Inspector Calls
Sheila Birling- The character
Sheila Birling is the daughter of Author and Sybil Birling. In the story Priestly portrays her as a young beautiful lady with a rather selfish and arrogant nature. Using her compelling personality she is able to obtain anything in which she desires through her father. After the inspector explains what’s happened and how Eva Smith dies she shows an empathetic side of her personality, which might have surprised the audience watching the play. She shows her remorse by describing her feelings towards the injustice of the case.
The inspector interviews Author Birling first before moving on to Sheila. Author Birling insists for the inspector to leave his daughter out his inquiries, but the inspector points out to Mr Birling that he must speak to everybody in the house. The inspector unveils Sheila’s' involvement by revealing her as the second link in a long chain of events leading to the death of Eva Smith. Edwardian upper class society was well renowned for their ability to exercise total power and control over lower class persons. Priestly shows a perfect example of this during the inspector’s questioning of Sheila. He reveals that after being sacked from Mr Birlings’ factory, Eva Smith found a knew line of work at a clothes shop where Sheila Birling was considered a valued customer. Eva Smith was soon left unemployed after being sacked again. The reason was for being better looking than Sheila in a dress which had Miss Birling's best interest at heart. Using her social position she was able to influence the managers at the clothes shop into dismissing Eva Smith. Sheila is devastated after hearing the effect of her selfish act. The inspector shows another side to Sheila Birlings’ character, her gentle side. Perhaps Sheila can be separated from the rest of the family as she is the only one, apart from Eric who is able to accept responsibility for her action, unlike her father who a coward at heart made excuses for his actions.
