Sheila is brought up to believe that she (and those in her family and of the same social standing) is better than those lower down the social scale.
She has a very privileged life to look forward to, is affluent and is engaged to the son of a very fine, wealthy family.
Sheila’s personality comes through when she meets Eva in a Department store, after Eva has been sacked by Mr. Birling from his factory for wanting higher pay.
Sheila, in the store, is angry with her mother, as Mrs. Birling thinks that the dress that Sheila wants doesn’t suit her.
Enraged Sheila commands Eva Smith, the store attendant, to try the dress on for her. The dress suits Eva and out of jealousy Sheila snaps at Eva for smiling at her in the mirror, calling her “insubordinate”. In a blind rage Sheila storms out of the Store, finally adding: “if she (Eva) is still here when I next come back, I shall get my mother to cancel her account with you!”
This left Eva ‘on the ropes’ without a job or steady source of income, helping Eva’s life to deteriorate even further. Driving Eva to live in relative squallor.
By the end of the play Sheila has learnt ‘humility’. She realises that she is no better than others. Just because she is better off, doesn’t make Sheila, her family or anyone else better people. Sheila realises how privileged and lucky she is.
Sheila also understands that the way she acted towards Eva was wrong as it was spiteful and gave into her own selfishness. Sheila only thought of herself and took her anger out on Eva without thinking of the consequences. She realizes just how dreadful her actions were. Sheila learns that her father’s statement of “Look out for ourselves… Every man for himself…” is wrong. What we do does affect others, and we have to accept this fact.
By the end, Sheila sees, through the inspectors references to Eva’s “Youth” and “Prettiness”, that she was really lucky to be born into a rich family whereas Eva wasn’t.
At the beginning of the play, Eric Birling is disturbed and unhappy. He appears drunk and slightly hysterical.
We notice from the very beginning of the play, that Eric is treated like a child by Mr and Mrs. Birling. Eric appears weak, depressed, has serious alcohol problems, with little or no self-confidence and has a very domineering father who appears to take no interest n Eric.
Eric’s father’s attitude towards Eric seems to be ambivalent. He (Eric) has been given the start in life that his father didn’t have, however although working in his father’s company, he gets little respect, low pay, and has to work his way up from the bottom.
We see that Eric’s opinions are not listened to by Mr. Birling, who seems contemptuous of his opinions.
Although he has a good standard of living materially, Eric has very little emotional support from his family. His father is a domineering bully and his mother is cold and distant. This leaves Eric looking for affection and love, which ultimately leads him to Eva Smith.
Eric meets Eva at “The Palace Bar” which is “A notorious haunt for women around town”.
He notices Eva and begins to speak to her, immediately falling for her. In Eva, Eric sees the emotional warmth he longs for. He describes Eric as an “older sister”
However, after the first time they meet, Eric doesn’t let Eva go without ‘getting something’. (Although not directly mentioned by Priestly, it is suggested that Eric may have raped Eva. Eric says “I was prepared to make a scene if I didn’t get what I wanted”)
After this, Eric and Eva begin to have a short term relationship, during which, Eva becomes pregnant. As a result, Eric offers to marry Eva, (although he knew this would tarnish his reputation and reputation of his family). Eva refuses, so instead Eric supports Eva with money “borrowed” (or stolen) from his father’s business. The relationship ends between Eric and Eva, when Eva finds out about Eric’s “Dirty Money”.
The inspector brings up these facts infront of Eric’s family. As a result, Eric says his father, when Mr. Birling confronts him about the stolen money, “You’re not the kind of father a chap can go to in trouble”. Showing that Eric has ‘come out of his shell’ and has become a stronger person.
By the end of the play it is apparent that Sheila along with Eric, has changed. Eric can see how wrong his own, and his parents behaviour was.
They (Eric and Sheila), especially Eric, know that their father’s pursuit of profit, with money and a bigger profit being the most important thing, is wrong. As it doesn’t take into account the Human Consequences.
Metaphorically; Mr. Birling represents the Capitalist view on life with Priestly writing the play from a Socialist perspective.
Priestly is suggesting that: M. Birling (Capitalism) will never change, as he shrugs off the inspectors strong emotive language and persuasion to try to change him.
However the two younger Birling’s, Sheila and Eric, do change.
By this Priestly is suggesting that although the style of capitalism will not change, new views will change and will see capitalism and socialism in different lights than before.
