An inspector calls: Sheila key quotes

“Destroying herself so horribly” “oh I wish you hadn’t told me”

• at first Sheila is presented as a self absorbed person, her wish to be ignorant of the situation portrays her as immature and selfish

• However we also see her naivety, she does show empathy which her parents lack, this may imply she will be accepting of change

• Priestly conveys her to be protected from the evil of the world

“You don’t seem to have learnt anything”

• theme of generational divide

• Priestly presents a distinct divide between the generations, Eric is aware of his parents weaknesses from the beginning but Sheila undergoes a transformation

• Sheila is disappointed in her parents inability to learn, one of Priestlys main critiques - this also shifts the dynamic between the children and adults they are presented are more mature as she is disappointed in them’ this could be suggesting that capatalism is more childish while socialism is a mark of adult understanding

“What did this girl look like” “pretty” (when asking about Eva Smith)

• Sheila obsession with ‘prettiness’ and outward appearance highlights the expectations of upper class women during this period- they only aim is to get married and so they must be attractive to achieve this

“Build up a wall between us and that girl”

• the ‘wall’ could be a metaphor for the class division, she is attempting to persuade her mother to be more accepting

• Sheilas persistence to try and change her parents may further highlights her as a ‘progressive’ and morally righteous character as even though she has seen all her parents flaws she still wants them to change and be better