Write about the relationship between two characters and how it is changing or developing. What are the characteristics of the relationship? What does work or not work? What is changing? How do they affect one another?

Relationship between Mr. Birling and Sheila:

 

Mr. Birling and Sheila have very different characteristics.

Sheila is young and impressionable whereas Mr. Birling is a stubborn businessman.

Sheila is an attractive sensitive young woman in contrast to her farther, who is a heavy looking, rather portentous man in his middle fifties. He is a thoughtless unempathetic businessman.

The relationship between Mr. Birling and Sheila seems to be very childlike. This is shown, when he says: Are you listening, Sheila?” and her reply is: “I`m sorry, daddy”. This shows, that even though Sheila is growing up into a woman, Birling is still talking to her as if she was a child.

Birling is also very degrading towards Sheila, when he says: “nothing to do with you, Sheila. Run along”.

He quite trivializes her and although she is his daughter, he signalizes, that women are second class to men. He truly believes, that she is not worthy of being spoken to by the inspector.

I notice that Sheila gets stronger throughout the play. At the beginning of the play, she accepts her farther as the head of the family, but as the play progresses I get the impression that she takes control and gains strength to speak up against her farther.

It was unusual for a daughter to do this to her farther at that time. They were supposed to be respectful.

                                                                                                             (220 words)