Character Evolution and Social Responsibility in 'An Inspector Calls

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Sheila listens to what her father says about Eva Smith and she does not agree with his attitude towards the girl "But these girls aren't cheap labour- they're people," as she starts to compare herself with Eva Smith, even imagining herself as being Eva Smith and going through all the events that happened to her. We can clearly see this when Sheila keeps on questioning Inspector, if she was pretty, young, just like her. There is the very beginning of Sheila standing up against her parents, what comes as a chock to the older Birlings, "I think it was a mean thing to do.

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Perhaps that spoiled everything for her," her parents would never think that their daughter would say something like this against them (Mr. Birling in this case), especially in front of someone else that is not in the family, it means for him to assume responsibility in Eva Smith's death, something that he would never do, because he considers himself as a well-succeeded rich industrialist who is arrogant, doesn't and will not accept any social responsibility towards 'unpleasant' facts like the death of Eva Smith.

This is what differ the older Birlings to the youngsters, Sheila and Eric: "Why shouldn't they ask for money? " the fact that his own son is questioning him on his acts is a big chock, as in his mind they should be supporting him, not standing up against him and giving Inspector the 'moral' to be there inspecting him.

Because them both realize their part on Eva Smith's death, and both are open to the idea of responsibility, of accepting their responsibility on what they've done, on recognizing their mistakes and then learning from that.

Sheila and Eric represent the part of society that is really willing to change, they are the only hope and way of changing something in the society. Priestley was part of this society that is willing to change something because on his play he supports Sheila on giving her strength by the inspector.

When Birling realizes that the Inspector took control of the situation he tries to threat the Inspector by showing his superiority, the superiority that he believes he has and the Inspector just doesn't respond to them as Birling expected him to, as well as Sheila and is from the Inspector that Sheila gets the understanding of Eva Smith's death, she is the first one to understand what that night is all about and on understanding that she realizes she must change from the shallow naive girl to a woman that is aware of the world outside her own life and mature enough to start thinking for herself instead of depending on her parents for everything, which is what her parents and also Gerald doesn't realize.

By then, she is far more mature then she was before, and she knows Gerald is hiding something. But because now she feels morally superior than him she even says things like "Oh don't be stupid" and being the only one in there who understands the Inspector, she knows that she doesn't actually needs everyone else's confession to 'work out' what the situation is because the Inspector knows it already and she knows that: "Why - you fool - he knows. Of course he knows."