Assignment on An Inspector Calls Essay Example

the confusion, anger, and misconception of the whole event. And then I will try to find many ways in which Priestly uses Sheila as a tool to express symbolic morals or stories.

Before the Inspectors visit Sheila would be described as a normal young lady, she is materialistic in the way that she loves her engagement ring from Eric (her husband-to-be) and also her love for clothes; "Oh-Gerald-you've to go it-is it the one you wanted me to have?... Oh-its wonderful! Look-Mummy-isn't it a beauty?". Sheila is young and very excited because tonight is a celebratory party for her and Gerald's engagement. Sheila is happy to have pleased her father because this engagement has a different importance in Mr Birling's mind because he is hoping to become business partners with Gerald's father; "... though Crofts Limited are both older and bigger than Birling and Company - and now you've brought us together...".

She doesn't get on particularly well with her brother, Eric; she calls him an "ass" and "squiffy"(meaning drunk) this shows that doesn't like his immaturity. Sheila wants her marriage to be different from the era's normality. In that era, men were in control of their marriages but Sheila wanted her marriage to be equal; "Now, Sheila, don't tease him. When you're married you'll realize that men with important work to do sometimes have to spend nearly all their time and energy on their business. You'll have to get used to that, just as I have". During the Inspectors visit Sheila was curious to find out what was happening when she entered the room and saw the Inspector there; "(gaily) What's this about streets? (Noticing the

Inspector)." Mr. Birling tries to protect Sheila because he thinks that she is too young to listen to the conversation; "Nothing to do with you, Sheila. Run along." The Inspector rips the family apart gaining information but even in the tense situation Sheila was unafraid to share her feelings with the others; "(to Birling) I think it was a mean thing to do. Perhaps that spoilt everything for her."

After the Inspectors quizzing of the characters, we notice that Sheila has matured we can tell this by her reaction to discovering that the Inspector was a fake; "But that's not what I'm talking about... you don't seem to have learnt anything". Even though the Inspector was a fake she was still annoyed with herself because of her contribution to Eva Smith's or somebody else's death; "I'm ashamed of it".

Sheila acts in the expected manner of an adult whereas her parents act in the way children are expected to; Mr. Birling says "Don't be childish, Sheila." And she replies with: "I'm not being... it's you two who are being childish-trying not t face the facts." In conclusion, we get the idea that Priestly uses Mr and Mrs Birling to represent the older/powerful generation whilst Eric and Sheila represent the younger/less powerful generation. Priestly uses the older generation to represent stronger nations whereas Eva Smith and the younger generation represent the poorer nations.

The stronger nations have been seen on many occasions to abuse their power and exploit/abuse the weaker nations. For example the amount of money America spent on bombing Iraq in the second Golf War for just one night could have fed the starving of Ethiopia for

three years. And it is also led to believe that the amount of money that America spent in the whole of the second Golf War could have fed the starving of The World for a year. There are also Christian teachings that show power may be owned but to be used correctly; "have domination over the fish of the sea and over the birds and over everything that moves upon the earth"(Genesis 1:28) and "You shall not kill"(Exodus 20:13). In comparison, the younger generation show hope for the future, there's a saying 'the kids of our streets are our future', in the sense that they take responsibility for their actions. They want society to be warned of the "blood, fire, and anguish' that abuse of power can cause.