Sheila Birling: Character Analysis
Sheila begins the play as a privileged, immature young woman who refers to her father as "daddy" and views working-class people as "creatures" beneath her social standing. Her initial behaviour reveals her sheltered upbringing when she admits to having Eva Smith fired because she was "pretty" rather than "some miserable plain little creature."
Unlike her parents, Sheila quickly accepts responsibility for her actions, stating "I know I'm to blame and I'm desperately sorry." Her language becomes increasingly emotional as she displays genuine remorse, using the collective pronoun "we" in "between us we drove that girl to suicide" to acknowledge shared responsibility. This marks the beginning of the generational split in the play.
Sheila undergoes remarkable character development, becoming more socially aware and troubled by her family's actions. She recognises that working-class women "aren't cheap labour - they're people," showing her growing understanding of socialist principles. Her fragmented speech and emotional responses demonstrate her transformation is genuine rather than performative.
Food for thought: Notice how Sheila functions as the Inspector's proxy by the end of the play, continuing to challenge her family's capitalist values even after he leaves. This shows how completely her perspective has changed!
Priestley presents Sheila as a symbol of hope for the future generation. She rejects the patriarchy (shown in her rejection of Gerald), becomes increasingly assertive, and demonstrates the courage needed to challenge established systems. Through her character, Priestley suggests that social change will come through young people who are willing to learn from mistakes and embrace socialist ideologies.