Sheila Birling Character Analysis

The character is Sheila Birling, daughter of Arthur Birling and Sybil Birling. Even though Sheila Birling seems very playful in the beginning of the play, we know that she has had suspicions about Gerald when she mentions “Yes - except for all last summer when you never came near me.” (Act 1,page 3) Although she has probably never in her life before considered the conditions of the workers, she shows her compassion immediately she hears of her father's treatment of Eva Smith. She feels full of guilt for her jealous actions and blames herself as "really responsible." She is very perceptive: she realises that Gerald knew Daisy Renton from his reaction, the moment the Inspector mentioned her name. At the end of Act II, she is the first to realise

She accepts the mistakes that she has made and takes full responsibility, and she also asks her other family members to take responsibility of their own actions . Sheila says, “No, not really. It was my own fault. Alright Gerald, needn’t look at me like that. At least I am trying to tell the truth. I expect you’ve done things you’re ashamed of too.” (Act 1, page 23). Sheila feels very responsible for what she did and feels guilty about it. She admits what she did and tells everything honestly to the inspector. Sheila says, “Oh shut up, Eric. I know, I know. It’s the only time I’ve ever done anything like that, and I’ll never do it again to anybody. I’ve noticed them giving me a sort of look sometimes at Milwards - I noticed it even this afternoon - and I suppose some of them remember. I feel now I can never go there again. Oh - and why had this to happen?” (Act 1, page 25). Sheila promises to never repeat her mistakes and as this evidence shows, she learns a lot from her mistakes that she has made. Sheila Birling as an individual is very responsible and she accepts what she did and learns from her