sheila

• Sheila Birling is the daughter of Mr and Mrs Birling, and the sister of Eric Birling, engaged to Gerald Croft who is of a higher social status
• Sheila is initially portrayed as "a pretty girl in her early twenties, very pleased with life and rather excited," but gains maturity as the play progresses
• Sheila is receptive to the Inspector’s message and noticeably evolves as a character, replacing her jealous instincts with maturity by the end of the play
• Sheila takes on the role of the Inspector's proxy upon his departure by rejecting her parent’s views, showing her growth in social responsibility
• Sheila's engagement with Gerald is based on materialism and capitalism, symbolized by her need for a ring to "really feel engaged," reflecting a superficial and business-oriented relationship
• Sheila's jealousy is validated by Gerald’s affair with Eva Smith, highlighting the sacrifices women make to maintain stability in marriage
• Sheila's presentation as a victim could be a result of her environment and societal restrictions on women in early 20th century Britain
• Sheila's materialistic reaction to the ring reflects her parents' influence, showing how her immaturity and materialism are shaped by her upbringing
• Priestley creates similarities between Sheila and Eva Smith to demonstrate the impact of women’s upbringing on their lives and to promote socialism through the juxtaposition of characters
• Sheila's acceptance of her role in Eva’s death, without making excuses, contrasts with other characters who try to avoid responsibility in the play
• Sheila and her role in conveying a message to better society and reduce suffering:

  • Priestley uses Sheila to convey the message to the audience to better society and reduce suffering
  • It is necessary to start seeing the world from the perspective of the disadvantaged and persecuted lower-classes
• Sheila's response to Eva's death demonstrates her feminine compassion
• Sheila's change in mindset to become more receptive to the Inspector's message allows her to act as his proxy when the Inspector departs
• Sheila is portrayed as the ideal exemplar to the audience, showing them how they should react to the Inspector's message
• Sheila's immediate acceptance of responsibility contrasts with Mrs. Birling's deflection of blame onto Eva
• Sheila's receptiveness to the Inspector's message is dismissed by other characters in the play
• Sheila's overwhelming emotional response to the Inspector's message is necessary for change and socialist reform
• Historically, hysteria has been utilized as a means to control women, preventing them from attaining positions of power due to their tendency to exhibit excessive emotion
• Sheila's rejection of her parents' values is critical to the didactic nature of the play
• Sheila challenges her parents directly, condemning her father's exploitation of labor and rejecting her mother's use of "impertinent" as "such a silly word"
• Sheila's rejection of her parents is shown through her refusal to follow commands, like Mr. Birling's imperative to go to bed
• Sheila's change from an informal and childish tone to a serious and critical one signifies her loss of respect for her parents
• Sheila's rejection of Gerald symbolizes her rejection of the ideas he represents - the individualist school of thought
• Sheila's rejection of Gerald extends to the rejection of the corruption, gender, and class inequality of society
• Sheila's rejection of Gerald occurs after the Inspector reveals the corruption and exploitation within society
• Sheila's rejection of Gerald signifies her putting principle and morality before her own financial security
• Sheila's engagement with Gerald initially excites her, allowing her to be blissfully ignorant of life's cruelties and inequalities
• Sheila's rejection of Gerald follows the Inspector's revelation of societal injustices, leading to her changed perception of both Gerald and society
• Sheila's rejection of Gerald signifies her understanding that the injustices in society are real, regardless of the authenticity of the Inspector
• Sheila's rejection of Gerald is a rejection of the immoral nature of their actions, despite the lack of potential consequences