Older vs Younger Generation

• "I'd hate you to know all about port – like one of these purple-faced old men" - Sheila despises men who are like Mr Birling but she can't express that directly as that would be blasphemous because of her status as a woman and Mr Birling's daughter. 'Port' represents one of the many luxuries the bourgeoisie can afford while 'old' represents the ancient nature of the bourgeoisie that needs to change.
• Priestley may be showing Sheila as being infantilised and overall mature to highlight her transformation throughout as she not only gains her independence from a gender point of view but also, from a younger point of view. She chooses to follow socialism as Priestley with her new-found freedom which suggests that socialism is the future.