Shelia Birling

"But these girls aren't cheap labour – they're people."

AO1: Early sign of empathy.

AO2: Contrast in dash highlights her moral stance.

AO3: Reflects growing socialist ideals.

"I behaved badly too. I know I did."

AO1: Accepts responsibility.

AO2: Repetition of “I” shows personal ownership.

AO3: Represents hope for societal change.

"I’ll never, never do it again to anybody."

AO1: Genuine remorse.

AO2: Repetition for emphasis.

AO3: Suggests younger generation’s capacity to learn.

"It was my own fault."

AO1: No excuses for her actions.

AO2: Simple, direct sentence = sincerity.

AO3: Contrasts with parents’ denial.

"Don’t interfere, please, Father."

AO1: Challenges patriarchal authority.

AO2: Polite but firm tone.

AO3: Reflects changing gender dynamics.

"Why – you fool – he knows."

AO1: Realises Inspector’s knowledge.

AO2: Dashes break speech, creating urgency.

AO3: Audience sees her as perceptive.

"We drove that girl to commit suicide."

AO1: Recognises collective responsibility.

AO2: Inclusive pronoun “we” spreads blame.

AO3: Socialist ethos — shared accountability.

"You mustn’t try to build up a wall between us and that girl."

AO1: Rejects social barriers.

AO2: Metaphor “wall” symbolises class divide.

AO3: Challenges Edwardian segregation.

"It’s you two who are being childish."

AO1: Reverses roles — maturity from youth.

AO2: Direct accusation.

AO3: Suggests younger generation may lead change.

"I suppose we’re all nice people now."

AO1: Sarcasm at family’s self-satisfaction.

AO2: Irony reveals frustration.

AO3: Priestley warning against forgetting moral lessons.