Comparing Sheila and Sybil Birling

        A good trait of Sheila is that she warm hearted as she treats people from the lower classes as normal human beings. “But these girls aren’t cheap labour, they’re people”, is a quotation which indicates that Sheila cares about all people across all of the classes and that everybody should be treated equally. This is an example showing a great contrast between Sybil and Sheila as Sybil feels no remorse for Eva’s death whereas every other character does. Sybil calls Eva "impertinent" and feels that her social and financial status absolves her of everything. Mrs Birling is a very unsympathetic woman who knows that the Birling family have problems but decides to ignore them showing that she is very self-centred.

        Another characteristic of Sheila is that she is a very perceptive young lady. This is shown as she can interpret that Gerald was having an affair with Daisy Renton all last summer when Gerald never went near her. Sybil is the opposite as Sheila feels she is not very aware about what she is saying and doing. This is demonstrated when Sybil is commencing to talk to Inspector Goole and Sheila articulates “I’m afraid you’ll say something or do something that you’ll be sorry for afterwards”. This is showing that Sheila feels that her mother is not very aware of the circumstances and may present the Inspector with important news which may go against the Birling’s family.

        In conclusion we can say that Sheila and Sybil are two very contrasting characters although they are mother and daughter. Sybil Birling is callous. She is unsympathetic and snobby. Sybil is cold-hearted, very conservative, and self-righteous. Sheila can be immature as she calls her mother “mummy” but refers to her as “mother.” As we read on throughout the play the more evidence we find to show how different these two characters are.

Rajdeep Hayer 8M