Sheila Birling

Key: Quotes Stage directions

• Starts rather naïve / plain - ‘pretty girl’ , ‘very pleased with life’

• Starts not very confidant - ‘half serious, half playful’

• Starts shallow and silly - ‘Pretty?’

• Submissive and childlike (even though 26) —> protected life - ‘I’m sorry Daddy’ , ‘Is it the one you wanted me to have?’

• Selfish and petulant - ‘I feel as though I can never go in there again’

• A bit of slang —> improper, shows age? - ‘You’re squiffy’

• suspicious - ‘except for all last summer when you never came near me’

• social conscience - ‘But these girls aren’t cheap labour - they’re people’

• Intelligent and perceptive - ‘you’ll see’

• Sympathy - ‘oh-how horrible’ , ‘rather distressed’ , ‘miserable’

• Accepts responsibility - ‘So I’m really responsible?’

• Becomes the inspector's “side-kick”

• Younger generation are more impressionable than older

• More aware of socio-economic situation than older generation

• Demonstration of hope for the future

• LEARNS FROM HER MISTAKES