the specific word 'mummy' provides the reassurance to the reader of her immaturity as she is calling her mother 'mummy' which portrays to the reader Shelia's dependence on her mother . Priestly again indicates the capitalist bubble that Shelia seems trapped in as she is very dependent on her mother but also she doesn't understand how to survive in the real world. I t also could imply to the reader how spoilt Shelia is. How is Shelia different to her mother? Shelia seems different because she doesn't follow the traditional ways of her mother as Mrs Birling comments on Shelia's response to Eric as 'squiffy' as Sybil Birling says 'really the things young girls pick up these days'. I t indicates how things have already changed from when Sybil Birling was a child, this is a clear notion that P  riestly is trying to hint upon. If society has changed since Sybil was a child then it is more than likely going to change in the future and this is where Priestly highlights the hope for a change in the capitalist society. What happens when she notices Eva Smith from the image? This is a complete turning point for Sheila's character and how 'she recognises with a little cry'. T  his finally displays how she now understands the way of life she has been taught is wrong and there is other people than herself in this world, it also changes her capitalist views and she understands how she has affected  lso she is horrified by her own part in Eva's story and she feels full of guilt other people from her lifestyle. A for her jealous actions and blames herself as responsible. How has Shelia changed since her encounter with the inspector? She seems to have matured in less than a night as she now notices the real significance she has played on  riestly again tries to indicate how society can change after they understand the Eva Smith's life. P significance of their effects on society which again demonstrates Priestley's views on a socialist  ith Shelia calling Sybil 'mother' now this points out the contrast from 'mummy' when she didn't society. W really understand her role in life and her effects on other people. She has now changed and seem to become mature for once and taking life very seriously rather than being 'very pleased with life'. She also stands up to her mother for what is right and she says 'no it isn't'. T  his conveys Priestley's views as he is portraying Sheila the right way to change and standing up for what you believe in. Sybil Birling seems very shocked in the way that Sheila has changed from being a spoilt dependent child to a woman who is trying to take charge of her life and finally understand what she has been doing wrong for the last twenty years. Sybil is very shocked with this and is trying to stay calm 'please don't contradict me like that' presents the reader with her confusion on how Shelia has completely changed from the starting of the night. She has become mature because when Gerald's part in the story is revealed she genuinely wants to know about Gerald's part and she is not angry with him when she hears about the affair and she says that she respects his honesty. She is also angry with her parents in act 3 for trying to 'pretend that nothing much has happened' and she says 'it frightens me the way you talk' and she cannot understand how they cannot have learnt from the evening in the same way that she has. She now sees her parents in a new unfavourable light. She is also very perceptive as she realises that Gerald knew Daisy Renton from his reaction and from the first moment when the inspector mentions her name. Also she is the first person to realise Eric's part in the story. She also warns the others 'he's giving us the rope-so that we'll hang ourselves' but she is also the first to consider the inspector may not be real. T  his links to Priestley's socialist views and how far she

Bethany Cunningham

An Inspector Calls

Sheila Birling

has changed from act one in the play. Also it demonstrates Priestley's views and that there is a hope for change in society to become much more socialist. Also it proves that the younger generation have the power to change and the inspector also actually says in the plays that the young ones are 'more impressionable' and this encapsulates that the younger generation have the power to change. Sheila is much wiser at the end of the play and she can now judge her parents and Gerald from a new perspective but the greatest change that has occurred is Sheila herself. Her social conscience is now aware of her responsibilities. Also they Sheila who has a girl dismissed from her job for a trivial reason have gone forever....