sheila

• ‘that’s what you say’


  • women vulnerablw a as their only source of power is status through marriage
  • subservient to parents ‘mummy’ only escape through marriage
• ‘i’ll never let it out of my sight’ ‘mummy look isnt it a beauty’ ‘is this the one you wanted me to have’


  • patriarchy
  • ring will never betray her, the status from marriage will never, no will her wealth
  • materialistic, feels that the ring symbolises the wealth she gains not love
• ‘they’re not cheap labour, they’re people’ 


  • women hold the key to a better future now that they can vote
  • jbp promoting gender equality, giving women a voice so they can be socialist
  • women finally given work since men conscripted in war
  • audience will know this
• ‘jealous‘ ‘she looked like she could look after herself’ ‘impertinent’


  • sheila’s transformation is a vehicle for the audience: harder for her in 1912 society
  • worth of women based in looks: if they didn’t have wealth, they needed good appearance to get married
  • these values engrained in her attitude need to be got rid of to become socialist
• ‘you mustn’t put up a wall’


  • sheila reinforcing jbps message of all being part of one body
  • realises the inequality of the class system and how it cause people to be treated as inferior
  • should accept socialism
• ‘he inspected us alright’


  • gives role of priestleys proxy to sheila as he wants message and power to reach women
  • feminism
• ‘no. because i remember what he said, how he looked, and what he made me feel. fire blood and anguish’ 


  • anti-war play
  • parallel to eva’s 2 deaths as she repeats inspectors words
  • middle class capitalist society did not change post ww1, leading to ww2
  • sheila’s generation failed- passing it on to the new audience