(Character) Eric Birling Flashcards
Role in the family
Eric is Mr and Mrs Birling’s son.
In the play, Mr Birling often dismisses him.
Eric is treated like a child throughout the play – his parents do not pay attention to him or take him seriously.
Eric has a bad drinking problem, which his parents do not know about.
Role in the play
Mr Birling often dismisses his own son in favour of Gerald. This shows that Mr Birling is obsessed with his reputation and social status. He is prepared to ignore his own son to get ahead.
The Birlings also show their selfish attitudes by knowing so little about their son. They do not realise he has a drinking problem.
Connection to Eva
Eric met Eva in a bar when he was drunk and effectively forced his way into her lodgings (where she lives).
He forced her to sleep with him.
They kept up a sexual relationship for a while before Eva found out she was pregnant.
Eric gave her stolen money – when she found out it was stolen, she refused to see him anymore.
Character Development of Eric
Beginning -
Awkward and secretive. Eric first makes an appearance in the play when he laughs to himself.
He is presented as an awkward, secretive character.
The tension between him and his father is obvious.
Tense relationship with Mr Birling-
Throughout the play Mr Birling generally ignores Eric and talks to Gerald (until he reveals his relationship with Eva) – he admires the upper-class Gerald Croft, but seems to dislike his own son.
Eric also shows immediate support for the workers of the factory – he questions why Mr Birling refused to pay them fairly. This angers Mr Birling, who has no respect for his son or his son’s business sense.
Shows remorse-
Like Sheila, Eric shows a lot of remorse (regret) over his involvement in Eva Smith’s death.
He felt responsible for Eva (he gave her money to support her and the baby) and now hates that he was so thoughtless and selfish in pursuing a sexual relationship with her.
Becomes stronger-
Eric becomes stronger as the play progresses.
Eric stands up to both his mother and father – he openly accuses his mother of mudering her grandchild, and tells his father that he doesn’t give a damn what he thinks of him.
Learns from the experience-
By the end of the play, Eric also wants Mr and Mrs Birling to acknowledge their horrible actions, which caused a girl’s death.
Like Sheila, he has learnt from the experience and wants to become a better person.
Hope of future generations
But Eric does recognise the error of his ways and accepts that his actions were inexcusable and wrong.
Like Sheila, Eric represents the hope of future generations, who could learn from their mistakes and use their new-found socialist beliefs to improve the wider society.
Abusive upper class
Priestley uses Eric to show how upper-class people abused their power in a corrupt society. He forced himself on Eva. He knew that she would give in to him because he had the power to make life more difficult for her because of his status.
[Not quite at ease, half shy, half assertive]. (Act 1)
Represents cracks in family-
Eric is immediately described as someone who is uncomfortable as part of the Birling family.
This separates him from them straight away.
He seems to be shy and unsure around his own family, which suggests there are cracks in their family relationships straight away.
Treated like a child-
His parents think of him as a child, and do not take him seriously – he feels like he cannot be himself around them.
This adds to the idea that upper-class families present fake images to protect their reputations.
‘Why shouldn’t they try for higher wages?’ (Act 1)
Socially aware and socialist-
Eric is the first one to suggest that lower-class people should be treated better (despite him treating Eva so poorly).
It is obvious why Eric and his parents do not share a close relationship - their personalities are so different, and Eric obviously leans more towards socialism than capitalism.
This could be why he is so uncomfortable being in their company. He seems to be tired of their judgements around lower-class people and seems to be the most socially aware member of the family at the start of the play.
Goes against social norms-
He openly contradicts his father in front of people – a serious social faux pas (mistake or not polite) at this time.
‘I don’t give a damn’. (Act 3)
Breaking point-
Eric openly, and loudly, dismisses his father in front of his entire family and Gerald.
He shows that he does not respect his father at all, which leaves the audience wondering what their relationship will be like after the play finishes.
Eric is tired of his parents taking no responsibility for their actions and is fed up of Mr Birling’s obsession with his knighthood and himself.
This line shows the breaking point in Eric’s relationship with his parents.
