Sheila Birling - Quotes

Question 1

Act One: A phrase to describe Sheila

Answer 1

‘(pretty girl in her early twenties)’

Question 2

Act One: Sheila is still resentful about something that happened a year ago

Answer 2

‘Except for all last summer when you never came near me’

Question 3

Act One: Sheila uses slang language that her mother doesn’t approve of

Answer 3

‘You’re squiffy’

Question 4

Act One: Sheila still comes across quite young because she addresses her mother in this way

Answer 4

‘Mummy’

Question 5

Act One: The first thing that Sheila asks about Eva is how she looks

Answer 5

‘Pretty?’

Question 6

Act One: Sheila is the first to catch on that she might have done something wrong

Answer 6

‘You talk as if we were responsible-‘

Question 7

Act One: This is the first sign that Sheila has socialist views, and she isn’t afraid to disagree with her father

Answer 7

‘But these girls aren’t cheap labour - they’re people’

Question 8

Act One: Sheila is the most affected by Eva’s death, and cannot stay in the room

Answer 8

‘(little cry, gives a half stifled sob, and then runs out)’

Question 9

Act One: At first Sheila cannot believe that she has actually done something wrong

Answer 9

‘So I’m really responsible?’

Question 10

Act One: Sheila is the first to accept her responsibility

Answer 10

‘It was my own fault’

Question 11

Act One: Inspector can tell that Sheila was jealous of Eva

Answer 11

‘jealous of her…you used the power you had…to punish the girl’ (IG)

Question 12

Act One: Sheila knows that IG knows everything and is just waiting for everyone to admit what they have done

Answer 12

‘Of course he knows’

Question 13

Act Two: Sheila is used to being told to calm down by her parents

Answer 13

‘He means that I’m getting hysterical now’

Question 15

Act Two: Sheila openly says that she is in the wrong

Answer 15

‘I know I’m to blame’ ‘It was my fault’

Question 16

Act Two: Sheila goes as far as to put all of the blame on herself, even though the rest of her family have also done things wrong, which is the complete opposite reaction compared to her parents

Answer 16

‘It’s simply my fault that in the end she - she committed suicide’

Question 17

Act Two: Sheila understands that regardless of class, everyone is essentially the same

Answer 17

‘You mustn’t try to build up a kind of wall between us and that girl’

Question 18

Act Two: Sheila is regularly being told to be quiet by her parents and being told that she is childish

Answer 18

‘Please be quiet, Sheila’ ‘You’re behaving like a hysterical child tonight’
‘Don’t be childish, Sheila’ (Mrs. Birling)

Question 19

Act Two: Sheila tries to make her family understand that they have driven a girl to suicide

Answer 19

And probably between us we killed her’

Question 20

Act Two: Sheila is sick of being treated like she is still a child by her parents

Answer 20

‘I’m not a child, don’t forget’

Question 21

Act Two: Sheila is able to look at the situation with Gerald positively, because he is being honest with her for once

Answer 21

‘I rather respect you more than I’ve ever done before’ (about Gerald)

Question 22

Act Three: Sheila is disappointed with herself about what she has done

Answer 22

‘I’m ashamed of it’

Question 23

Act Three: Sheila has taken something from what has happened, but it annoys her that her parents have not

Answer 23

‘The point is, you don’t seem to have learnt anything’

Question 24

Act Three: Sheila is able to see what is and isn’t important out of what has happened that night

Answer 24

‘That’s what’s important - and not whether a man is a police officer or not’

Question 25

Act Three: Although Sheila doesn’t think it matters, she does agree that there was something strange about IG

Answer 25

‘He never seemed like an ordinary police inspector-‘

Question 26

Act Three: Sheila starts to get bitter with her parents because they are trying to pretend they haven’t done anything

Answer 26

‘(bitterly) I suppose we’re all nice people now’

Question 27

Act Three: Sheila is blunt with her parents that they are living a lie

Answer 27

‘You’re just beginning to pretend all over again’

Question 28

Act Three: Sheila is greatly affected by the fact they have killed a girl

Answer 28

‘Between us we drove that girl to commit suicide’

Question 29

Act Three: Sheila understands that IG didn’t make anything up and although he might be real, what they all did was real

Answer 29

‘Everything we said happened really had happened’

Question 30

Act Three: Sheila is worried by the fact her parents aren’t capable of taking any blame

Answer 30

‘It frightens me the way you talk’ (said twice)

Question 31

Act Three: Sheila starts to get sarcastic with her family and agree with them in a sarcastic tone

Answer 31

‘We can all go on behaving just as we did’ (sarcasm)