Sheila Birling

"(taking out the ring) Oh- it's wonderful!
Look mummy- isnt't it a beauty?"

Context!!! In 1912 wealthy women were expected
to be mothers and wives this is a patriarchal society.

Imperative verb 'look' suggests her desperation
to show of her wealth and for attention.

'Beauty' emphasises how materialistic she
is in act 1.

'Wonderful' highlights sheer happiness
she feels with her engagement.

"It's a rotten shame"

Shows her sense of guilt and remorse for Eva.

She feels socially responsible and conscious of her actions.

"But these girls aren't cheap labour-
they're people."

Frustrated tone- shows her annoyance towards parents.

Challenges her father's capitalistic views and realises
that working class are people too! She sympathises them.

She is a socialist, this is ironic as she is upper-class, she is the most progressive character in the play.

"(with mock aggression) Go on Gerald-
just you object"

'Mock' reinforces her superiority and rude nature.

Highlights the rivalry between socialists and capitalists.

"(She almost breaks down, but just controls herself)
How could I know what would happen afterwards?

Alludes she was physically unaware of the consequences and therefore should not be held responsible.

Uses her social status to bend the rules.

Rhetorical question suggests she is trying to be innocent & naive.

Stage direction suggests she is unable to control emotions- she is becoming hysterical.

"I'll never, never do it again to anybody"

Fully aware of her actions and accepting full responsibility.

Reveals her social awareness and she repeats the adverb 'never' suggesting she has learnt her lesson.

Making a conscious effort to change. This is metamorphoses as ironically she wasn't so accepting at the beginning.

"You fool. Of course he knows."

She ignores Gerald, doesn't want to help him hide the truth.

Subverts sterotyoes of women in the patriarchal society by standing her ground.

"But we are all in it- up to the neck."

"(Flaring up)... it's you two who are being childish-
not trying to face the facts"

Sheila is finally confronting her parents and explaining that they need to take responsibility for their actions.

Ironic as Sheila is younger but is wiser and has a growth mindset unlike her parents.

Adjective 'childish' conveys how Sheila feels about the
immaturity of her parents idealism.

The phrase, 'face the facts' presents her annoyance that
her parents can not face the reality of their actions.

'Flaring up' suggests this is emotionally affecting her.

'you and I aren't the same people that sat down
to dinner here'

She is turning against Gerald as she has came to
reality and found out the truth.

'I'm not a child'

This contrasts to Act 1 when she is presented as a child, this is shown when she refers to Mrs B as 'mummy'. This is presenting her progression and her maturity.

'He's giving us the rope - so that we'll hang ourselves'

The Metaphor shows unlike everyone else Sheila has realised that the inspector is aware of what has happened and they just need to admit their actions.

"This isn't the time to pretend he isn't used to drink"

Sheila plays a key role in revealing Eric's drinking
problem. This is key as Mr and Mrs B were aware
of it but didn't want to ruin their reputation.

'probably between us we killed her'

Contrasts from Act 1 she's admitting she's at fault.

The use of 'us' is her saying that they are all to blame.

"we must stop these silly pretences"

Is now contrasting to Sheila in Act 1 as in act 1 she called Mrs B 'mummy' and didn't argue back but this is now changing.

"I suppose we're all nice people now"

This contrasts to Act 1 when Sheila is shown as childlike;
SHeila throughout the play develops and grows up.

Unlike Sheila's family she has guilt and wants to make a change unlike anybody else, she regrets what she has done.

"You're ready to go on the same old way"

Unlike anyone else Sheila feels remorsful and wants to
make a change, this is significant as Priestly presents
Sheila as the future.

Sheila is now tell her family that they need to do
something about this and not let history repeat itself.

"But that won't bring Eva Smith back to life, will it?"

This rhetorical question she is saying to her
family, shows her upset and her remorse for Eva.

"but that doesn't make any difference y'know"

She is now showing difference between herself and
Eric in comparison to the rest of the family. She

Breaks the engagement with Gerald.

Acknowledges her part

She is engaged to Gerald

She is sister to Eric and her
parents are Mr and Mrs Birling

Edwardian middle/upper-class families
treated their sons and daughters as
children and married them into money

At the beginning she is presented as
snobbish and vain but changes the most

She resented Eva as she felt she was more attractive!

She encourages her family to admit what they did wrong.

She sees her fiancé and parents feel no remorse

She represents young people can change and make a change.

Matures during the play!

She is a socialist!