Eric Birling

• Who is Eric Birling in the play An Inspector Calls?

  Eric Birling is the son of Mr and Mrs Birling and the brother of Sheila.
• What is Eric Birling's employment status in the play?

  Eric is employed by his father at Birling and Co.
• How is Eric Birling portrayed in terms of his drinking habits?

  Eric is portrayed as having a drinking habit, possibly to drown his sorrows.
• What do the stage directions reveal about Eric's character?

  The stage directions indicate that Eric is in his early twenties, not quite at ease, half shy, and half assertive.
• What does Priestley use Eric Birling to symbolize in the play?

  Priestley uses Eric as symbolic of redemption, suggesting he has the capacity to change and improve.
• How does Priestley present Eric in relation to his father's capitalist views?

  • Eric is presented in a sympathetic light.
  • He opposes Mr Birling's capitalist and individualistic attitudes.
  • His lack of a good role model increases audience sympathy.
• How does Priestley portray the societal norms affecting Eric's behavior?

  Priestley portrays societal norms as the reason for Eric's immoral behavior, such as his rape of Eva.
• What is Eric's level of awareness regarding the suffering of the lower class?

  Eric is presented as naive and ignorant of the true extent of the suffering of the lower class.
• How does Eric express remorse for his actions?

  Eric shows remorse and regret while accepting responsibility for his actions but rejects sole responsibility for Eva's suicide.
• Who is Eric Birling?

  Eric is the son of Mr and Mrs Birling and Sheila's brother. He is employed by his father Birling and Co.
• What is Eric Birling's character portrayed as having?

  Eric is portrayed as having a drinking habit
• How is Eric Birling described in the stage directions?

  Eric is described as being in his "early twenties, not quite at ease, half shy, half assertive"
• How does Priestley present Eric Birling in a sympathetic light?

  Priestley presents Eric in a sympathetic light through Eric's opposition to Mr Birling's capitalist and individualistic attitudes
• Why does the audience's feeling of sympathy for Eric increase?

  The audience's feeling of sympathy for Eric increases due to the evident lack of a good role model as a father
• How does Priestley portray the reason for Eric's immoral behaviour?

  Priestley portrays society's norms as the reason for Eric's immoral behaviour (his rape of Eva) - he is simply following in the footsteps of other men
• How is Eric Birling portrayed as being naive and ignorant?

  Eric is presented as naive and ignorant of the true extent of the suffering of the lower-class
• How does Priestley show Eric's remorse and regret?

  Remorse and regret is clearly shown by Eric as he accepts responsibility for his actions, yet he rejects taking sole responsibility for Eva's suicide
• How can the character of Eric be seen as a source of optimism?


  The character of Eric can be seen as a source of optimism as anyone can change for the better
• How does Eric's emotional response to the news of Eva's death show that he has morals?

  Eric's emotional response, described by the stage directions as "[involuntarily] My God!", demonstrates the moral nature of Eric as he could not suppress his emotional reaction
• Why does Priestley want the audience to react like Eric did and feel instinctively emotional?


  Priestley wants the audience to react like Eric did and feel instinctively emotional because he wants to convey the message that emotion is human and thus necessary for society to improve
• How does Priestley contrast Eric's reaction to Eva's death with Mr Birling's reaction?

  Priestley contrasts Eric's emotional reaction with Mr Birling's dismissive reaction, described in the stage directions as "rather impatiently" and "yes yes. Horrible business"
• Why does Priestley exhibit Eric as possessing socialist views?

  Priestley portrays Eric as having personal views which are inherently socialist in order to demonstrate Eric as morally superior and as a character which the audience should align themselves with
• What are some examples of Eric's socialist views?


  Eric condemns his father's capitalist view of his workers and challenges this through the question "why shouldn't they try for higher wages?". Eric is also able to empathise with the lower-classes and recognise the need for better workplace rights and ridding society of the practice of exploiting labourers.