An Inspector Calls Eric Birling

as if she were an animal, a thing, not a person
1. inspector says this to eric
2. shows how men saw women in the 1920s
  1. men could just use women
    1. could drop them when it suited the men/when they got bored
3. objectification
not quite at ease, half shy, half assertive
1. obvious there’s something not quite right
2. eric is clearly uncomfortable
i’ve gathered that he does drink pretty hard
1. from the beginning it’s clear that eric has a drinking problem
2. eric’s attitude towards his parents gets more hostile as the play progresses
  1. shows a strain on the relationship between him and his parents
    1. has the drinking caused the strain?
    2. has the strain caused the drinking?
because you’re not the kind of father a chap can go to when he’s in trouble
1. eric admits that he’s not comfortable asking his father for help with anything
2. proves there’s a strain between him and his father
  1. mr birling has never been there for his son
you don’t understand anything. you never did. you never even tried-
1. shows mr birling was never there for eric growing up
2. mr birling has never understood or tried to understand eric
priestleys message
1. eric convoys how the upper class abused their power over the working class
2. eric and his sister sheila represent the younger generation
  1. seen as impressionable
character development
1. eric was a part of the chain of events that lead to the death of eva smith
  1. had a fling with her & got her pregnant
  2. abusing his power over the working class
2. accepts responsibility
  1. feels guilty for what he’s dome

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An Inspector Calls Eric Birling

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	Created by Katie Evans about 5 years ago