Eric Birling Flashcards
How is Eric immature
he and his sister are in their twenties but bicker, and he says in Act 1 ‘she’s got a nasty temper sometimes - but she’s not bad really’ as a way of wishing her congratulations on her engagement
How is Eric unfeeling
he took advantage of Eva, and used her - ‘I wasn’t in love with her (…) she was pretty and a good sport’ - in saying she’s ‘pretty’, Eric appears materialistic/superficial (he cares about her exterior) and it reinforces the idea that he doesn’t know her personality at all
Eric’s relationship with his father
Eric’s relationship with his father is not great - he tells Mr Birling that ‘you’re not the kind of father a chap could go to when he’s in trouble’ - this could link to why he’s described in Act 1 as ‘not quite t ease, half-shy, half-assertive’ - he does not have the support at home, and this could also be why he turned to alcohol in the first place
“shy” & “assertive”
Adjective “shy” - links his unease within the family and the sense of isolation and abandonment that he feels towards his parents. Adjective “assertive” - suggests he has confidence in some ways.
