Eric Birling characterisation

• At the beginning of the play Priestley uses stage directions to present Eric as not fully mature. Priestley uses contrasting adjectives to describe him, therefore creates a sense of confusion, implying perhaps that he is secretive person. At the Beginning of the play is the clear that Priestley wants to audience to view Eric negatively in order to show that the capitalist patriarchal society is not trustworthy. This way he encourages the audience to reject the capitalist idea that Eric appears to be representing.
•  From the start of the play, Priestley associates Eric with alcohol with his sister Shelia accusing him of being 'squiffy'. This contemporary slang, meaning slightly drunk, draws the attention of the audience to Shelia's use of informal language, it positions the Birling siblings as fashionable member of the younger generation who adapt their language to the times. This foreshadows both characters adapting their attitudes to social responsibility as the play unfolds and they become more sympathetic to the Inspector's message.
• Priestley deliberately aligns Eric with alcohol to foreshadow the later revelations about his drunken behaviour on the night he met Eva Smith. Eric's free and easy use of alcohol is also used to signify the double standard the society for men and women. Priestley also presents Eric as an immature young man who does not have a close relationship with his father. Eric does not see the long term consequences of his criminal behaviour.
•  By the end of the play Eric has learned the lesson of collective social responsibility. Eric spreads the messages that we all have a collective socialist view and we must take responsibility for the welfare of vulnerable members of society, this Is Priestley's message. He is presented as an exploiter of Eva and a thief as Eric matures and accepts responsibility for his actions, he becomes receptive to the Inspectors message. 
• But there Is hope, however: Priestley repeats the word 'half' to emphasise that Eric's character is not yet fully formed which indicated that he might change.