Eric Birling Quotes Flashcards
About Eric
“early twenties, not quite at ease, half shy, half assertive.”
Eric Symbol
Demonstrates naivety and symbolises redemption.
Eric Quote responsibility (kill)
“you killed her - and the child…your own grandchild”
Priestley encourages the audience to sympathise with Eric. Despite the Inspector’s attempts to enlighten the Birling family that they are all jointly responsible, Eric’s accusation of blame upon his mother is tantamount (equivalent) to Mrs Birling’s blame of the
“father”
By merely placing all the blame upon his mother, with “you killed her,” Eric attempts to absolve himself from any blame.
Eric Responsibility Quote 2 (understand)
“You don’t understand anything. You never did. You never even tried”
Eric continues to undermine himself as he berates his mother “You don’t understand anything. You never did. You never even tried”. Priestley’s use of repetition and hyperbole creates a parody of the sweeping statements we might expect a teenager to use in an argument with their parents.
Eric Gender Inequality Quote (suddenly)
“[Suddenly guffaws] don’t know - really. Suddenly I felt I just had to laugh.”
This occurs directly after Gerald tells Sheila that “he will be careful” after she told him that she is suspicious of his time away in the summer. Priestley uses stage directions to indicate that Eric knows Gerald is routinely unfaithful. Eric would see this first hand as they both attend the palace bar, specifically with the intention of picking up woman.
Eric Gender Inequality Quote 2 (usual)
“She wasn’t the usual sort”
“She didn’t know what to do”
Priestley reveals Eric’s previous experiences with prostitutes, as Eva “wasn’t the usual sort”.
The adjective “usual’ implies that visiting prostitutes is the norm for Eric. Eric’s observation that “she didn’t know what to do” implies both that he is attracted to Eva’s innocence, and also that he might realise that she is a woman he can exploit because of her ignorance.
Eric Gender Inequality Quote 3 (fat)
“I hate these fat old tarts”
Eric’s proclaimation of “I hate these fat old tarts” reveals his disgust at his own hypocrisy in frequenting the palace bar, looking for sex.
Priestley implies, through Eric, that - for all men - it is a social norm to pay for sex.
The upper-class’ use of prostiution is symbolic of their exploitation of the female lower-class, who are the prostitutes that are abused by high-class men.
Eric Guilt Quote (insist)
“I insisted - it seems”
On Eric’s visit to Eva’s lodgings: “I insisted - it seems”. Priestley’s use of the verb “insisted” implies that Eric may have physically overwhelmed Eva’s resistance. Priestley’s use of the ambiguous verb phrase “it seems”
reveals Eric’s attempt to forget his immoral actions, and distance himself from his guilt.
Eric Guilt Quote 2 (nasty)
“in that state when a chap easily turns nasty”
Priestley demonstrates Eric’s subconscious attempts to distance himself from his actions by switching from first person to third person as he refers to himself as “a chap” rather than I’.
Eric’s trivialisation of such violence of a possible rape, through the colliquial use of “a chap” is an attempt by Eric to soften the harshness of his actions.
Eric Guilt Quote 3 (row)
“I threatened to make a row”
Eric’s violent language, “I threatened”, is softened through the euphemistic use of “a row”. Priestley demonstrates Eric’s attempts to convince himself that his actions were to a lesser extent of immorality than they actually were.
Eric Morality Quote
“(Involuntarily) My God!”
Eric’s emotional response to the news of Eva’s death as Priestley demonstrates his innate rectitude (morality) through the stage directions. Priestley’s use of the adverb “involuntarily” demonstrates the moral nature of Eric as he could not suppress his emotional reaction; it is involuntary. Eric would not choose to reveal his emotions, within a patriarchal society which condemns feminine traits, such as excessive emotion.
Eric Capitalism vs Socialism Quote
“[not too rudely] Well, don’t do any. We’ll drink to their health and have done with it.”
Eric is eager to be done with talk of their engagement as he realises the ridiculousness of the toasts for a marriage which is merely a transaction. Eric disapproves, however, he is powerless to do anything. This is aptly demonstrated by Priestley through the stage directions as Eric interrupts
“[not too rudely]” as he doesn’t have the power to challenge his father directly yet is not quite at ease with the capitalist purpose of his sister’s marriage.
Eric Socialism vs Capitalism Quote 2
“Why shouldn’t they try for higher wages?” „”You said yourself she was a good worker.”
Eric questions “why shouldn’t they try for higher wages?” as he believes that the capitalist system ought to be fair to both employers and employees. He puts forward a moral form of capitalism, pointing out to Birling,
“you said yourself she was a good worker”, implying that she should be financially rewarded for this.
