Sheila Birling is the character who undergoes the greatest transformation, and therefore is the character the audience relates to the most. In her initial stage directions Sheila is described as being ‘very pleased with life and rather excited’, which causes the audience to view her as shallow and self-centred. This is compounded by the lighting in Act One which is described as ‘pink and intimate’. This illuminates Sheila’s innocence and naivety, and reveals how she sees the world through rose tinted glasses. When the Inspector arrives, the light changes and highlights Sheila’s flaws. Through her relationship with Gerald, acceptance of responsibility, and her affinity with the Inspector, she changes into a mature young woman. Priestley presents …show more content…
Sheila’s stage directions while talking to Gerald, ‘half serious, half playful’, present the idea that Sheila is more perceptive than she first appears, and is the first indication that their relationship has complexities. Sheila adds tension and urgency as she assumes an interrogative mode, and takes on the mantle of the Inspector to question Gerald. This indicates that she values honesty and integrity. When Gerald tells Sheila about his affair with Eva Smith, Sheila becomes increasingly upset, however the logical manner in which Sheila controls her emotions allows the audience to see Sheila maturing, and therefore she grows in the audience’s eyes. An example of this is explored in ‘She almost breaks down but just controls herself’, the words ‘almost’ and …show more content…
Sheila aligns herself with the Inspector very quickly, and mimics his behaviour in her stage directions, ‘cutting in’ and ‘sharply attentive’. Sheila seems to be the most perceptive member of the family, and connects Eva’s story before anyone else. This idea is further developed when she suspects that Gerald knew Eva Smith previously. During Gerald’s confession Sheila keeps the Inspector on stage, by using metaphorical language when she mimics the inspector ‘giving us a rope so we’ll hang ourselves’, mirroring his manipulative methods, and causing Gerald to confess. Like the inspector, Sheila uses monosyllabic language, ‘we can’t leave it at that’ to question Gerald, thus creating a tense atmosphere, which demonstrates her newfound confidence. This is symbolic of the time, because women were on the cusp of change, and gaining more rights, Sheila challenges the gender roles of the time, transforming herself, and intensifying Priestley’s message of equality. Sheila’s full transformation is realised when the Inspector is no longer there to guide her, as she has absorbed the Inspector’s message of community, and does not want her family to regress back to their previous façade ‘you don’t seem to have learnt anything’. This was particularly relevant for the audience in 1946 as the destruction caused by WW2 had changed their outlook, and the younger generation was seeking change. The Inspector
...are lower class or upper class (‘[W]e don’t live alone. We are members of one body. We are responsible for each other.’). Priestley believed in socialism, he uses the Inspector to express his thoughts about this. This is the main message that he wanted the audience to take away.
He was particularly scathing about the class system and the extreme contrasts of wealth and poverty prevalent at that time. He also disapproved of the selfishness within the individual and the fact that many people were only concerned with their own power, profit and gain. Priestley powerfully highlighted the exploitation of women and through the character of Eva Smith, he illustrated the rights that women were beginning to voice in society. Finally, Priestley used the different characters in his play to show the how the sins of greed, pride and selfishness have so corrupted society that the individual has become oblivious to the consequences of their actions, in this case culminating in the death of Eva Smith. Although 'Inspector Calls' is set in 1912, it was first written in 1945 and produced on the lst October 1946, just after World War 11.
Gerald Croft is a young business man. He has a good steady job, a fiancée, a promising future and is financially stable. In 'An Inspector Calls' Gerald is described as "an attractive chap, about thirty". His father owns a company called 'Crofts Limited' who are friendly rivals of the Arthur Birling's business 'Birling and Company', although the Croft's business is both older and bigger than the Birling's. Arthur is very pleased about his daughter Sheila's engagement to Gerald, because of the possibility of the two businesses merging ultimately benefiting the Birling's financial status and power. Though Gerald's parents are not as happy with the prospect of their son marrying Sheila, as they feel she is not good enough for Gerald.
When we first meet the Birling family Sheila (the daughter) when she was having an engagement party as she had been recently been engaged to Gerald Croft. She is described as “a pretty girl in her early twenties, very Pleased with life and rather excited." This shows that she may be naïve and that it is quite unusual attitude in the patriarchal society. There are many ideas behind why she got engaged to Gerald this as it may be simply love but, some may argue
As the play was meant to be produced on stage, rather than to be written as a book format, 'An Inspector Calls' is very dramatic; to capture the audiences' attention, and to keep them thinking as the play develops. Each of the three acts are very dramatic, but I am choosing to analyse the first half of Act One of 'An Inspector Calls', because in my opinion, this is where J.B. Priestley's use of dramatic devices is most evident. This part of the play is very important, because it is the opening scene. Not only must the opening scene of the play grab the audiences' attention, it must also give impressions and introductions to the main characters. J.B. Priestley has used the scene to capture the audiences' attention and imagination, and gives a good introduction to the characters and their personality.
She tried to do many things to be “better” than she had been. Showering everyday to be the cleanest version herself made her feel that it enhanced her quality of life. She was doing this day in day out and even sometimes twice a day as part of her “cleanliness”. While she did not have much money, she spent her extra cash on what she felt was its place to be spent in. Herself. Her appearance. Edith had bought the nicest and most soothing scent of perfume along with a flashy wristwatch and admirable dresses in an attempt to boost her self-esteem and self-image. Amidst the scent of roses and nice clothes Edith tried to change her attitude. She refused to gossip anytime Mrs.Henderson would endeavour at gossip. Edith read beauty magazines and books about proper etiquette one of many customs she had adopted. She did this daily and accustomed to it believing that she needed to it to be the more proper version of herself as the way she wanted to execute her plan of a changed woman. Edith altered herself and the way she did many things. Although she still knew who she really was and where she came from, she refused to accept it. Along with many things were done Edith’s decisions were overthrown by her self-image on her role of a daughter
He uses the downfall of Eva Smith and a chain of events to demonstrate this. This leads to a very convincing and well-devised play, which puts across JB Priestley’s views clearly and precisely. In Edwardian Britain there was a great difference in the roles of men and women in society and the outlook of what and was not accepted differed substantially. A prime example of this in the play is when Mr Birling says ‘Nothing to do with you, Sheila.
The Inspector, straight form his introduction, is commanding and authoritative. Upon his entrance he creates, “…at once an impression of massiveness, solidity and purposefulness.”(PG.11) The Inspector continues to create this impression as he progresses through his speeches and through his interrogation of the family. The Inspector remains confident, sturdy and composed, while people around him crumble and fall to pieces. His ‘solidity’ is proven by the fact he remains on task despite numerous attempts from Birling to digress from the points he is making. The Inspector is told to appear ‘purposeful’; this is shown where he explains to Birling that Birlings way of thinking “Every man must only look out for himself,” is not the case, and all warps of society are interlinked. The view is best illustrated in the Inspectors final speech, where he says, “We don't live alone. We are members of one body. We are responsible for each other.”(p.56). This idea is one that Priestley, himself believed in deeply, and many of Priestleys writing shared this very theme.
All the pieces in Alan Bennett’s collection deal in some way with people who are isolated or marginalized, either because of circumstances or because of their own idiosyncrasies. Every character is, in some way inadequate. Graham is a mother's boy, whose dubious sexuality seems to have caused him severe mental stress. Susan, the vicar's wife, is an alcoholic woman, trapped in a loveless marriage, whose caustic intolerance of her husband's calling alienates her from the rest of the parish and forces her into behaviour which is damaging and dangerous. Irene Ruddock is narrow minded and malicious, believing herself to be a guardian of public morals, when, in fact, she is no more than a dangerous slanderer. The actress, Lesley, believes that her talent is genuine, but has not the intelligence or wit to realise that she is, in reality, a failure. Muriel Carpenter has spent her whole married life refusing to face up to reality and suffers tragic consequences from years of selective vision and poor Doris finds her age and upbringing have made her an anachronism in modern society.
Graham, Miss Ruddock and Susan are all presented as human beings with intrinsic weaknesses that allow Alan Bennett to inflict unhappiness on them. He made Graham a ‘mommy’s boy’ without the mental wherewithal to make it on his own in the big scary World. Miss Ruddock is presented as someone who has the shadow of mental illness hanging over her and has let the rest of society move on without her. Susan is weak of will and lacks the inner strength to do as Ramesh and “take the profit and move on.” (Bennett, 1987, p, 84) Throughout the three monologues, Alan Bennett makes you laugh out loud at times, yet there is real tragedy here too. “However, what remains with the audience is his respect for the neglected characters, and how funnily and inventively he has used the monologue form.” (Turner, 1997, p, 66)
In the play “An inspector calls” by J.B priestly, Mr Birling and Shelia Birling have contrasting attitudes to social issues. The author uses this to difference to highlight the diversity between generations and their reaction to situations faced. Arthur Birling is the father to Shelia Birling and is presented as the old fashion generation whereas Shelia is the young generation, who is more aware of the responsibility she has towards other people.The play begins with Mr birling and his family celebrating the engagement of Shelia and Gerald. The atmosphere is happy and light-hearted. Before the inspector arrives, Mr Birling is happy with life and himself “It’s one of the happiest nights of my life.” This shows that Mr Birling is quire selfish because he only thinks that it is one of the happiest nights of his life and not of Shelia and Gerald.
Discuss Priestley's depiction of the Birling household and Gerald Croft, prior to the arrival of Inspector Goole In this submission I hope to fully discuss Priestley's depiction of the Birling household and Gerald Croft, prior to the arrival of Inspector Goole. The play is set in the fictional town of Brumley, an industrial town in the North Midlands. It is evening in the town, in the spring of 1912. At the moment the play starts the characters are celebrating the engagement between Gerald Croft and the Birling family's only daughter Sheila. They are all very pleased with themselves and are enjoying the occasion.
Sheila Birling is another character in ?An Inspector Calls? who also points this out during the play, ?You fool- he knows. Of course he knows. And I hate to think how much he knows that we don?t know yet. You?ll see. You?ll see.?
He interrogates each individual with a different tone of voice with his impression of masivness , and his purposefulness gives a feeling of power wich intimidates Sheila . Inspector Goole makes her feel
The play is set in the early twentieth century in London. This time in period was referred to as the Victorian era. During this era women had not gained the basic rights and privileges given to man. Women were looked at as housewives, their main role being to act properly, marry, and tend to the house and bear children. Although Higgins felt he knew what was best for Liza and how she should behave and act, he treated her as if she was inferior to him. Liza, now wiser and more confident in herself, began to feel as if she was being treated unjust and showed she was not to back down and she was to stand up for herself. This is best depicted through the body language and actions reflected in the narration and stage directions. Directions such as [Defiantly non-Resistant], [Snapping her fingers], [Disdainfully], [Composedly], and [Determinedly] (PDF Act IV Page 39 and Act V Page 49) allow one to imagine and picture her being confident as she is conversing with Higgins and telling him that she does not need him she is independent and the woman she has always wanted to be. The descriptive elements used for stage direction and in the narration convey more emotion to what the character is saying because the reader can imagine what is taking