Examine the way the character of Sheila changes throughout the play of ‘An Inspector Calls’
During Act 1, there are many changes to Sheila’s character, she is described first of all as ‘a pretty girl, in her early twenties, very pleased with life and rather excited.’ The first side you see to Sheila is quite a bossy person, her father is offering a glass of port to Gerald who admits to not knowing much about port, Sheila then says gaily and possessively ‘ I should jolly well think not Gerald. I would hate you to know all about Port- like one of those purple-faced old men’. This side to Sheila tells you that she is quite proud of herself and likes to be well respected but then her attitude towards the port changes when the port is there to celebrate Sheila’s and Gerald’s engagement, to toast the arrangement. Which puts across so early on that she is very happy with Gerald and the engagement. The next very strong aspect of her personality which you are shown is the Half playful, half serious side to Sheila when she is saying but, in a questioning way to Gerald about the previous summer when he hardly came near her and she wondered what had happen to him. He tells her that he was very busy at the works but she seems to doubt that and she shows this by her response to Gerald ‘yes, That’s what you say’ Then she goes on to playfully argue with Eric.
Throughout Inspector calls there are parts of the script where the engagement between Sheila and Gerald is the subject and the way Sheila talks about it shows how very important the engagement is to her. Sheila is absent for quite a while in Act 1 as she has left the dining table with her mother to go to the drawing room to discuss other matters.
Sheila then re-enters to ask her father why he has not joined her mother and her in the drawing room, only to find an Inspector has called. Sheila is very curious as to why the Inspector is there, her father tells her it is nothing then he tells her to run along, but the Inspector abruptly interrupts to ask Sheila to stay, she again asks why the inspector has called and he replies to tell her ‘this afternoon a young woman drank some disinfectant, and died after several hours of agony, tonight in the Infirmary’ Sheila then becomes quite sympathetic and question the inspector as to whether it was an accident the inspector replies that she wanted to end her life. Sheila then starts to learn more about the girl, Eva Smith and how and why her Father discharged her from his company when she was a strong character and a good worker. You then see the sympathetic side to Sheila develop and she even comments that she was happy that night, until she found out about the death of Eva Smith, Sheila then wants to know more about Eva Smith, she asks In a rather distressed manner ‘What was she like, was she young?’ This shows that Sheila is quite ashamed of her father. The she becomes quite interrogating and almost becomes a partner to the Inspector, who wants to get all the truth from her father. She cannot believe that her father would treat anyone like that. You start to look at Sheila in a different view. You can see that she is learning lessons that will influence her for the rest of her life.
When Sheila starts to piece together that she may be part of Eva smiths death she runs out the room involuntarily, but when she returns she admits to her part in Eva Smiths death. Sheila role in Eva smiths death was, Eva Smith got a job in a clothes shop and was a satisfactory worker, one day Sheila went into where Eva Smith worked and tried on a dress, Sheila was posing in front of a mirror and saw the reflection of a attractive young girl who Sheila knew would look better in the dress, giggling, Sheila assumed that she was laughing at her, and complained to the manager, Later that day Eva smith was fired from Milwards. Sheila says that she had the girl dismissed because she was in a furious temper. Then Shelia almost breaks down, but controls herself , she then becomes distressed about how she treated the young shop assistant and tells how she was not to know what would happen afterwards. The Inspector then points out Sheila may have been jealous of the young shop assistant, she admits that maybe was the case. The Inspector then says harshly, you used the power you had, as a daughter of a good customer and a man well known in town, to punish the girl just because she made you feel like that. This shows that Sheila, if necessary, would use her middle class status to get her own way and be treated differently from other people. Shelia then shows a lot of remorse towards Eva Smith, how she would help her now if she could, but the Inspector points out that it is too late. She’s dead. Sheila then says she has never done anything like that before and she would never do it again to anybody. The Inspector then makes a short speech and mentions the name Daisy Renton, with the reply of a startled Gerald. Sheila then asks Gerald how he come to know this girl Eva Smith, he replies saying not Eva Smith, Sheila is quick to correct herself, Daisy Renton then, it’s the same thing. This tone and attitude towards Gerald implies that Sheila is not messing around and wants the truth. She can see Gerald looks guilty; she knows there is more to the story than Gerald is letting on. Gerald then admits to not seeing Eva Smith (Daisy Renton) for at least six months. Then he says it was over and done with last summer. The Gerald puts it to Sheila how they can keep this affair from the Inspector, Sheila laughs hysterically and says that the Inspector knows everything, there’s nothing that can be kept from him.
Act 2 opens to the Inspector asking Gerald a short but harsh question, well? Sheila then replies with a hysterical laugh, you see? What did I tell you? This shows that Sheila is right again about how inspector knows everything and nothing can be kept from him. Sheila’s mother then returns, after Mr Birling has explained why the Inspector has called, and has returned to the dinner table to explain what really happened and her family really won’t be much help at all, but Sheila quickly adds, No! mother please. Mrs Birling asks Sheila what is wrong, She then tells her mother how she thinks she is beginning her questions all wrong to the Inspector. Sheila then tells her mother how she may regret something she says, her mother is confused, but Sheila’s reply. this shows how Sheila has been changed by the whole experience of the Inspector calling, she says “we all stated out so confident and pleased, until the inspector started to ask questions”. Mrs Birling is proud of Sheila and in a way thanks the Inspector for the strong impact he has had on Sheila. Mrs Birling then tells Sheila to go to bed
