An Inspector Calls Eric Birling

An Inspector Calls Eric Birling

1. as if she were an animal, a thing, not a person

   • inspector says this to eric
   • shows how men saw women in the 1920s
     • men could just use women
       • could drop them when it suited the men/when they got bored
   • objectification

2. not quite at ease, half shy, half assertive

   • obvious there’s something not quite right
   • eric is clearly uncomfortable

3. i’ve gathered that he does drink pretty hard

   • from the beginning it’s clear that eric has a drinking problem
   • eric’s attitude towards his parents gets more hostile as the play progresses
     • shows a strain on the relationship between him and his parents
       • has the drinking caused the strain?
       • has the strain caused the drinking?

4. because you’re not the kind of father a chap can go to when he’s in trouble

   • eric admits that he’s not comfortable asking his father for help with anything
   • proves there’s a strain between him and his father
     • mr birling has never been there for his son

5. you don’t understand anything. you never did. you never even tried-

   • shows mr birling was never there for eric growing up
   • mr birling has never understood or tried to understand eric

6. priestleys message

   • eric convoys how the upper class abused their power over the working class
   • eric and his sister sheila represent the younger generation
     • seen as impressionable

7. character development

   • eric was a part of the chain of events that lead to the death of eva smith
     • had a fling with her & got her pregnant
     • abusing his power over the working class
   • accepts responsibility
     • feels guilty for what he’s dome