Sheila

Symbolic meaning

Represents the young, female upper middle class

Context and message

• Priestley suggests young middle class women can be intelligent and compassionate, it also selfish and materialistic due to their sheltered lifestyle

• Adoption of socialist ethos message of hope to believe young people are capable of change

Responsibiliy

• ‘Oh- how horrible’

  • Only character who expresses genuine emotion and authentic displeasure

• ‘It was my own fault’

  • Open towards accepting responsibility and self critical of selfish actions

• ‘I’ll never, never do it again to anybody’

  • Commitment to changing her attitude towards social responsibility

• ‘I suppose were all nice people now’

  • Convey Sheilas disapproval of parents and Gerald’s lack of remorse

Older vs younger

• ‘It’s you two who are being childish- trying not to face the facts’

  • Recognises parents faults, irony to expose lack of responsibility and immaturity of parents

Maturity

• ‘Pretty girl in her early twenties, very pleased and rather excited with life’

  • Initially portrayed as living comfortably and blissfully ignorant of society’s injustices

• ‘You and I aren’t the same people’

  • Gained maturity since initial engagement, perception changed and can no longer ignore injustices in society

• ‘Oh look,Mummy, isn’t it a beauty?’

  • Immaturity, materialistic attitude

• ‘You don’t seem to have learnt aything’

  • Recognises inspectors message as moral teaching, portray older gen as stubborn

Capitalism vs socialism

• ‘But these girls aren’t cheap labour, they’re people’

  • Shows recognition of inspectors message, objection to fathers dehumanisation and capitalist approach

• ‘Pretty… I couldn’t feel sorry for her’

  • Warped view of the world, wont suffer, shows importance placed on looks by patriarchal society