Shelia Birling 🛍️❤️

• Sheila Birling is the daughter of Mr and Mrs Birling, and the sister of Eric Birling
• Sheila's status is firmly middle-class
• Sheila is engaged to Gerald Croft, who is of a higher social status than her
• Priestley portrays Sheila as a pretty girl in her early twenties, very pleased with life and rather excited
• Sheila gains maturity as the play progresses, following her acknowledgement of the part she played in Eva Smith’s suicide
• Sheila is receptive to the Inspector’s message and noticeably evolves as a character
• Sheila's jealous instincts are replaced by a sense of maturity by the end of the play
• Sheila is part of the younger generation, alongside Eric, and shows resentment towards the lack of social responsibility their parents feel
• Sheila takes on the role of the Inspector's proxy upon his departure by continuing to reject her parents' views
• Sheila's engagement with Gerald is based on materialism and capitalism
• Sheila's obsession with material objects is demonstrated when she needs the physical token of a ring to "really feel engaged"
• The engagement between Sheila and Gerald is superficial and business-oriented, rather than based on love
• Sheila is initially portrayed as immature and insecure of her own beauty
• Sheila's jealousy is validated by the revelation of Gerald’s affair with Eva Smith
• Sheila's jealousy is a result of her environment and societal restrictions placed on women in early 20th century Britain
• Sheila's materialistic reaction to the ring is reflected by Mr Birling’s capitalist and business-focused speech
• Priestley intends for his play to target the younger generation and promote a more socialist and reformed society
• Priestley creates similarities between Sheila and Eva Smith to demonstrate the impact of women's upbringing on their lives
• Sheila's acceptance of her role in Eva's death is a distinct contrast to the other characters in the play who attempt to avoid responsibility
• Mr. Birling initially pretends not to know who the Inspector is referring to and then refuses to accept responsibility
• Gerald's tone towards the Inspector is misleading and reluctant
• Through Sheila, Priestley conveys the message to better society and reduce suffering
• To achieve this, it is necessary to start seeing the world from the perspective of the disadvantaged and persecuted lower-classes
• The question of whether Sheila has completely changed for the better by the end of the play is left ambiguous by Priestley
• Sheila's feminine compassion is demonstrated notably in response to Eva's death
• Sheila's uncertainty is reflected in her half-rejection of Gerald and his ring
• Sheila's change in mindset allows her to act as the Inspector's proxy when he departs
• Sheila is portrayed as the ideal exemplar to the audience, encouraging them to take on the role of the Inspector for greater social responsibility
• Sheila accepts responsibility for her actions immediately without deflecting blame onto others
• Sheila's acceptance of responsibility contrasts with other characters who deflect blame onto Eva
• Priestley presents Sheila as the most socially responsible character in the play
• Sheila's receptiveness to the Inspector's message is dismissed by other characters in the play
• Gerald exercises his social authority over Sheila, objecting to her social responsibility and remorse
• Historically, hysteria has been used as a means to control women, preventing them from attaining positions of power
• Priestley encourages the audience to relate to Sheila and her view of increased social responsibility
• Sheila's language is infused with rhetorical devices that resonate with the audience
• Sheila takes on the role of the Inspector after he leaves, intending for the audience to emulate her and take on extra social responsibility
• Sheila rejects the values imposed by her parents, Mr. and Mrs. Birling, as the play progresses
• Sheila challenges her parents directly, condemning her father's exploitation of labor and rejecting her mother's language choices
• Sheila's rejection of her parents is shown through her refusal to follow commands and a shift in her tone from informal to serious