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How is Sheila Birling portrayed in the play An Inspector Calls

I am struggling to answer this question as i feel like there is not much to say about Sheila.
She was immature and the start of the play but then later showed maturity.
She was remorseful for what she did to Eva, Unlike her parents.
Priestly is conveying that the youth can change and accept responsibility whereas the older generation cannot.
Capitalists such as Mr and Mrs Birling will not change, but the youth can leave this acient capitalist views.
How can i structure this?
Is this even enough information?
I am really confused, HELPPPP
Does anyone think Sheila will even be on the exam?

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Reply 1
Sheila is the character who goes through the largest change, from an immature acting child, to the moral superior to her parents. Analyse on how she changes, she is described as childish at first but also shows she knows the real world better than her own mother suggesting she is much more mature than first presented.
(edited 8 years ago)
Original post by jamillatijani
I am struggling to answer this question as i feel like there is not much to say about Sheila.
She was immature and the start of the play but then later showed maturity.
She was remorseful for what she did to Eva, Unlike her parents.
Priestly is conveying that the youth can change and accept responsibility whereas the older generation cannot.
Capitalists such as Mr and Mrs Birling will not change, but the youth can leave this acient capitalist views.
How can i structure this?
Is this even enough information?
I am really confused, HELPPPP
Does anyone think Sheila will even be on the exam?


I don't think Sheila will be on the exam anyway there are two questions :smile:. Which exam board are you doing, OCR or AQA? Write about Priestley's intentions, he uses Sheila to present his socialist view of equality but it is ignored, just like how Eva was ignored by Mrs Birling. Just keep linking stuff and you'll be fine.
Original post by ghost88
Sheila is the character who goes through the largest change, from an immature acting child, to the moral superior to her parents. Analyse on how she changes, she is described as childish at first but also shows she knows the real world better than her own mother suggesting she is much more mature than first presented.

I just recently did an essay on Sheila and a member on here gave it around an A grade, so would you like me to PM you a copy? Or should I link you to my Thread?


PM me a copy, thanks x
Original post by Marshall Taylor
I don't think Sheila will be on the exam anyway there are two questions :smile:. Which exam board are you doing, OCR or AQA? Write about Priestley's intentions, he uses Sheila to present his socialist view of equality but it is ignored, just like how Eva was ignored by Mrs Birling. Just keep linking stuff and you'll be fine.


Thanks, and im doing EDEXCEL
Reply 5
Original post by ghost88
Done. Good luck in your exam!

Could I possibly have a a copy of the essay too please?
Reply 6
Original post by ghost88
Sheila is the character who goes through the largest change, from an immature acting child, to the moral superior to her parents. Analyse on how she changes, she is described as childish at first but also shows she knows the real world better than her own mother suggesting she is much more mature than first presented.

I just recently did an essay on Sheila and a member on here gave it around an A grade, so would you like me to PM you a copy? Or should I link you to my Thread?


Could you also send me a copy please?
Reply 7
Original post by ghost88
Of course, sent.

Thank you very much,,l greatly appreciate it
Reply 8
Original post by Neymar27
Thank you very much,,l greatly appreciate it


You're welcome, Good luck
Reply 9
Original post by ghost88
Of course, sent.

sorry to be a pain may i get a copy of it to please
Reply 10
:smile:
(edited 8 years ago)
Reply 11
Okay guys can someone please mark this response Iโ€™ve written for the โ€œAn Inspector Callsโ€ question for the English Literature exam tomorrow. Please be constructive.


How does Priestly present the change in Sheila during the course of the play An Inspector Calls? How do you think that she changes represent some of Priestlys ideas?
(30 marks)

An inspector call can be seen as a moral play as it show the conflict between the characters and clearly highlights to the audience who is right and who is wrong. J.B priestly uses characters to portray his ideas across to the audience and one example is when he purposely presents the change of Shelia from a selfish spoilt little girl to a mature and clear headed woman at the end of the play. Soon after the inspector started interrogating Shelia it soon became apparent to the audience that Sheila to did have a part to play in the death of Eva Smith, a common lower class woman struggling through life. She had forced the manager at Millwards to fire her due to her being jealous about how well the dress fitted her.
As soon as she admitted to forcing the manager to fire Eva she automatically defends herself by saying โ€œshe was a pretty girl and looked like she could take care of herself.โ€ The word pretty from her defence statement automatically shows to the reader that Sheila was jealous of Eva and her looks which was considered to be a one of the seven deadly sins. Breaking one of these sins in a time period were religion was very prominent must have been shocking as the Birlingโ€™s wouldโ€™ve gave a great deal about their reputation. Here the audience understands that she is a very vain and spoilt character who looked didnโ€™t consider the consequences of her actions. The last phrase of her statement โ€œtake care of herselfโ€ emphasizes to the audience that Sheila didnโ€™t have any knowledge about the struggles that the lower class had to endure, just to provide food on the table. It also shows that she thought that her actions were acceptable because she even considered if she thought that Eva could take care of herself, meaning that as long as she didnโ€™t go on the street Sheila would abuse her power gained by her higher class to satisfy her jealousy. The author may have purposely done this to highlight the capitalistic childhood and upbringing that Sheila must have been nurtured under. Here Priestly could be trying to show the 1945 audience how the upper class capitalistic families gave no care for the lower class and be trying to tell the audience that actions have consequences.
However, this spoilt image of Sheila does not stay the same because Priestly shows her to be more sympathetic and caring for the lower class when her father, Mr Birling shows his lack of care for the lower class that it was โ€œhis dutyโ€ to lower wages and higher costs. She replies back with โ€œthese girls arenโ€™t cheap labour โ€“ theyโ€™re peopleโ€. Here the author shows that the younger generation like Sheila and Eric have more sympathy for the working class and they actually she them as people. Here you can see that Sheila seems to have matured a little and actually starts to consider what repercussions her actions have on the lower class. The phrase โ€œtheyโ€™re peopleโ€ highlights to the audience that Sheila has finally understood that no matter what class the person is they all have feeling and need money and food to survive. In the early 1900s there was a massive divide between the rich and the poor. The poor were generally the lower class who had to work and save every penny in order to survive. This was because there was no Welfare state which wouldโ€™ve helped the poor a lot and kept them fed and clothed, so firing someone especially a woman wouldโ€™ve caused them to turn to begging or prostitution.
Near the end of act 3 the transformation of Sheila is unrecognisable as she has been influenced by the Inspectorโ€™s socialistic ideas greatly. She is โ€œfrightenedโ€ about how her parents start talking after they realise that this couldโ€™ve been all of a hoax. She and Eric are the only characters that really learnt a lesson throughout the play as they know that even though that this was a hoax the possibility of something like this happening again were high if they didnโ€™t change their ways. The word โ€œfrightenedโ€ shows to the audience that she is shocked on how her parents seem to think of it all as a joke that was planned by them. Here there is a visible divide between the old and the young because the old, Mr and Mrs Birling still stuck on their arrogant and capitalistic views whereas the young, Sheila and Eric understand that there needs to be a change otherwise they would be in deep trouble. The author couldโ€™ve purposefully done this to highlight how corrupt and unhealthy the capitalistic views and families were. The author himself was a socialist and his messages are clearly portrayed via the Inspector and the younger generation. He wanted the country to stay together as a giant family after the two wars. This was because during the wars the classes had to merge together and start working together to overcome the war. Consequently the author may have used these characters on purpose to signify how this change should be maintained.

thank you
Original post by ghost88
Sheila is the character who goes through the largest change, from an immature acting child, to the moral superior to her parents. Analyse on how she changes, she is described as childish at first but also shows she knows the real world better than her own mother suggesting she is much more mature than first presented.

I just recently did an essay on Sheila and a member on here gave it around an A grade, so would you like me to PM you a copy? Or should I link you to my Thread?


please can you pm me a copy too?
Original post by ghost88
Sheila is the character who goes through the largest change, from an immature acting child, to the moral superior to her parents. Analyse on how she changes, she is described as childish at first but also shows she knows the real world better than her own mother suggesting she is much more mature than first presented.

I just recently did an essay on Sheila and a member on here gave it around an A grade, so would you like me to PM you a copy? Or should I link you to my Thread?


Could you please pm me a copy too :smile: Thank you!
Reply 14
Original post by ghost88
Done. Good luck in your exam!


send me a copy please
Original post by ghost88
Of course, sent.


send me one too please :smile:
Reply 16
Just to let you all know, it is very unlikely that a question about Sheila will come up tomorrow :smile:


Posted from TSR Mobile
Reply 17
Not really she hasn't come yet from 2012
Reply 18
Original post by Marshall Taylor
I don't think Sheila will be on the exam anyway there are two questions :smile:. Which exam board are you doing, OCR or AQA? Write about Priestley's intentions, he uses Sheila to present his socialist view of equality but it is ignored, just like how Eva was ignored by Mrs Birling. Just keep linking stuff and you'll be fine.


how is priestley ignored when using sheila to represent equality? just wondering :smile:
Original post by Neymar27
Could I possibly have a a copy of the essay too please?

could you Pm me a copy please?

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