Eric

• Uncomfortable and has a dual character

  'Not quite at ease. Half shy, half assertive.
• Aware

  'It isn't as if you cant go and work somewhere else. Inspector: quite so.' 'Well, I think it's a damn shame. Why shouldn't they try for higher wages?
• Infantalised

  'Inspector: Isnt he used to drinking? Mrs Birling: No of course not. Hes only a boy.
• privileged and blames others

  '(bitterly) You havent made it any easier for me, have you, Mother?
• Accepting of his wrong

  'Yes I insisted- it seems. Im not very clear about it, but afterwards she told me she didn't want me to go in but that- well, I was in that state where a chap easily turns nasty- and I threatened to make a row.
• humiliated

  'And that's when it happened. And I didn't even remember- that's the hellish thing. Oh- my God!- how stupid it all is!
• Infantilised by Eva

  'She didn't want me to marry her. Said I didn't love her- and all that. In a way, she treated me- as if I were a kid. Though I was nearly as old as she was.
• tries to right his wrong

  'I insisted on giving her enough money to keep her going- until she refused to take anymore.' 'You mean you stole the money? Eric: Not really.
• blames others, anger

  'Then- you killed her. She came to you to protect me- and you turned her away- yes, and you killed her- and the child shed have had too- my child- your own grandchild- you killed them both- damn you, damn you-
• responsible

  'Whoever that chap was, the fact remains that I did what I did. And mother did what she did. And the rest of you did what you did to her.