an inspector calls - sheila quotes Flashcards
sheila juxtaposition and similarities with eva smith (two)
sheila is “rather excited” by her potential life of higher statues through the marriage to Gerald whereas eva was suffering so bad that she committed suicide: she couldn’t bear the future.
it shows how sheila and eva are very similar, only class differentiates them. this makes priestley show how much of a difference class makes.
“these girls aren’t cheap labour — they’re people”.
sheila is the most responsive to priestley message as she can emphasise the most to Eva and can see eva’s perspective
sheila change quotes
“mummy” to “mother”
losing respect for her parents which is critical to the didactic nature of the play
“look mummy isn’t it a beauty” shallow, infantilising
sheila described the word “impertinent is such a silly word” act 2
which shows her maturity and rejects her mother’s use of the formal word “impertinent” which shows how she is adopting socialist views
sheila’s uncertainty quote
“we’d have to start all over again” act 3
Priestley uses a cyclical structure using the half rejection to Gerald. at the beginning and end of the play, she must decide on her engagement.
despite his affair, she does not completely reject him. this implies that she returns to her old state at the beginning of the play. the ring is a symbol of capitalism.
however, she may have little choice in accepting the ring due to women having little rights in 1912 and Gerald was her soon to be husband she (and her family) relied on for financial security.
