Sheila - BEFORE INSPECTOR

Question 1

“Yes – except for all last summer, when you never came near me.” (Act 1)

Answer 1

Quickly reveals underlying suspicion, where the dash represents hesitation/an emotional shift (showing unease). The phrase “never came near me” is slightly accusatory, hinting at tension in the relationship with Gerald.
Context: In Edwardian England,women were expected to be loyal and unquestioning in courtship, but Sheila subtly challenges this, foreshadowing her decision to return her ring later on. Priestley uses this to introduce the fragility of upper-class relationships, often based more on appearances than honesty.

Question 2

“Oh – Gerald – you’ve got it – is it the one you wanted me to have?” (About the engagement ring)

Answer 2

Sheila’s excitement is shown through the use of exclamatory phrases and broken syntax (dashes), conveying genuine emotion. The question ‘is it the one you wanted me to have’ shows how she defers to Gerald’s wants not hers - shows passivity and social conditioning (which changes later on)
Context: Reflects gender expectations: women of Sheila’s class were raised to be dependent and demure

Question 3

Half serious, half playful (stage direction)

Answer 3

Shows that Sheila’s character is not one-dimensional: she is self-aware and represents the younger generation as having emotional awareness which suggests a capacity for change, unlike her parents (who are mostly flat characters throughout)

Question 4

“Look – Mummy – isn’t it a beauty?” (About the ring)

Answer 4

Use of “Mummy” signals immaturity and her role as a protected upper-class daughter. Personification of ‘beauty’ indicates that she’s been taught to value appearances and status symbols more than people.** Contrasts her moral awakening** later in the play (she also returns the ring)
Context: Edwardian daughters were often treated as children well into adulthood, especially in rich families - Priestley critiques this

Question 5

“I’ll never let it go out of my sight for an instant.” (Still about the ring)

Answer 5

Hyperbolic language (“never”, “for an instant”) shows Sheila’s emotional intensity and idealism. Ring becomes a symbol of security and identity, and even that women were taught to measure self-worth through marriage (societal expectations). Priestley critiques this dependency and at the end, Sheila rejects blind submission to marriage.