Premium Essay

Sheila - an Inspector Calls - Jb Priestley

In: English and Literature

Submitted By orelolaa
Words 992
Pages 4
Priestley initially introduces Sheila Birling as ‘a pretty girl’ although she’s in her early twenties. These early descriptions suggest immaturity; the fact that she is in her early twenties yet is still referred to as a girl. At the beginning of the book, she is presented as shallow and naïve. This allows for the audience to make premature judgements. However, this naivety and immaturity isn’t apparent at the end of the play. Sheila matures over the course of the play and her change is much more dramatic than other characters in the play. As the play is set in 1912, it could be argued that Priestley uses these changes to suggest the forthcoming changes after the war: before WWII, everyone was rather ignorant but the catastrophes of the war acted as an eye-opener for the general public; just as the Inspector’s visit was an eye-opener to the Birlings. At the beginning of the play Sheila’s joy and cheerfulness seems slightly excessive. This is a subtle hint to the audience that there’s an oncoming turnaround. Sheila is very materialistic (“…who has put on ring admiringly”) and very superficial (“Pretty?”). Similarly to a child, she enjoys attention and is definitely enjoying the attention that comes with the engagement. Another very childlike attribute Sheila possesses is her lack of seriousness; she seems to take everything as a joke (“with mock aggressiveness” “half serious, half playful”). Sheila doesn’t just act like a child, but is also treated like one (“Now Sheila…”, “…upsetting the child like that”). Her parents are very patronising towards her. However, it could be argued that the fact that Sheila acts like a child is a consequence for her being treated like one. This explains why upon the entrance of the Inspector, she begins to act her age because he is the only one who doesn’t treat her like a child. In Act Two we see, perhaps for

Similar Documents

Premium Essay

Romeo and Juliet

...Although these texts were written more than a century apart, they both explore the changeable and intricate relationships between a parent and their child. ‘Romeo and Juliet’ and ‘An Inspector Calls’ portray similar relationships between a parent and child. The structure of each text highlights the conflict and aggression, as the tension progresses. The scenes intensify when the powerful, controlling father figure feels his authority has been challenged by a child in the family. Firstly, in 'Romeo and Juliet' Lord Capulet expresses his forceful, vicious side when Juliet commits an act of disobedience. She decides to not follow her father's ‘decree’ to marry Paris, stimulating her father to act violently. Similarly, in 'An Inspector Calls', Priestly presents Mr Birling as a pompous man initially. However, as the tension increases, the atmosphere begins to change, and he becomes agitated as Sheila begins to answer back, revealing all of their crimes. There is a sense of hostility towards his children, as he feels they are to blame for the monstrosities that had occurred that night, potentially putting him at a disadvantage. Shakespeare and Priestly use a variety of techniques to present the relationships and theme of parental control and authority. Act 1: Scene 2 In this scene, Shakespeare presents Lord Capulet as a man who cares deeply for his pride and reputation, but above all his daughter. However, Lord Capulet seems to have a deceptive nature, when speaking about his...

Words: 3709 - Pages: 15

Free Essay

Test2

...62118 0/nm 1/n1 2/nm 3/nm 4/nm 5/nm 6/nm 7/nm 8/nm 9/nm 1990s 0th/pt 1st/p 1th/tc 2nd/p 2th/tc 3rd/p 3th/tc 4th/pt 5th/pt 6th/pt 7th/pt 8th/pt 9th/pt 0s/pt a A AA AAA Aachen/M aardvark/SM Aaren/M Aarhus/M Aarika/M Aaron/M AB aback abacus/SM abaft Abagael/M Abagail/M abalone/SM abandoner/M abandon/LGDRS abandonment/SM abase/LGDSR abasement/S abaser/M abashed/UY abashment/MS abash/SDLG abate/DSRLG abated/U abatement/MS abater/M abattoir/SM Abba/M Abbe/M abbé/S abbess/SM Abbey/M abbey/MS Abbie/M Abbi/M Abbot/M abbot/MS Abbott/M abbr abbrev abbreviated/UA abbreviates/A abbreviate/XDSNG abbreviating/A abbreviation/M Abbye/M Abby/M ABC/M Abdel/M abdicate/NGDSX abdication/M abdomen/SM abdominal/YS abduct/DGS abduction/SM abductor/SM Abdul/M ab/DY abeam Abelard/M Abel/M Abelson/M Abe/M Aberdeen/M Abernathy/M aberrant/YS aberrational aberration/SM abet/S abetted abetting abettor/SM Abeu/M abeyance/MS abeyant Abey/M abhorred abhorrence/MS abhorrent/Y abhorrer/M abhorring abhor/S abidance/MS abide/JGSR abider/M abiding/Y Abidjan/M Abie/M Abigael/M Abigail/M Abigale/M Abilene/M ability/IMES abjection/MS abjectness/SM abject/SGPDY abjuration/SM abjuratory abjurer/M abjure/ZGSRD ablate/VGNSDX ablation/M ablative/SY ablaze abler/E ables/E ablest able/U abloom ablution/MS Ab/M ABM/S abnegate/NGSDX abnegation/M Abner/M abnormality/SM abnormal/SY aboard ...

Words: 113589 - Pages: 455