Eric Quotes : Guilt #

Question 1

“I insisted – it seems”

Answer 1

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​.

Question 2

“in that state when a chap easily turns nasty”

Answer 2

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 ​trivialization​ of such violence of a possible rape, through the ​colloquial​ use of “​a chap​” is an attempt by Eric to soften the harshness of his actions.

Question 3

“I threatened to make a row”

Answer 3

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.