sheila character analysis

how is sheila introduced -act 1

“a pretty girl in her early twenties, very pleased with life and rather excited”

how do other characters treat sheila as inferior in act 1

“ive been trying long enough havent i?” -gerald

“of course she does” -mrs birling talks for sheila

how is sheila’s and geralds realtionship suggested as transactional and beneficial for mr birling -act 1

“crofts and birlings… working together for lower costs and higher prices”

how does sheila suggest she is materialistic- act 1

“now I really feel engaged” -sheila when she gets her ring

-shows shallowness -reflects attitude of the time

how is sheila presnted as sheltered and immature- act 1

“mummy” to mrs birling

-looks for fathers approval with gerland -cant make her own descicion

-birlings recipricate and refer to her as “child” and “chilidsh”

how does sheila show she is not entirely naïve when she talks to Gerald -act 1

"half serious half playful” “yes except for all last summer when you never came near me and I wondered what happened to you”

-not as naïve as pretends to be

-underneath surface she knows something more serious is going on

-foreshadows her involvement later

how is sheila shown as more emotional compared to the other characters- act 1

“oh how horrible” -when told about evas death

-only one to have a real emotion

-immediately shows sympathy

-could e due to age and gender allow her to relate

how does sheila show some socialist views in act 1

“but these girls aren’t cheap labour, they’re people”

how does sheila show her immaturity and jealousy- act 1

“if she had been some miserable plain little creature i don’t suppose i’d of done it”

-highlights insecuity and jealousy

how does sheila show she doesn’t think about consequences for others-act 1

“I caught sight of her smiling at the assistant and I was furious with her”

how does sheila show she makes foolish assumptions about people because of looks-act 1

“but she was very pretty and looked as if she could take care of herself”

-contrast of sheila and eva as sheila’s looks gain her privilege and a good husband but eva’s get her fired an unwanted attention eg eric

how does sheila show she has take on inspectors message -act 1

“It was my own fault really”

-taking responsibility

-contrasts defensive parents

how does sheila show a character shift in end of act 1

“you fool he knows”

-contrats to the little girl cooing over a ring

how does sheila show intelligence and the need to take responsibility- Act 2

“You musn’t try to build up a kind of wall between us and that girl. If you do, then the Inspector will just break down”

-sheila tries to help family take responsibility

how does gerlad treat sheila as inferior in act 2

“i think miss birling ought to be excused”

-although eric is more immature than sheila, her treatmentby others reflects how women were considered to have an inferior role to men

-unfair treatment due to sex could be argued as a cause of eva’s death

how does sheila show more maturity in act 2

“mother” “father” -less infantilisation

how does sheila show to audience in act 2 that she acts with logic and reason

“I think you’d better take this with you” “she hands him the ring”

how does sheila show a change in character when it comes to answering questions -act 2

“yes she is why”-why mrs b is asked if she is a member of the Brumley women’s charity organisation

-contrasts earlier in play when mrs b did that for Sheila

how does sheila act as inspectors proxy (mouthpiece when he is not around)- 3

“between us we drove that girl to commit suicide”

-she agrees with inspector and is taking responsibility

how does sheila call out her parents for them wanting to revert back to the way things were -act 3

“your just pretending everything is as it was before”

“It frightens me the way you talk”

-shows her commitment to change and taking responsibility is real

-presielty is criticising older generation

how does sheila miror language of inspector in act 3

“fire , blood and aguish”

-shows us sheila has learned her lesson but is now taking on role of inspector

why does sheila take on this role

-play written at end of world war one

-audience will be young women with power and preislty is talking to them

-presitly is saying is women want to see change they need to fight for it

what can sheila’s last words in the play reflect

gerlad “everything’s all right now sheila. what about this ring”

“no noy yet. Its too soon. I must think”

1.-implies she take him back eventually -suggests she might be reverting to old ways and is giving into pressure from her parents and gerlad -call coming stright after suggests they all do need to learn lesson

2.-she has learned her lesson but realised she has no power to change things and get anyone to take her seriously. -only way to get away from parents is through marriage -gerlad’s wealth and status gives her power in society