Sheila Birling Essay

what he feels will impress Mr and Mrs Birling. Gerald is almost portrayed as the ‘perfect son’ for Mr and Mrs Birling as opposed to their own son Eric, who is characterised as less sophisticated, confident and educated. Gerald is practically running his fathers business and is very articulate whilst talking with the Birlings’, as opposed to Eric who is merely working for Mr Birling and is more socially impaired. Gerald has recently engaged to Sheila Birling and is persistent on being a part of the

societal context. Before the Inspector's arrival, the audience is given insight into the beliefs of the Birling Family, particularly Mr. Birling's dismissive attitude towards socialist ideals and his mockery of the concept of "community." Mr. Birling staunchly upholds capitalist views, setting the stage for the exploration of responsibility within the framework of differing ideologies.

for others. He seems to suggest that hope lies with the younger generation as Sheila and Eric seem to gain a sense of social responsibility throughout the play whereas the older generations, Mrs Birling and Mr Birling, don’t understand this responsibility and are unable to accept their part in the death. Gerald is in between these two generations however his family is higher in

uses Sybil Birling as an archetype of the upper class snobs of society who are disdainful of the lower and middle classes and the fact that she doesn’t change at all throughout the play just shows how ingrained these attitudes were in the upper classes and how difficult it was to change them. Whilst celebrating the engagement of Sheila and Gerald, we get the impression that Sybil Birling is observant but only when it suits her because she expresses what the moment that Gerald gives Sheila the ring

Arthur Birling a factory owner. In the beginning of the play, we see the family celebrating the engagement of Sheila and Gerald, the son of Lord and Lady Croft. This is well supported by Mr Birling who sees this marriage as a business deal, a time where his company and the Crofts would be able to merge, benefiting the Birling’s greatly. However, we see a drastic mood change when Inspector Goole arrives, bringing news of the suicide of Eva Smith. Sheila is the only daughter of Mr and Mrs Birling, in

raped Eva Smith while drunk. Mrs. Birling cried for what has happened, so Sheila took Mrs. Birling to the drawing room.[the candlelight was shaking in the shadow, the second hand on the clock raping quietly.] Sheila: Mom, you see now. Eric is not that sort of mama’s boy you think anyone. Mrs. Birling: [still with a cry]: No, no, no…l will never believe it… Sheila, you can’t do it to your little brother. He is one of our families, he’s your brother, he’s my boy…. Sheila: Mom! How come you never understand

intimidated almost as soon as he enters the room. J.B. Priestley sets traps for the Birlings by the questions the Inspector asks and the hints he gives, for example ?...I found a photograph of her in the lodgings. Perhaps you?d remember her from that? Act One. Here he is suggesting that he knows Birling has been involved with Eva Smith but doesn?t make it too obvious. The way the Inspector looks hard at Birling as he shows him the photo suggests that he is waiting for his reaction, so he will know

the highest of that society. Therefore, he is above the Birlings socially. At the beginning of Act 1, Mr Birling told Gerald that his mum, ‘while she doesn’t object to my girl, feels you might have done better socially’. Mr Birling knows that his parents were not particularly impressed by the engagement ,which may be why they declined the invitation to the dinner, and he tries to impress him by saying how he might get a knighthood. Mr Birling sees Gerald as an asset for not only his company (as Gerald

Birling are important to the play an inspector calls. I will show you how Shelia and Eric Birling affect the other characters in the play. An inspect calls is a play written by J.B. Priestly. I believe that Sheila Birling and Eric Birling are important in the play an Inspector calls because they are the main two charters that change their views throughout the play. They help show us the value of responsibility. I think Priestly used those two charters to get his view of responsibility across. They

highest moral authority. The Birling family are an archetype of the bourgeoisie society of 1912. As the play was produced in 1945 it allowed the spectators in retrospect to be able to understand the humour and poor judgement made in the drama by certain characters, this puts the audience at and advantage and favourable position over the characters.JB Priestly was born into a middle class family, growing up amongst socialites influenced him, it enabled him to portray the Birling family very well.One of