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ERIC

Eric is the 'not quite at ease, half shy, half assertive’ character at the start of the play. Sheila tells us he’s a bit drunk at the start and his heavy drinking is commented on throughout the play.  This masks the much darker secret of his child with Eva and how he forced himself on her at the start of their relationship. We can see Eric’s insecurities come from his difficult relationship with his father who shows him little respect.

PIVOTAL MOMENTS

  • Eric is an almost comic figure during the engagement after having had too much to drink (Act 1)

  • Although Eric isn’t even in the room, the audience slowly realise he is the father of Eva’s child as Mrs. Birling argues with the inspector (Act 2)

  • Eric returns to confess to his relationship and stealing money from the Birling family (Act 3)

  • After the inspector leaves, Eric shows his regret alongside his sister (Act 3)

PURPOSE

Priestley uses Eric to show us how a young man is taught to follow in his father’s footsteps and take on his own opinions regardless of his own.


Like his sister, Eric begins to stand up to his father and despite his awful actions perhaps is used by Priestley to show men can change their ways.

STRETCH VOCAB

Naïve
Immature
Petulant
Heedless
Reckless
Wavering
Anxious
Cowardly
Privileged

Key Quotation Analysis

Half shy, half assertive
02:49
Then   you killed her
02:39
"She was pretty and a good sport"
01:50

LINKS WITH OTHER CHARACTERS

MR BIRLING

Mr Birling is “not the kind of father a chap could go to when he's in trouble”. Eric’s father is dismissive of and disappointed in his son.  Many of Eric’s troubles seem to be a result of his failed relationship with his father

MRS BIRLING

Mrs Birling  shows little of her relationship with Eric at the start of the play.  Their relationship seems permanently ruined at the end though, as Eric discovers that his mother had the chance to help Eva and their child but failed to do so.

SHEILA

Sheila seems to regard her brother at the start with the same copied disappointment as her father.  Considering herself as grown up as a result of her engagement she still views her brother as infantile. Their relationship at the end however is a united front against their parents.

GERALD

Gerald appears to be the son his father always wanted.  Gerald and Eric interact little, but his arrival to the family seems to add to Eric’s insecurities.

INSPECTOR GOOLE

Inspector Goole knows Eric just wants kindness.  By allowing him to have a drink when his father says he can’t, the inspector brings Eric onto his side and allies against his parents.

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