eric birling key quotes

• described at the beginning as "not quite at ease, half shy, half assertive"
• "what about war?"
• "you'd think a girl had never any clothes before she gets married. women are potty about 'em" - superficial and immature view of women similar to his father
• "he could. he could have kept her on instead of throwing her out" - not everyone in wealthy families have the same mindset as mr birling
• "why shouldn't they try for higher wages?...i'd have let her stay"
• "can't blame her" (said after it transpires that eva smith changed her name) - shows eric's sympathetic, more human nature
• "well, i was in that state when a chap easily turns nasty - and i threatened to make a row"
• "yes, and so was i. i was in quite a state about it" - he was not emotionally ready to become a father, therefore he should not have raped her.
• "i insisted on giving her enough money to keep her going"
• "no, not really. i intended to give it back" - eric doesn't view it as theft - could be perceived as greedy and entitled
• "because you're not the kind of father a chap could go to when he's in trouble" - if sons cannot turn to such wealthy industrialists in times of trouble then how can society rely on such people
• "she wouldn't take any more, and she didn't want to see me again" - eva was a person of morality and honesty which may have cost her and her child's life
• "you killed her - and the child she'd have had too - my child - and your own grandchild - you killed them both - damn you, damn you"
• "you don't understand anything. you never did. you never even tried"
• "what does it matter now whether they give you a knighthood or not?"
• "i'm ashamed of you as well - yes, both of you"
• "You're beginning to pretend now that nothing's changed at all"
• "the girl's still dead"
• "and i say the girl's dead and we all helped to kill her - that's what matters"
• "you lot may be letting yourselves out nicely, but i can't"