An Inspector Calls - Eric Birling Flashcards
Age and Descriptions
“In his early twenties, not quite at ease, half shy, half assertive”
Eric mocking his fathers pay for his employees
“Why shouldn’t they try for higher wages? We try for the highest
possible prices”
Eric understanding the difficulty for the working class
“it isn’t as if you can go and work somewhere else.”
Eric not understanding the struggle of Eva
“He could have kept her on instead of throwing her out. I call it tough
luck.”
Eric looked after Eva
“I’d have let her stay”
Eric blames his wrong choices on the image of men and society
“Well I was in that state when a chap easily turns nasty- and I
threatened to make a row”
Eric doesn’t call it abuse because he regrets it a lot
“And that’s when it happened. And I don’t even remember- that’s the
hellish thing.”
Eric used Eva for sex
“I wasn’t in love with her or anything- but I liked her- she was pretty
and a good sport-”
Eric saying that Eva treated him like a child and not a person with responsibilities.
“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.”
Eric saying that his dad isn’t a person to talk to and get advice from
“You’re not the kind of father a chap could go to when he’s in trouble-
that’s why.”
Eric putting the blame all on Mrs. Birling for turning her down
“Then- you killed her. She came to you to protect me- and you turned
her away-yes, and you killed her-and the child she’d have had too- my
child- your own grandchild- you killed them both- damn you, damn
you-”
Eric calling the inspector and inspector for their lives
“He was our police inspector all right”
Eric understanding that everyone had a part in Eva’s death
“(shouting) And I say the girl’s dead and we all helped to kill her- and
that’s what matters-”
