sheila birling power and influence

Question 1

What does Sheila Birling say about the workers?

Answer 1

But these girls aren’t cheap labour – they’re people.

🎭 Contrast / Emotive language
💬 Challenges capitalist exploitation and humanises the workers.

Question 2

What does Sheila express about her future actions?

Answer 2

I’ll never, never do it again to anybody.

🎭 Repetition
💬 Shows remorse and desire to use her influence better.

Question 3

What rhetorical question does Sheila ask?

Answer 3

So I’m really responsible?

🎭 Rhetorical question
💬 Begins to accept her role in the power dynamic that hurt Eva.

Question 4

What metaphor does Sheila use regarding class divisions?

Answer 4

You mustn’t try to build up a kind of wall between us and that girl.

🎭 Metaphor
💬 Criticises class divisions created by privilege.

Question 5

What accusation does Sheila make about her parents?

Answer 5

You’re pretending everything’s just as it was before.

🎭 Accusation / Irony
💬 Exposes her parents’ refusal to change.

Question 6

What does Sheila say about her parents’ talk?

Answer 6

It frightens me the way you talk.

🎭 Emotive language
💬 Sheila is disturbed by the cold misuse of power by her parents.

Question 7

What assertive statement does Sheila make?

Answer 7

No, not yet. It’s too soon. I must think.

🎭 Assertive tone
💬 Demonstrates independent thinking and moral influence.

Question 8

What blunt statement does Sheila make about their collective guilt?

Answer 8

Probably between us we killed her.

🎭 Blunt statement / Collective pronoun
💬 Accepts shared moral guilt and collective power.