At the beginning of the play, Sheila Birling is shown to be very energetic and enthusiastic about life. The opening stage directions play an important role in presenting the character before she changes dramatically. She is described as "a pretty girl in her early twenties, very pleased with life and rather excited." Priestley has decided to describe her as a ‘girl’ because it represents the immaturity of her character as seen through Act 1. Immaturity is a key theme at the start of the play; this is emphasized when bickering with her brother, ‘don’t be an ass Eric’. The word ‘ass’ would have normally been associated younger age groups and would have been seen as informal for the occasion and therefore shows her childlike characteristics.
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We also grasp that Sheila has the ability to show compassion. Although Sheila has lived a sheltered life and hasn’t truly seen how the workers in the factory are treated she still stands up to her father after she hears what really happens, ‘But these girls aren't cheap labour - they're people’, this is already showing that she has more confidence to be assertive unlike previously in the play. Sheila is no longer showing her weak and materialistic characteristic. J.B Priestley has shown her as somebody who displays remorse over her actions, ‘I felt rotten about it at the time but now I feel a lot worse’, this shows that she has an understanding that all actions have consequences and she is showing a guilty emotion unlike her father who had confessed his part in the death of Eva Smith earlier in the play. Sheilas reasoning for getting her fired which began a trail of events causing her to end her life could be described as feeble. ‘Has had up the dress as if she was wearing it. And it just suited her’, she was jealous and in a ‘foul mood’ . A morality play is based on the seven deadly sins, Sheila’s reasoning was both wrath and envy. However at the end of her interrogation it was clear that she was more engaged with the inspector, she was showing repentance and she blames herself , this is shown when she vocalises that she feels ‘really responsible’. She is acknowledging that she can be held accountable for the death of Eva
We also grasp that Sheila has the ability to show compassion. Although Sheila has lived a sheltered life and hasn’t truly seen how the workers in the factory are treated she still stands up to her father after she hears what really happens, ‘But these girls aren't cheap labour - they're people’, this is already showing that she has more confidence to be assertive unlike previously in the play. Sheila is no longer showing her weak and materialistic characteristic. J.B Priestley has shown her as somebody who displays remorse over her actions, ‘I felt rotten about it at the time but now I feel a lot worse’, this shows that she has an understanding that all actions have consequences and she is showing a guilty emotion unlike her father who had confessed his part in the death of Eva Smith earlier in the play. Sheilas reasoning for getting her fired which began a trail of events causing her to end her life could be described as feeble. ‘Has had up the dress as if she was wearing it. And it just suited her’, she was jealous and in a ‘foul mood’ . A morality play is based on the seven deadly sins, Sheila’s reasoning was both wrath and envy. However at the end of her interrogation it was clear that she was more engaged with the inspector, she was showing repentance and she blames herself , this is shown when she vocalises that she feels ‘really responsible’. She is acknowledging that she can be held accountable for the death of Eva