Eric (AIC)

Question 1

Act 1 responsibility?

Answer 1

“it isn’t, if you can’t go and work somewhere else”

• Eric, finding his voice and disagreeing with his father highlights Mr Birling’s stupidity.
• Emphasises helplessness of women

Question 2

Act 3 responsibility?

Answer 2

“You don’t understand anything you never did you never even tried.”

• repetition of pronoun, “you” continues to play blame on others.
• hyperbole exaggerates her wrongdoing

Question 3

Act 1 gender?

Answer 3

“You’d think a girl had never any clothes before she gets married women are potty about ‘em”

• colloquial language shows casual nature, of sexist generalisation. Defining women of only liking clothes neglectinh to mention other aspects of society attitudes that woman are meant to be pretty and soft.

Question 4

Act 3 gender?

Answer 4

“I hate these fat old tarts”

• hypocrisy as Eric himself frequently went to the Palace bar for sex
• prostitution, symbolic of exploitation of women by upper-class men

Question 5

Act 1 socialism vs capitilism?

Answer 5

“why shouldn’t they try for higher wages? We try for the highest possible prices”
- The rhetorical question shows how Eric is developing his “half assertive” side due to the intoduction of socialism as he is questioning his father and not seeking to hear is ignorant point of view
- “possible prices” shows Eric has realised people like his dad exploit lower class to acquire more wealth

Question 6

Act 1 guilt?

Answer 6

“My God!”

• juxtaposed with an indifferent to Mr Birling saying “yes, yes” and Eric might feel guilty before knowing details about the death
• Usage of “!” To show seriousness

Question 7

Act 3 guilt?

Answer 7

“I threatened to make a row”

• Euphamistic language as he is essentially describing assault but can not bare to face it.
• coercive imagery of threatened shows power weilded in those in higher class.

Question 8

Act 1 Older vs Younger generation?

Answer 8

“He could. He could’ve kept her on instead of throwing her out,. I call it Tough luck.”
- Usage of short sentences highlights the finality ofnthe argument. Mr Birling had ability to choose her but chose not to
- harsh use of vocabulary. My Birling viewed it as business where Eric recognised the catastrophic events.