Eric

Question 1

Key ideas: Eric

Answer 1

• Priestley presents Eric in a sympathetic light through Eric’s opposition to Mr Birling’s capitalist and individualistic attitudes.
  The audience’s feeling of sympathy for Eric is increased by the evident lack of a good role model as a father.
• Priestley portrays society’s norms as the reason for the immoral behaviour of Eric (his rape of Eva) - he is simply following in the footsteps of other men.
  Eric is presented as naive and ignorant of the true extent of the suffering of the lower-class.
  Remorse and regret is clearly shown by Eric while he accepts responsibility for his actions, yet he rejects taking sole responsibility for her suicide.
• The character of Eric can be seen as a source of optimism; anyone can change for the better.

Question 2

Eric Start

Answer 2

1. “Half shy, half assertive”

Antithesis foreshadows that this character is ambiguous and hiding a secret from the start. Foreshadows is aggressive nature with Eva smith.

2. “Why shouldn’t they try for higher wages? We try for the highest possible prices.”

Eric symbolises the younger more open minded generation, questioning the exploitive ways of the older generation.

3. “Can’t blame her”

Short sentence, pure opinion. relates to the younger generation.

Question 3

Eric Middle

Answer 3

1. “Could I have a drink first?”

Irony, due to first being his utmost priority. Or, he needs the drink as he feels true guilt, and his addiction to this dug of alcohol is what sees him through this unhappy family.

2. “No, not really”

Eric does not see 50 pounds as theft, suggesting better morals as helping someone in need.

3. “You killed them both — damn you, damn you”

Many dashes, shock and grief overcome him. Damning his mother, highly disrespectful, yet his morality sees his ignorant cold mother as a killer.

Question 4

Eric End

Answer 4

1. “The girl’s still dead, isn’t she?”

Rhetorical question, he still feels intense guilt.

2. “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.“

“we all helped to kill her – and that’s what matters“

Eric in disbelief of his family’s ignorance, yet has accepted his guilt and is taking responsibility. Repetition of did, it id in the past, yet it is cemented in history that she has died.