Quotes & Analysis: Sheila Birling Flashcards
“Half shy, half playful”
TECHNIQUE: Juxtaposition in ‘shy… playful’
Caesura “,”
ANALYSIS: Sense of unease, perhaps foreshadowing the inspectors arrival and how their world is about to change for the worst. Alternatively show she is destined to accept the socialist message from the start.
“Mummy and daddy” turns into “Mother and Father”
TECHNIQUE: Colloquial language in ‘Mummy and Daddy’
Noun in ‘Mother and Father’
Double Oxymoron from ‘Mummy’ to ‘Mother’ and ‘Daddy’ to ‘Father’
ANALYSIS: initial childish language adapts into a more sophisticated manner appropriate for a woman of her age and class. Shows her dramatic transformation away from the toxic capitalist beliefs and revolting mindset. Juxtaposition of Eva who has endured the loss of both of her parents. Parallels to expose the difference between both upper and lower class.
“He knows, you fool!”
TECHNIQUE: Caesura in ‘,’
Verb ‘fool’
Exclamatory sentence shown with ‘!’
ANALYSIS: Calls Gerald a fool to show that she is no typical Edwardian woman by being submissive to men. This is the spark of nit aligning herself with societies views that perhaps is the ultimate factor in her character development. Further reinforced with the exclamation point which shows her certainty.
“But these girls aren’t cheap labour, they’re people”
TECHNIQUE: Caesura ‘,’
Double Contraction In ‘aren’t’ and ‘they’re’
ANALYSIS: Her socialist ideals are prominent from the beginning of the play. Her socialist subconscious is hidden under the influence of her capitalist parents who are microcosms for the wider capitalist society. Unlike them Sheila acknowledges that each life is is just as valuable as the next.
