Sheila is a pretty girl in her early twenties, very pleased with life and rather excited
- adj reinforces she is only known for her attractive appearance and physicalities
- part of the younger generation where she opposes the capitalist society of her parents
- as she is pleased she is naive/ oblivious to responsibilities
-with a frivolous and overseeing attitude
Yes go on mummy. You must drink to health
- adopts infantile langage despite her age of an adult
- shows she is commonly treated (naive and immature) like this but reciprocated as a means of asserting authority and exerting control
When do I drink…Alright I drink to you, Gerald.
- requires direction or some sort of instruction
-not able to make own decisions - shows treatment of women at the time - value of men over women
(Taking out the ring). Oh - it’s wonderful! Look - Mummy - isn’t it a beauty?!
- uses materialistic object to divert attention
- childish where concerned with superficial = presenting shallow mindset
- further infantilised as seeks validation
(Cutting in) why should you? He’s finished with you. He says it’s one of us now.
- see the generational divide where she opposes the capitalist society
- first time we see flicker of resistance
- incremental change of character to a more socialist system
But these girls aren’t cheap labour - they’re people
- gains clarity and insight away from capitalistic views
- sees them as humans and values them = not non-descript identity
- incremental change into socialist views
Yes I suppose so
- bluntly admits truth
- ready for the consequences and owns up to her responsibilities
- contrasts father whereby he rejects any social responsibility and ignorant of their plight
Well Gerald?… how did you come to know this girl - Eva Smith?
- quick to pose questions as confidence builds
- rejects any indefinite answers or tactics of manipulation
- interrogates the male counterparts - due to the treatment of women at the time, she breaks stereotypical gender roles where she takes stand in relationship
(Laughs rather hysterically) why -you fool- he knows
- ridicules G as he is stubborn and she is insightful herself
- uses derogatory terms to get truth
sharply attentive]: Is that when the inspector came, just after Father had said that?” pg.58
Sheila is “sharply attentive”, she is insightful and the first person to make links and ask the relevant questions about how coincidental the timing of the inspector was
- As part of the younger generation and as a woman, Sheila is the most perceptive and also the first person to take responsibility
- This is significant since it demonstrates that women are valued for more than just their physical appearance
You’re ready to go on in the same old way” pg.71
Sheila is insightful and understands that she has failed to break the cycle of events.
- She realises that her family are still not willing to take responsibility and are going back to how they were
before the Inspector came, highlighting their wilful ignorance.
fire and blood and anguish. And it frightens me the way you talk” pg.71
Sheila repeats the exact words of the Inspector showing how she mirrors him and now has the same level of understanding and insight as him. As they are both aligned in socialism. This demonstrates the overall change in Sheila’s character and how she has completely changed due to the Inspector.
- “Fire and blood and anguish” represent WW1 and WW2. Priestley uses these examples through dramatic irony and as a mouthpiece through Shiela as she is most perceptive and understands the consequences of their actions if they fail to accept social responsibility and the cycle will ultimately continue.
