sheila 1

• keywords:

  • Infantile, naive, disenfranchised (no right to vote), oppressed, silenced, child-like, ridiculed (mocked), inferior, confined to her stereotypical role
• Sheila's silencing is prevalent (clear) in Act 1 as her speech is short and simplistic such as;

  • "Yes, go on, mummy" and "You're squiffy"

  This is indicative of how she is silenced due to her being seen as an inferior young woman, but also represents how she is a disenfranchised (no right to vote) woman.

  • Her lack of voice could be utilised by Priestly to critique the lack of political voice women had in the Edwardian era.
• Sheila's language is very regressive (returning to a less developed stage) and simplistic for a woman of the middle class who is in her [early twenties].

  • Her language remains infantile and childlike as she refers to her mother as "mummy".

  This reinforces that she has been sheltered from the real hardships of life, resulting in her being preserved in this infantile manner and being prohibited from seeing the belligerent (brutal) world.
• Sheila's oppression serves to be emblematic (symbolic) of the typical oppression of women within the 20th century.
• Sheila's entire being is centred around the patriarchal (male-dominated) expectations of her;

  • Marriage to advance her family politically and socially.
• Sheila's engagement to Gerald is a by-product of the patriarchy as the uniting of "Crofts and Birlings" is the real reason her family, most significantly Mr. Birling, is overjoyed and elated (very happy) with the marriage with it being;

  • "the happiest night of my (Mr. Birling's) life"
• Sheila is equally ecstatic about the marriage as she is mesmerised by the "beauty" of the ring,

  • Later, her disillusionment with the idea of marriage (once she realises its meaningless value to Gerald) proves that this marriage was not a union for her, but for her father.
• Sheila and Mr. Birling's relationship is a microcosm (a small example that represents a bigger picture) of the oppression inflicted by the patriarchy.

  • Women were utilised as a transaction to further advance the political and social status of their fathers.
• A women's naivety and oppression allowed this transaction to be more seamless (not obvious).

  • Hence Sheila's naivety is used by Priestly to indict (criticise) how the patriarchal society objectified women, seeing them for their transactional value opposed to their value as humans.
• Sheila is instantly introduced as a [pretty girl], reinforcing how Sheila's purpose and value at the beginning did not surpass her physical value.

  • A representation of the societal view of women.
• Interestingly, Priestley draws parallels between Eva and Sheila as both are oppressed by the patriarchy and used for their external appearance.

  Both are described by the flattering adjective "pretty";

  • With Sheila being [a pretty girl]
  • Eva being described by the Inspector as "very pretty" and by Gerlad as "young and pretty".

  Both females, regardless of class, are confined to the same oppressing expectations.
• Priestley uses the similarity of oppression, yet the contrasting treatment in how Eva was exploited, and Sheila remained privileged;

  • Perhaps highlighting to the audience how individuals, regardless of class, are united in alternative ways - ones they might not be aware of.

  Thus, Priestley, although optimistic about the complete unity of classes, may be providing a realistic alternative for classes to see their similarities beyond the clear distinctions in their social classes.
• The Inspector, the embodiment of socialism, liberates Sheila by introducing her to socialist ideologies - ones that juxtapose (contrast) the views she had been exposed to her entire life.

  • The liberation is clear through the confrontational and assertive tone she develops, contrasting her previous feeble (lacking strength of character) presentation.
• Sheila directly indicts (critiques) her father's exploitative capitalist ways by opposing that;

  • "These girls aren't cheap labour - they're people."

  As 'girls' connotes innocence and vulnerability, Sheila has recognised that upper-class members of society, typically possessing capitalist views, exploit the innocence and vulnerability of the lower classes.

  • One realisation the previously sheltered Sheila would have never come to.
• Sheila indicting (critiquing) her father's exploitative capitalist ways is;

  • The beginning of her disgust and rejection of capitalists' dehumanising, deplorable (unacceptable), and unscrupulous (no morals) behaviour.