Eric Birling

• What is significant about the hyphen in ‘I’m ashamed of you both - yes both of you’

  Symbolises a pause, will add dramatic tension for audience members, pause can also imply that Eric is taking control of himself as he makes his mother and father wait for him to finish his sentence
• What is significant about? ‘I’m ashamed of you both-yes both of you.’

  ‘Ashamed‘ has connotations of a parental figure disciplining a misbehaving child, juxtaposes the treatment of him in the beginning and shows his progressive nature
• What is significant about the personal pronoun of ‘im?’

  Shows how he has internal this responsibility and is effectively projecting the shame he has for himself back to his parents, combined with the sardonic direct adress of ‘both’
• What is significant about the stage? Directions ‘half shy, half assertive?’

  Juxtaposition of shy and assertive create a sense of confusion implying that he’s yet to have found himself or a purpose to rally behind - makes his transformation towards socialist views that more significant
• What is significant regarding the quote ‘in that state when a chap easily turns nasty?’

  Third person perspective distances Eric from the implied rape of Eva, coupled with the informal Lexus ‘chap’ which has positive connotations. Eric effectively distances himself from his responsibility, symbolises how the aristocracy can get away with anything
• What is significant about Eric Eric’s response to the news of Eva’s death? ‘(involuntarily)My God!’

  Demonstrates his innate rectitude, adverb ‘involuntarily’ demonstrates his inability to suppress his emotional reaction. Eric wouldn’t willingly reveal this reaction as society condemns feminine traits such as excessive emotion. Shows his shock and horror was raw and unfiltered.
• What is significant about Eric claiming that he ‘threatened to make a row?’

  Violent language of ’threatened’ through the euphemistic use of a ‘row.‘ Conveys Eric’s attempt to convince himself his actions were less immoral than they actually were