Eric Birling: Quotes + Notes 💬📝- An Inspector Calls

Eric Birling, Quotes + Notes

Topics covered on this page

1/4: Eric Birling: Notes
2/4: Priestley's Message (intended effect on the audience)
3/4: Eric's Character Development/changes
4/4: Eric Birling's Key Quotes

1/4: Eric Birling: Notes

Eric Birling works at Birling and Co., his father is presumably his boss. Eric is the son of Arthur and Sybil Birling and brother of Sheila Birling. We discover early on in the play that Eric has a drinking problem and that he has been drinking steadily for almost two years. J. B. Priestly describes Eric as in his "early twenties, not quite at ease, half shy, half assertive". Eric is quite naive, and is in no way as cunning or as worldly as Gerald Croft. By the end of the play, like his sister Sheila, he becomes aware of own responsibilities, realising that he has played a part in Eva Smith's death. Eric is one of the characters to be questioned by Inspector Goole.

Now that we have understood the character, it is important to understand the author's intentions behind the character. But to achieve Grade 9, there is an Inspector Calls text guide by CGP with 100x more detailed notes.

2/4: Priestley's Message (intended effect on the audience)

Conveys how the upper class abused their power over the working class (treated Eva Smith ‘as if she were an animal, a thing, not a person.’)

He represents (with Sheila) the younger generation – Priestley saw them as ‘more impressionable’ – after all, they were the future.

For the top AIC guides: Best 5 AIC Revision Guides

3/4: Eric's Character Development/changes

He was part of the ‘chain of events’, having a fling with Eva Smith and getting her pregnant. He treated her ‘as if she were an animal, a thing, not a person.’ At the start of the play, he was just like the others – abusing his power over a working class girl.
However, he accepts responsibility, and like Sheila, feels very guilty about what he did. He is ashamed of his behaviour and shows that he is capable of changing for the better. ‘The fact remains that I did what I did.’ Therefore, the audience is more likely to forgive him.

4/4: Eric Birling's Key Quotes

We realise that there is something not quite right with Eric when he is first introduced in the opening stage directions: ‘not quite at ease, half shy, half assertive’. He is clearly uncomfortable in some way.
He could be drunk at the beginning when he ‘suddenly guffaws’ for no reason. He drinks ‘pretty hard’.
Another clue that makes the audience suspicious of him is when Gerald jokes to Mr Birling that the arrival of the Inspector could be something to do with Eric: ‘Unless Eric’s been up to something.’ Eric answers, ‘(still uneasy) Well I don’t think it’s very funny.’
He played a significant part in Eva Smith’s death – he met her at the Palace Bar, forced his way into her home and got her pregnant. ‘I was in that state when a chap easily turns nasty.’ He then stole money from his father’s business in order to support her. If this became public, the family’s reputation would have been ruined.
He had a privileged education, unlike his father.

All Inspector Calls Notes
Mr Birling Quotes and Notes
Inspector Calls... Memes?
Revision Motivation🔥
Search by keyword (e.g. Eric, Social Class or Responsibility):

GCSE/IGCSE Notes > English Literature Notes > Eric Birling - An Inspector Calls