Eric Birling Key Quotes And Anaykisis

Question 1

‘takes decanter and helps himself’

Answer 1

numbing the pain from the parental love deficit
- familiarity with alcohol, suffering alone?
- upper class society focus on power and connections, their children are not priority

Question 2

“I was in that state when a chap could easily turn nasty” but “she didn’t want me to go in”

Answer 2

chap’ informal, archaic noun- choice, trying to play down his actions showing youth (interpretive ‘chapped’ breaks/cracks) JUXTAPOSES HIS SPEECH OF EVA BEING ABLE TO GET HIGHER WAGES…completing contradicting himself and deceives himself

Question 3

“The money’s not what’s important. It’s what happened to the girl and what we all did to her that matters”

Answer 3

• Eric rejects materialism/capitalism adopting valuing human life over money, socialist qualities

Question 4

“you’re squiffy”

Answer 4

sheila hints at his alcoholic nature, teasing - brother/sister relationship

Question 5

“why shouldn’t they try for higher wages”

Answer 5

morals differ from father, sees class divide as less of an issue + sticking up for lower class
- adopting inspectors rightly defensive and inquisitive nature