Eric Birling Flashcards
Lacking confidence, often talked down by his father. His behaviour is awkward and stilted
“I don’t know - really. Suddenly I felt I just had to laugh.”
Assertive, questions his father’s decision to sack Eva Smith
“And I don’t see why she should have been sacked just because she’d a bit more spirit than the others.”
Emotional, clearly distressed and understands the gravity of the situation
“You’re beginning to pretend now that nothing’s really happened at all. And I can’t see it like that. This girl’s still dead, isn’t she?”
Two opposite characteristics; suggesting he Is quite a complicated and troubled character who carries two identities.
‘Half-shy, half-assertive’
Religious connotations, By the choice of language we know that Eric has realised he has done something awful
” don’t even remember-that’s the hellish thing”
Very personal, showing that the relationship between Eric and his parents are not very good.
‘You’re not the kind of father a chap could go to when he’s in trouble’
Very patronising of the lower class, by describing her as a ‘sport’ makes the quote more shocking as ad the defenition is something you do to pass time.
‘She was a good sport’
by saying “state” Eric is implying that he feels the way he acted was completely wrong, and we wouldn’t really use the word “state” positively.
“I was in that state when a chap easily turns nasty”
