can you mark my english literature question How far does Priestley present Sheila as a woman of her time in An Inspector Calls? Priestley presents Sheila as a young, childish woman who is constantly infantilized by Mr and Mrs Birling and Gerald (her fiancée) as she still calls her parents “Mummy and Daddy” which reflects the inadequate maturity Sheila possesses and her childish behaviour. Sheila is portrayed as babyish due to never being exposed to the reality of life and Mr and Mrs Birling covering the severe harshness that lower classes had to endure due to being poor. Priestley does this to emphasise to the reader the social inequalities during Victorian times and the obnoxious experiences he went through and spotted. Lower classes were even being condemned to workhouses in Victorian times when the play was set (1912) and written (1945) which consisted of poor people being blamed for their state of life and even being berated because of their social class. In addition, Mrs birling even says “be careful with it” when Gerald hands the ring to Sheila. This presents how Sheila is bound to start her own family and due to get married but is still being ordered around. Furthermore, when Gerald gives the ring to Sheila she exclaims “I’ll never let it out my sight, Gerald” which shows Sheila’s dependence on Gerald and how she relies on him so much and how men were more dominant then woman in Victorian times as Gerald was portrayed as Sheila superior due to being a higher class. The hyperbole in the adverb “never” emphasises how much Sheila values the ring as well as how woman were stereotyped to always dependant on men for money and clothes. However, as the play goes on Sheila changes rapidly and becomes much more intelligent and emotionally aware of the seriousness of Eva Smith’s death and how all the Birling's each helped to kill her. Sheila moves from a young, child-like woman who can’t contain her excitement when receiving her engagement ring to declining Gerald handing the ring back to her saying, “No not yet I must think”. This reveals Sheila’s sensible side which was concealed by her parents treating her as a child and visibly shows Sheila growing more socially aware to the world to the extent that Gerald even asks Sheila if he can “get a drink” after hearing Eva Smith’s name which shows the traditional stereotype of men being more dominant than women being opposed and rather reversed. However, the adverb “yet” shows Sheila is still hesitant and still plans to get married to Gerald inevitably which means Priestley is showing the audience that no matter how aware woman of Victorian times was they were still condescended by men.