eric quotes

Question 1

“early twenties, not quite at ease, half shy, half assertive”

Answer 1

• lacks self-assurance conveying mystery and ambiguity
• asyndetic list conveys an overwhelming nature alluding to his social class from his bourgeois lifestyle
• juxtaposing qualities ‘shy’ and ‘assertive’ showing complications in his confidence and his inner turmoil
• ‘half’ shows he has not found himself

Question 2

“you’re just the kind of son in law I always wanted”

Answer 2

• shows abandonment within his affluent upbringing
• starvation of parental love, this could portray his lacked respect for Eva?
• Eric could be a dramatical device to hint his failure of a nurtured upbringing is the catalyst to capitalistic qualities
• deficit of parent love from climbing the social stratum and his parents cherishing materialism -> neglecting Eric

Question 3

“that’s the hellish thing, Oh- my God!- how stupid it all is”

Answer 3

• jagged and staccato pace conveys stuttering, guilt?
• short sentences could convey his outrage of his actions, it revolts him what he did
• responsibility shown by religious imagery showing his repentance and sorrowful nature
• euphemism of ‘it’, does not articulate clearly, guilt?
• paradox by trying to diminish it into somewhere small, how he deals with the influence of capitalism?

Question 4

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

Answer 4

• ‘state’ implies irresponsibility, does not articulate clearly, guilt?
• ‘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
• has not yet fully accepted his actions as he cannot even bring himself to communicate it which links back to the lack of communication in his family
• adverb ‘easily’ suggests how he tries to make it sounds less serious, possibly qualities from his parents
• PERHAPS EVA DID NOT WANT TO GO BACK TO ERIC OR TAKE HIS MONEY OR MARRY HIM AND INSTEAD COMMIT SUICIDE BECAUSE OF HOW HE TREATED HER

Question 5

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

Answer 5

• Priestley’s key message instilled to Eric, challenges audience to reflect and improve their actions
• shifted power dynamics from Mr Birling to Eric, element of assertiveness
• Eric rejects materialism/capitalism adopting valuing human life over money, socialist qualities

Question 6

“you’re squiffy”

Answer 6

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

Question 7

“she was pretty and was a good sport”

Answer 7

• view of women?
• tries to normalise something wrong?
• shows his lack of respect from his love deficited upbringing, he doesn’t understand morals
• juvenile, example of how he was when he did not respect women

Question 8

“why shouldn’t they try for higher wages”

Answer 8

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

Question 9

“i’m not likely to forget”

Answer 9

• he is impressionable and has learnt his lesson