With reference to two characters, show how their involvement with Eva Smith/Daisy Renton reflects their social attitudes and comment on how far you feel the organisation of society at that time was responsible for Eva smith's tragedy.

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With reference to two characters, show how their involvement with Eva Smith/Daisy Renton reflects their social attitudes and comment on how far you feel the organisation of society at that time was responsible for Eva smith’s tragedy.

Sheila, unlike her father Mr Birling, is honest and lacks the cold-hearted attitude of her parents.  She is deeply affected about the inspector’s revelations.  But she is reviled as a spiteful girl, as she contributed to the death of a young girl.  She is the only character that gives optimism for the future.  At the start of the play is vain and spiteful but changes to a more caring person to the end.  Her father Mr Birling is quite the opposite. He doesn’t care about the tragedy, only that it could cause a scandal.  He is relieved that the rest of his family is to blame and not just him. He shows through the Act that he is an ignorant and optimistic person who lives to impress the upper class society.

The play starts off with the family celebrating the engagement of Sheila and Gerald Croft.  Sheila doesn’t see that this marriage is to increase her father’s social standing.  She is so naive that she doesn’t see this.  She thinks that her father is happy for her and Gerald, but really wants personal benefit.  The family treats her and Eric, her brother like they were still young children and they act like it too.  For example, Sheila says, “…go on then Mummy.”  This word “Mummy” shows how she is still talking like a young child.  She is spoilt too.  She is centre of attentiopn at the party.  

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        When the inspector tells her and reminds her of the incident with the girl in Millwoods it shows how spoilt she really is.  She saw the girl in the dress and that she was beautiful.  She was jealous of this and when she saw her smile she used her power to get the girl sacked.  But this is the difference between her and her father.  She felt guilty and wished she hadn’t done it.  Annoyed at what she thought of her insulting behaviour at her own expense.  Sheila claimed that that was the first time she had ever behaved ...

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