Explain how the character of Sheila is changed by the Inspector s visit
Explain how the character of Sheila is changed by the Inspector’s visit
When the Inspector calls at the Birling household, all the family are affected by the revelations that were brought to light – especially the daughter Sheila. As a ‘pretty’ daughter, in her ‘mid 20s’, Sheila pays attention to everything that her parents say and accepts it quite happily. Due to her comfortable upbringing, Sheila is unfortunately rather spoiled and appears at some points in the play to be very superficial. This side of her personality is revealed to both her parents and the audience when the Inspector gradually manages to persuade her to confess her involvement with Eva Smith. Soon after these confessions, a dramatic change is seen in Sheila’s personality, she now seems a lot more sensitive and caring towards the situation and it seems that she has matured as she is brutally honest with the other characters and voices her opinions. When the audience learns off Mr and Mrs Birling’s connections with Eva Smith, Sheila finally finds the courage, for the first time in the play, to disagree with them and display her utter disappointment and disgust with their actions. This rapid change in character is all due to the Inspector’s visit and it seems to have a lasting impact on Sheila as even when he leaves, she agrees never to return to her former self.
Priestley chooses to convey Sheila’s character to the audience at the start of the play using many different linguistic features and dramatic devices, and this works extremely effectively. Sheila’s first words display her superficial nature because she says ‘I’d hate you to know all about port - like one of those purple-faced old men’ when they are commenting upon the port which they are drinking with their meal. The descriptive and often innocently harsh language that she uses emphasises the fact that her upbringing has caused her to be easily judgemental. This shows the stereotypical upbringing and expectations of an over protected
When the Inspector calls at the Birling household, all the family are affected by the revelations that were brought to light – especially the daughter Sheila. As a ‘pretty’ daughter, in her ‘mid 20s’, Sheila pays attention to everything that her parents say and accepts it quite happily. Due to her comfortable upbringing, Sheila is unfortunately rather spoiled and appears at some points in the play to be very superficial. This side of her personality is revealed to both her parents and the audience when the Inspector gradually manages to persuade her to confess her involvement with Eva Smith. Soon after these confessions, a dramatic change is seen in Sheila’s personality, she now seems a lot more sensitive and caring towards the situation and it seems that she has matured as she is brutally honest with the other characters and voices her opinions. When the audience learns off Mr and Mrs Birling’s connections with Eva Smith, Sheila finally finds the courage, for the first time in the play, to disagree with them and display her utter disappointment and disgust with their actions. This rapid change in character is all due to the Inspector’s visit and it seems to have a lasting impact on Sheila as even when he leaves, she agrees never to return to her former self.
Priestley chooses to convey Sheila’s character to the audience at the start of the play using many different linguistic features and dramatic devices, and this works extremely effectively. Sheila’s first words display her superficial nature because she says ‘I’d hate you to know all about port - like one of those purple-faced old men’ when they are commenting upon the port which they are drinking with their meal. The descriptive and often innocently harsh language that she uses emphasises the fact that her upbringing has caused her to be easily judgemental. This shows the stereotypical upbringing and expectations of an over protected