eric birling

• what is the first key scene of eric?

  the dinner party- he drinks too much
• what is the second key scene of eric?

  meeting eva in the palace bar and getting her pregnant
• what is the third key scene of eric?

  stealing money from his fathers firm
• what is the 4th key scene of eric?

  accuses his mother of killing her unborn grandchild
• what is the 5th key scene of eric?

  accepts his guilt
• what do we learn about eric at the dinner party?

  • full of juxtaposition
  • he is an outsider and alienated
  • he is socially awkward "suddenly guffaws"
  • his relationship with sheila juxtaposes his relationship with his parents
• what else do we see during the dinner party (eric)?

  • not afraid to challenge his father as he says inflammatory things "he could have kept her on instead of throwing her out"
  • he says "i remember" suggesting he knows something about eva smith but doesnt say it because hes not comfortable around his family
  • at the start hes alienated and petulant
  • only person who stands up to mr birling
• what happens during the second key scene of eric?

  • "you know dont you" shows hes ready to confess
  • asks to have a drink and inspector agrees because he knows that eric needs the drink to get him through the confession suggesting eric is a weak willed individual
  • forced eva to have sex with him which links to patriarchy
  • "good sport" "pretty" eva acts totally okay with this mistreatment as eric dehumanises her
  • "i insisted" absolving himself of responsibility
  • his bad behaviour can be connected with his excessive drinming
• what happens at the 3rd key scene of eric?

  • stole money from his fathers firm "about fifty pounds" can be argued he gave the money to help her when really it was to silence her to maintain the facade of respectability
  • abuses his power to show he can pay people to remain silent
  • the birlings only care about the fact gerald was able to hide his affair and eric wasnt
  • mrs birling calls the affair disgusting because eva is working class
  • "i installed her there"
• what happens during the 4th key scene of eric?

  • finally grows up and sticks up for himself
  • "you dont understand anything you never even tried" - key point in erics metamorphosis
• what happens during the 5th key scene of eric?

  • completes his metamorphosis
  • "im ashamed of you" sticks up to his parents which relfects a socialist mindset
  • "i did what i did" showing he accepst responsibility no matter if the inspector is real or not
  • what happened makes a difference to eric which juxtaposes his parents who are part of the older generation and are still static and dont change
• what else happens during the 5th key scene of eric?

  • starts to emulate inspectors language "we all helped to kill her" mirros inspector because it shows eric encouraging people to accept their own responsibilities
  • the active verb stage direction "shouting" highlights him fighting like those in the labour party
• what is the conclusion of eric?

  • eric is a mouthpiece to convey priestleys own ideas about change
  • highlights the dichotomy between the older and younger generation
  • he is fully aware of his social responsibility as he changes from a "half shy" individual to one who is passionate about the cause of eva smith on the world