eric birling

• What does Eric represent in the context of wealthy young men in the early 1900s?

  Recklessness and misogyny
• What does Eric's transformation suggest about the future?

  There is hope for change
• What is Eric's drinking problem characterized by?

  Heavy drinking and aggression
• How does Eric's relationship with his father affect him?

  He feels jealousy and does not confide
• What action does Eric take when Eva becomes pregnant?

  He steals from his father's business
• Who accepts responsibility for Eva's death?

  Eric and Sheila
• What is Eric's emotional state at the end of the play?

  Stricken with guilt
• What literary technique does Priestley use to show Eric's impulsive nature?

  Exclamatory language
• What is the significance of dramatic irony in Act 2 regarding Eric?

  It reveals Eric as the father of Eva's child
• How does Eric's dialogue with his father reflect their relationship?

  It is frequently confrontational
• What does Eric say about his father in Act 3?

  He is not the kind of father to confide in
• How does Eric's character develop throughout the acts?

  He transforms from insecure to responsible
• What does Eric's admission of guilt signify in the play?

  His potential for redemption
• How does Eric's behavior reflect Priestley's message about society?

  Even irresponsible individuals can change
• What does Eric criticize about Mr. Birling's principles?

  Capitalist principles and hypocrisy
• What does Eric argue regarding workers' rights?

  They were right to strike for higher wages
• How does Eric's mocking of his father in Act 3 contribute to the play's themes?

  It highlights the absence of conviction