Sheila Act 3

• Acts as the Inspectors Proxy


  (takes the role of inspector once he leaves) "what he made me feel. Fire and blood and anguish" precise repetition even on the polysyndeton on "and" for emphasis. Sheila is desperately trying to reinforce the belligerent (warlike) and relentless consequences of having no social conscience. Family haven't listened to the inspector so she's taking his role, down to his repetition of his words. Sheila provides a moralistic example for her family to follow showing her development of empathy as she new feels remorse.
• Acts as the inspectors proxy. 


  Priestley constructs Sheila as this developed character so he can use her as a recipient of is message and his mouthpiece as she takes on the inspectors socialist ideologies. Thus Sheila becomes a symbol of hope for 1945 audiences; ignorant and parsimonious (selfish) individuals in society are capable of repenting and reforming when provided with a moral example.
• rejection of the patriarchy

  Priestley utilises a cyclical structure throughout his play most visibly through an inspector arriving at the beginning and end. However he also uses this through a cyclical presentation of Gerald and Sheila's engagement.

  Act 1: she's overjoyed about her engagement calling her ring "perfect" which makes her feel "really engaged"

  Act 2: Gerald [holds up the ring] to which sheila replies "no not yet. It's too soon. I must think"
• rejection of the patriarchy

  "no not yet. It's too soon. I must think"

  It would have been atypical at the time for a woman to be doubtful about marriage; even in the case of infidelity (cheating) and especially when their spouse belonged to a higher class as Gerald did.
• Liberation through stage directions

  In act 1 the lighting is [pink and intimate] this is being reflective of the rose tinted and distorted view Sheila had on the world. Once the inspector arrives, it becomes [hard and bright] symbolises how the inspector has shown sheila the [hard] and harsh reality of capitalism, in an attempt to 'bright'en her views on morality.

  he has socially and morally awakened her.
• Liberation though stage directions

  Act 1:[trying to be light and easy]- she is trying to play into the expectations of her.

  Act 2: her tone changes, speaking [bitterly] - beginning of sheila's scorn for capitalism & the ideas they support.

  Act 3: to her father [protesting] & [scornfully] she goes from [bitterly] to [scornfully] - her open criticism to her fathers exploitative and dehumanising ways