Sheila Flashcards
Sheila is a character who grows and matures as her
awareness of her responsibilities within society expand.
Sheila and Eric’s capacity to change represents Priestley’s
belief that the next generation can build a fairer society.
In his parallel portrayal of Sheila and Eva Smith, Priestley
explores how society allows privilege to trump moral values.
In recognising the differences between individual and collective
responsibility, Sheila and Eric are an improvement on Mr and Mrs Birling
But these girls aren’t cheap labour
They’re people.
Sheila: Between us, we drove that girl to commit suicide.
Gerald: Did we? Who says so?
Sheila: No, because I remember what he said
how he looked, and what he made me feel
Sheila: Everything we said had happened
really had happened.
Sheila: (taking out the ring) Oh – it’s wonderful!
Look – mummy – isn’t it a beauty?
Inspector: with no work, no money coming in, and living in lodgings, with no relatives to help
her, few friends, lonely, half-starved, she was feeling desperate.
Inspector: She was here alone, friendless
almost penniless, desperate.
Inspector: so she’d come to you for assistance
because she didn’t want to take stolen money?
Birling: … as if we’re all mixed together like bees in a hive –
community and all that nonsense.
Inspector: Public men, Mr Birling, have
responsibility as well as privileges.
