sheila birling

Question 1

“Is it the one you wanted me to have?”
(Start of Act 1)

Answer 1

When she receives the ring Gerald gave her.
* question - it’s not what she wanted but Gerlad’s preferences.

Question 2

“Mummy – isn’t it a beauty?” (Start of Act 1)

Answer 2

When she receives the ring Gerald gave her.
* Plays the stereotypical Edwardian upperclass women, whose role was to marry well and have a stable future.
* Noun “Mummy” - quite child like, and showing off her ring shows a sense of childish - change later on - “Mother” more mature language.

Question 3

“Those girls aren’t cheap labour, they are people”
(Act 1)

Answer 3

Reaction to how Mr Birling treats his workers like cheap labours.
* Sympthasise with the working class women already at the start.
* Has the ability to change, no inspector interventions yet - malleable.
* Humane.

Question 4

“She was a very pretty girl too - with big dark eyes - and that didn’t make it any better”
(Act 1)

Answer 4

Describing Eva during her confession.
* Priorties lies on appearance only - misguided.
* Sees Eva as a competition - threatened.

Question 5

“I caught sight of this girl smiling at Miss Francis - as if to say ‘Doesn’t she look awful’ - I was absolutely furious”
(Act 1)

Answer 5

Confession scene.
* Self-centered, petulant - jump to conclusion too easily - upset about the dress not fitting her.
* Insecure - scared of Eva’s appearance despite her privileges.
* Adverb “absolutely” - shows her temper is very fierce - lashing out.

Question 6

“If she’d been some miserable plain little creature,” (Act 1)

Answer 6

Confession scene.
* noun “creature” - dehumantized her because of jealousy.

Question 7

“And if I could help her now, I would -”
(Act 1)

Answer 7

Confession scene.
* modal verbs - shows a desperation of wanting to help and change - misused her status and abuse her privileges.

Question 8

“Why - you fool - he knows. Of course, he knows.”
(End of Act 1)

Answer 8

Gerald trying to keep Sheila’s mouth shut about his affair
* Astute about the influence and knowledge of the inspector, unlike other characters in the play, she connects the dot faster than anyone.
* She questions Inspector’s identity before Gerald returns with the truth.

Question 9

“I know I’m to blame - and I’m desperately sorry”
(Act 2)

Answer 9

Inspector is stating why Sheila wants to stay and her actions on Eva.
* Adverb “Desperately” - showcasing the despair she is feeling right now, the guilt is unbearable and begging for forgiveness.

Question 10

“I’m not a child, don’t forget. I’ve a right to know.”
(Act 2)

Answer 10

Mr Birling was trying to get Sheila away when Gerald is confessing.
* She has matured now and she is able to voice out her opinions more strongly too.
* Not the typical woman in Victorian Era woman anymore, she is not trying to be sheltered from the truth or “man’s business”.

Question 11

“(she hands him the ring.)” (Act 2)

Answer 11

After the ending of Gerald’s confession.
* Stage direction shows how she rejects to comfort to what expected of woman, she could’ve just ignored the fact of Gerald’s affair and let him get away of immoral behaviours but she decides it for herself instead.

Question 12

“In fact, in some odd way, I rather respect you more than I’ve ever done before. ”
(Act 2)

Answer 12

Her reaction to Gerald’s confession.
* Admires his honesty, for Gerald is giving up his pride as an hounerable man to confess to his crimes, which was quite hard and Sheila acknowledge that.
* This could shows how she is more tolerant and understanding of people compared to her parents.

Question 13

“That’s what I meant when I talked about building up a wall that’s sure to be knocked flat. It makes it all harder to bear.”
(Act 2)

Answer 13

Trying to tell her mom to stop building a distance between her and the girl.
* Metaphor of a wall shows that the Inspector will knock their social pride down with his methods of interrogation and Sheila knows that if they try to keep anything from him, it will make things worse. The other characters don’t realise this as quickly as Sheila does.

Question 14

“Mother, I think that was cruel and vile.”
(Act 2)

Answer 14

Found out her mother turned Eva away when she needed help.
* She is more outspoken now, voicing her opinion which was unacceptable before the war.
* Subject “mother” shows a change in maturity as before she addresses her mother as “mummy”
* Negative adjectives “cruel and vile” - she found her mother’s actions unacceptable and very cruel - more humane.

Question 15

“if all that’s come out tonight is true, then it doesn’t much matter who it was who made us confess. And it was true, wasn’t it?”
(Act 3)

Answer 15

Her parents seems to care more about the truth of the inspector’s identity and how it would cause a scandal.
* The rhetorical question shows how the truth matters to her only.

Question 16

“It frightens me the way you talk.”
(Act 3)

Answer 16

Wants to leave the room when she keeps witnessing her parents cares so little about the girl’s death.
* She doesn’t align with her parents and Gerald, she wants to physically distance herself from them, it upset her the way they talk.

Question 17

“Nothing to be sorry for, nothing to learn.”
(Act 3)

Answer 17

Witnessing how the older generation is making up excuses for the girl’s death and moving on as if nothing happened.
* Compared to her parents, both her and Eric has started to embody the socialist views of Priestly and shows division between the family.

Question 18

“I tell you - whoever that inspector was, it was anything but a joke.”
(Act 3)

Answer 18

Upset how her parents cared more about who the inspector was.
* She doesn’t align with her parents and Gerald in the fact that they care more about a public scandal than the death of a girl.
* Imperative “I tell you” - trying to convince the older generation that it doesn’t matter who that Inspector was, but it was the lessons he taught that is important.