Sheila Quotes Act 3
English Lit: AQA GCSE An Inspector Calls, topic 5.3.3
Sheila - Key Quotes
Sheila says the following key quotes in Act 3:
‘You don’t seem to have learnt anything’
- Although she’s heard about the horrible consequences of their actions, Sheila is annoyed that Mr and Mrs Birling do not seem to have learnt anything about themselves and how they should live their lives.
- They continue to dodge any responsibility for Eva’s death and push the blame at each other.
'Everything we said had happened really happened...'
- ‘Everything we said had happened really happened. If it didn’t end tragically, then that’s lucky for us. But it might have done’.
- Sheila’s emotional maturity and intelligence develops.
- Here, Sheila shows how she has learnt a valuable lesson from this whole experience – she accepts blame and responsibility.
- She knows that her actions will have consequences for other people – the story of Eva Smith has made this much more realistic for her.
- Mr Birling exclaims that young people think they know everything but they’re wrong – ironically, it is the young Birlings who have learnt from their mistakes here.
Sheila - Key Quote (Act 3)
‘It frightens me the way you talk.’ Here's an analysis of this key quote from Act 3:
More socially aware
- Sheila becomes more socially aware and more upset by the family’s actions as the play goes on.
- By the end of Act 3, she openly admits to Mr Birling that his and Mrs Birling’s attitudes are scaring her because they refuse to admit that they have done anything wrong.
Worries about parents' attitudes
- She worries that her parents have not learnt anything, and so could do the same thing again and cause the death of another person.
Helpless
- She feels helpless because she cannot convince her parents to reconsider their attitudes.
Test yourself on Sheila Quotes Act 3
Which of these quotes are said by Sheila in Act 3?
Who is Sheila expressing her annoyance at with this quote?
‘You don’t seem to have learnt anything’‘It frightens me the way you talk.’
What does this quote show about Sheila in Act 3?‘It frightens me the way you talk.’
Who is Sheila talking to and about in this quote?