Eric Birling - Act 3 Key Quotations Flashcards
Eric’s description of his rape; portrays him as trying to justify his action, as well as depicting the power of the upper classes over the lower classes (exploitation):
- “I was in that state when a chap easily turns nasty - and I threatened to make a row.”
- “And that’s when it happened. And I didn’t even remember - that’s the hellish thing.”
Eric’s comments about Eva; portrays him as exploitative and suggests he saw her as an object to derive pleasure from:
“I liked her - she was pretty and a good sport”
Eva has morals, perhaps even more than Eric and the upper classes, since she respects herself and does not want to marry him:
“She didn’t want me to marry her. Said I didn’t love her”
Eric feels alienated and isolated from his own family, especially his father, who is only concerned with himself and has not given the necessary love and care to his son:
“you’re not the kind of father a chap could go to when he’s in trouble”
Eric stands up against his parents, and blames his mother for the death of Eva Smith, showing that he realises the effects of actions on others, unlike the older generations:
“Then - you killed her. […] you killed them both [Eva and her child] - damn you, damn you”
Eric continues criticising his mother for failing as a parent; his awkwardness and secretiveness at the start is explained here - it is clear that he never felt loved and respected by his own family:
“You don’t understand anything. You never did. You never even tried”
Eric encourages his parents to take responsibility and is ashamed of their actions:
“I’m ashamed of you as well - yes both of you”
Eric agrees with Sheila that the fact that the Inspector was not real does not make any difference (hope for younger generation of socialists):
“No, Sheila’s right. It doesn’t [make any real difference].”
Eric challenging his father’s dominance and lack of power over the Inspector:
“Well, I didn’t notice you standing up to him.” (Eric is prepared to fight for his beliefs, showing that, like Sheila, he has changed for the better and taken on socialist views.)
Eric has evidently learned his lesson:
- “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.”
- “doesn’t alter the fact that we all helped to kill her”
USE THIS FOR HIS TRANSFORMATION (IMPORTANT!!!):
“we all helped to kill her - and that’s what matters”
Eric agrees that the way the Birlings talk frightens him:
“I agree with Sheila. It frightens me too.”
