5.3.1
Sheila Quotes Act 1
Sheila - Key Quotes
Sheila - Key Quotes
Sheila says the following key quotes in Act 1:
‘Why – you fool – he knows!’
‘Why – you fool – he knows!’
- This exclamation shows that Sheila has quickly realised that Goole is shrewd (has good judgment) and smart.
- She knows that they cannot hide anything from him, and that he knows all of the answers and how they are all involved.
- She knows he is asking them questions to get them to realise their involvement themselves.
- She shows maturity and intelligence here.
‘So I’m really responsible?’
‘So I’m really responsible?’
- Sheila’s first reaction to Inspector Goole’s questioning is to accept responsibility for her actions.
- Although she is still very worried about how the experience affects her, she acknowledges that she played a key role in Eva Smith’s suicide.
- This contrasts to Mr Birling’s complete denial.
‘Is it the one you wanted me to have… now I really feel engaged’
‘Is it the one you wanted me to have… now I really feel engaged’
- Sheila doesn’t feel properly engaged until she gets a ring.
- Upper-class women got a fancy ring when they got engaged to show that someone new (instead of their father) owned them.
- Now that she's got the ring - the symbol of ownership - she seems to feel the new ownership too.
Sheila - Key Quote (Act 1)
Sheila - Key Quote (Act 1)
‘Mummy – isn’t it a beauty?’ Here's an analysis of this key quote from Act 1:
Stereotypical higher-class woman
Stereotypical higher-class woman
- As the play opens, Sheila plays the stereotypical young, pre-war, higher-class woman whose role is to marry well and produce children.
- She is excited to be marrying a good-looking, wealthy man and shows off her expensive engagement ring.
Child-like
Child-like
- She uses the noun ‘Mummy’ when talking to her mother – this language suggests that she is quite child-like at the start of the play.
- That she feels like she needs to show off her ring also suggests she is childish.
- Priestley uses this to highlight how much she changes later on.
1Plot Summary
2Context & Key Themes
2.1Context & Key Themes
2.1.1Social Class & Equality
2.1.2Class Tension
2.1.3Abuse of Power & Corruption
2.1.4Socialism vs Capitalism
2.1.5Blame & Responsibility
2.1.6Attitudes to Women
2.1.7Characterisation of Women
2.1.8Dramatic Function of Characters
2.1.9End of Topic Test - Context & Key Themes
2.1.10End of Topic Test - Context & Key Themes 2
2.1.11Grade 9 - Key Themes
2.1.12Diagnostic Misconceptions - Socialism vs Communism
2.1.13Diagnostic Misconceptions - Edna
2.1.14Diagnostic Misconceptions - Women in the Play
2.1.15Diagnostic Misconceptions - Eva Smith
3Key Characters
3.1Mr Birling
3.2Mrs Birling
3.6Inspector Goole
3.7Grade 9 - Key Characters
4Authorial Method
5Recap: Main Quotes
5.1Mr Birling Quotes
5.2Mrs Birling Quotes
5.6Inspector Goole Quotes
Jump to other topics
1Plot Summary
2Context & Key Themes
2.1Context & Key Themes
2.1.1Social Class & Equality
2.1.2Class Tension
2.1.3Abuse of Power & Corruption
2.1.4Socialism vs Capitalism
2.1.5Blame & Responsibility
2.1.6Attitudes to Women
2.1.7Characterisation of Women
2.1.8Dramatic Function of Characters
2.1.9End of Topic Test - Context & Key Themes
2.1.10End of Topic Test - Context & Key Themes 2
2.1.11Grade 9 - Key Themes
2.1.12Diagnostic Misconceptions - Socialism vs Communism
2.1.13Diagnostic Misconceptions - Edna
2.1.14Diagnostic Misconceptions - Women in the Play
2.1.15Diagnostic Misconceptions - Eva Smith
3Key Characters
3.1Mr Birling
3.2Mrs Birling
3.6Inspector Goole
3.7Grade 9 - Key Characters
4Authorial Method
5Recap: Main Quotes
5.1Mr Birling Quotes
5.2Mrs Birling Quotes
5.6Inspector Goole Quotes
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