An Inspector Calls: Eric Flashcards
Act 1: stage directions
“Eric in his early twenties, not quite at ease, half shy, half assertive”
Act 1: not complying with social norms/immature
- “Suddenly I felt I just had to laugh”
- Mr Birling: “but it makes speech-making more difficult-“ Eric: “(not too rudely) Well don’t do any”
- “She’s got a nasty temper sometimes…Good old Sheila!”
Act 1 - during Mr B’s interrogation: Eric brings a voice of reason
- “He could have kept her on instead of throwing her out”
- “You said yourself she was a good worker. I’d have let her stay”
very beginning of Act 3: proxemics
“(Exactly as the end of Act Two, Eric is standing just inside the room and the others are staring at him”
Act 3: immature bickering
“You told her. Why, you little sneak!”
Act 3: drinking problem
“Could I have a drink first?”
‘shows his familiarity with quick heavy drinking’
Act 3: euphemism
“I was a bit squiffy.”
“I was rather far gone”
Act 3:
“I insisted…I’m not very clear about it but afterwards she told me she didn’t want me to go in…I was in that state when a chap easily turns nasty - and I threatened to make a row”
Act 3: remorseful
“And I didn’t even remember - that’s the hellish thing. Oh - my God! - how stupid it all is!”
Act 3:
“I wasn’t in love…she was pretty and a good sport”
Act 3: owning up to stealing the money
“(miserably) I got it - from the office-“
Mr B: “you stole the money?”
Eric: “Not really.”
Act 3: parents not emotionally available
“Because you’re not the kind of father a chap could go to when he’s in trouble - that’s why”
Act 3: after finding out Mrs Birling turned her away
broken syntax
“Then - you killed her… - and you turned her away - yes, and you killed her - and … - my child - your own grandchild… - damn you, damn you-“
Act 3 - Inspector left: drinking problem
stage directions: ‘pours himself a drink, which he hastily swallows’
Act 3 - after interrogation: indifferent
“Well, I don’t care now”
