Eric - His relationship with Shiela

Question 1

“(rather noisily) All the best! She’s got a nasty temper sometimes – but she’s not bad really. Good old Sheila!“

Answer 1

• Eric’s toast is not delivered in the ‘proper manner’, just looking at the punctuation of his speech shows this. Indeed, there seems to be an element of mockery and jest in his tone.
• Reinstating the brother/sister relationship they have with each other.
  Eric hints a more sinister side to Sheila’s personality.
• Sheila doesn’t like to be laughed at, especially not by he brother, This is shown in the way she speaks to him and what she calls him.

Question 2

“If you think that’s the best she can do-“

Answer 2

Despite their bickering, it seems that Eric and Sheila understand one another better than their parents.

Question 3

Sheila: “Don’t be an ass, Eric.”

Answer 3

The dynamic of the nuclear family is fairly standard: Eric and Sheila tease each other in typical sibling manner, and their mother attempts to put an end to their bickering.