Understanding Relationships in An Inspector Calls: Mrs. Birling and Sheila

The Perfect Family Facade

Ever wondered how families can look perfect on the outside but be completely dysfunctional underneath? That's exactly what Priestley shows us with Sheila and Mrs Birling's relationship at the start of the play.

Initially, their bond appears typical of upper-class Edwardian families. Mrs Birling guides Sheila to accept that men with "important work" might neglect their wives, teaching her daughter to expect poor treatment and "get used to that." Sheila responds "half playful, half assertive," showing she wants to speak up but feels pressured to stay submissive and entertaining.

Their connection centres around materialistic values rather than genuine emotion. When Sheila shows off her engagement ring, they bond over its beauty rather than the love it represents. This shallow interaction perfectly demonstrates how capitalism prioritises possessions over people - exactly what Priestley wanted his 1945 audience to reject.

Key Point: The mother-daughter relationship starts as performance art, with both women playing roles that society expects rather than being authentic with each other.

Cracks Begin to Show

As the Inspector's investigation progresses, the generational divide between Sheila and Mrs Birling becomes impossible to hide. Mrs Birling desperately tries to protect her family's reputation by treating Sheila like a child, telling her to "go to bed and forget about this absurd business."

The real conflict erupts when Mrs Birling dismissively refers to Eva Smith's social class, saying she doesn't understand why "girls of that class" commit suicide. Sheila immediately warns her mother to stop "for your own sake," showing her perceptive nature and growing social awareness.

When Mrs Birling calls the Inspector "impertinent," Sheila responds by "hysterically laughing." This moment marks the turning point where Sheila realises her mother's arrogance and begins to ridicule her outdated attitudes. She's essentially becoming the Inspector's voice within the family.

Key Point: Sheila transforms from obedient daughter to moral guide, while Mrs Birling remains stuck in her privileged bubble - their relationship completely reverses.

By Act Three, when the family discovers the Inspector was fake, Sheila maintains that "it doesn't make a difference" whilst Mrs Birling calls her "childish." Ironically, Sheila has become the mature one, representing hope for social responsibility and change that Priestley believed the younger generation could achieve.