TJNOTES
Sheila essay
Throughout the play 'An Inspector Calls' the character of Sheila Birling
changes from being fairly obnoxious and also quite childlike to being more
grown up and responsible for her own actions. In the beginning of the play,
Sheila calls her mother Mummy. 'Yes, go on, Mummy'. The word 'Mummy'
has extremely childlike and young connotation as it suggests that Sheila is
of a very young age as normally only small children call their parents
Mummy and Daddy. It is also a stereotypically posh thing to say, reflecting
Sheila's class and upbringing and shows that she is quite highly strung and
reflects that she values a high class of person.
Alternatively, the word 'Mummy' can be seen to reflect how Sheila is
ignoring the fact that she is growing up and shows her immaturity as a
character. Her character almost makes herself seem younger on purpose
because growing up is associated with having more responsibility and
maybe taking responsibility and seeing the bigger picture which was very
much opposite to the capitalist society at the time.
In contrast, after Preistley introduces the character of the Inspector and he
reveals how Sheila helped to kill the girl, Sheila's character undergoes a
transformation, The character of the Inspector forces Sheila to grow up and
she then begins to respond differently to her family particularly Mrs Birling.
At the start of Act Two, Sheila begins to call Mrs Birling 'Mother' rather than
'Mummy'. 'Mother, I couldn't possibly go'. The word 'Mother' in this quote
shows how Sheila has changed because she addresses Mrs Birling as
another adult and not as if Sheila herself is a child. This shows how Sheila's
character has changed as it is evident of her growing up and becoming
more mature as it shows that she is no longer being childlike as she was
before. Preistley presents Sheila as a character who realises she is
responsible in the bigger picture and presents the character of Sheila as
exploring socialist themes much like the character of Inspector Goole.
Towards the middle of Act Two, Sheila begins to defy her family
(particularly her parents) and take sides with the Inspector. 'You wait,
Mother.' This short phrase reflects this as she begins to talk back to Mrs
Birling. The word 'you' could be used by Preistley to emphasize that Sheila
is definitely addressing her Mother and shows that she has began to wake
up to the world around her and see that things are wrong with way she has
been living because she has seen how her actions can affect others. The
Inspector says that 'the young ones' are 'more impressionable' in response
Sheila essay
Throughout the play 'An Inspector Calls' the character of Sheila Birling
changes from being fairly obnoxious and also quite childlike to being more
grown up and responsible for her own actions. In the beginning of the play,
Sheila calls her mother Mummy. 'Yes, go on, Mummy'. The word 'Mummy'
has extremely childlike and young connotation as it suggests that Sheila is
of a very young age as normally only small children call their parents
Mummy and Daddy. It is also a stereotypically posh thing to say, reflecting
Sheila's class and upbringing and shows that she is quite highly strung and
reflects that she values a high class of person.
Alternatively, the word 'Mummy' can be seen to reflect how Sheila is
ignoring the fact that she is growing up and shows her immaturity as a
character. Her character almost makes herself seem younger on purpose
because growing up is associated with having more responsibility and
maybe taking responsibility and seeing the bigger picture which was very
much opposite to the capitalist society at the time.
In contrast, after Preistley introduces the character of the Inspector and he
reveals how Sheila helped to kill the girl, Sheila's character undergoes a
transformation, The character of the Inspector forces Sheila to grow up and
she then begins to respond differently to her family particularly Mrs Birling.
At the start of Act Two, Sheila begins to call Mrs Birling 'Mother' rather than
'Mummy'. 'Mother, I couldn't possibly go'. The word 'Mother' in this quote
shows how Sheila has changed because she addresses Mrs Birling as
another adult and not as if Sheila herself is a child. This shows how Sheila's
character has changed as it is evident of her growing up and becoming
more mature as it shows that she is no longer being childlike as she was
before. Preistley presents Sheila as a character who realises she is
responsible in the bigger picture and presents the character of Sheila as
exploring socialist themes much like the character of Inspector Goole.
Towards the middle of Act Two, Sheila begins to defy her family
(particularly her parents) and take sides with the Inspector. 'You wait,
Mother.' This short phrase reflects this as she begins to talk back to Mrs
Birling. The word 'you' could be used by Preistley to emphasize that Sheila
is definitely addressing her Mother and shows that she has began to wake
up to the world around her and see that things are wrong with way she has
been living because she has seen how her actions can affect others. The
Inspector says that 'the young ones' are 'more impressionable' in response
