Inspector calls characters- sheila and eric

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  • Inspector call characters
    • Sheila Birling
      • Shows gender inequality
        • Described as 'a pretty girl in her 20's'
          • suggest that in 1912 that girls were expected and seen as only being pretty
          • Described as a girl even though she is a grown up
            • Shows woman weren't considered woman until married
              • There status is given to them by a man
        • Is told that 'Sheila don't tease him, men with important work to do, sometimes have to spend their time and energy on their buisneses'
          • Woman were forced to be silent not matter how much they were suffering
          • Not matter what Gerald does Sheila is forced to be subservient to males in society
          • Sybil birling has to overcome her own dissapointment in the past but instead of protecting her daughter from the same treatment she is letting it continue 'just as I have got use to it'
            • Maybe sexism in society has continued as the woman in power havn't done anything about it
        • He wanted woman in the audience to be angered about her treatment and not accept being inferior to males
      • Shows a shift form a capitalist to a socialist view point
        • Priestly wants the audience to follow Sheila's lead and also change their view point
        • When Sybil uses the word 'impertinent' to describe Eva, Sheila responds by 'laughing hysterically'
          • 'Impertinent' highlights the speakers stupidity
            • Sheila relises her own mothers stupidity and is trying to ridicule her
            • She also realises that through her mothers use of the word her mother believes she is more important than Eva
              • Conveys Priestley's message that no one in society should be impertinent to each other instead we 'are all one body'
            • Shows Sheila's change in ideology as earlier in the play she was using the word 'impertenant' but is now ridiculing her mother for it
              • Is now able to distinguish between a socialist and capitalist view
                • This is the pivotal moment in Sheila's development
      • A device used to change the audiences view
        • After the Birlings discover the inspector isn't real Sheila says 'You knew it the. You began to learn something. And now you have stopped
          • The repetition of the personal pronoun 'you' demonstrates how Sheila is distancing herself from her family
            • The audience would also be wanting to distance themselves from the Birlings
              • As Sheila is a likeable character Priestly is also trying to get the audience to distance themselves from the ideology of the Birlngs' like Sheila did
            • She doesn't want to be part of their views as she knows they are wrong
              • Highlights the difference between Sheila and her families attitudes
          • This quotes uses triples (a pursuasive devise) as Sheila is trying to pursuade her parents but also ultimately Priestly is trying to pursuade the audience
    • Eva Smith
      • Represents the working class
        • has no identity
          • 'Smith' is a very common name
            • Doesn't have the right to ienitity as she has no wealth
            • Priestley may be showing us how working class girls tried to fit in by using using common names but they still had a fate of exploitation
          • Doesn't appear on stage
            • Shows that the working class were unable to fight for themselves
              • Priestley is trying to tell the audience that as the working class can't fight for their rights then the upper class must instead
                • trying to get them to become socialists
        • Vulnerable
          • Exploited sexually by Gerald and Eric
        • Daisy renton
          • Daisys are fragile
            • Easily picked out from bars but common so lots of working class have the same fate
        • Shows the hardship they faced
          • 'if there weren't factories and work houses where would we find cheap labour
            • Even though Eva is a 'good worker' capitalist men would still turn them down in the interest of money
              • Priestley shows how little chance woman had of keeping their jobs no matter how good at they were
    • Eric
      • 'And as you were saying Dad, a man has to look after himself'
        • Says when inspector arrives
          • Makes connection between inspectors arrival and his Dads actions which 'summoned' him
            • Maybe Priestley gave this role to such a flawed character to show the People in the audience could also change if Eric could
        • Said as Priestly point of view
          • Maybe Priestley gave this role to such a flawed character to show the People in the audience could also change if Eric could
      • His views are mostly socialist
        • 'why shouldn't they try for the highest wages, we try for the highest possible prices'
          • Uses the logic of capitalism against his father
      • 'You don't understand anything you never did, you never even tried you-'
        • Hates his parents
          • Against capitalism
        • A very childish response like a teenage parody
        • Interrupted by Sheila 'Eric don't'
          • The genration may stop themselves going against their parents views
            • After the play maybe the lessons won't be learned
              • WW2
      • 'I was in the state where a chap could easy turn nasty'
        • Distances himself from what he has done
          • Shows he is feeling a lot of guilt
            • Priestley shows how the upper men could use lower class woman and this was damaging to both classes
        • Has used the fact he is a man as an excuse to himself for what he has done
        • Used 'chap' over man to make him seems less powerful and frightning
          • Priestley shows how the upper men could use lower class woman and this was damaging to both classes
      • 'Eva treated me like a kid
        • Eric is still young and has a lot to learn
      • 'not really' Eric reply when asks if he stole the money
        • In denial
        • The inspector teaches Eric a lesson so when the Inspector leaves we see Eric behaving as an adult
          • He says 'Don't forget I'm ashamed of you as well' to his parents
            • Role reversal- maybe he has grown up during the play
              • Priestley is suggesting that everyone needs to grow up
                • Children are often selfish and don't depend on or help others
                • He is saying we should act less like children
            • Mr Birling reacts to this in anger- childlishly
        • Eric will only appear to learn his lesson as he is actually very childish
          • The is the point of the cliffhanger- allows us to imagine what Eric might do in the future
            • Like Gerald
            • Or very fair?

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