In the play An Inspector calls, Eric Birling is a pivitol and essential character who drives the plot and acts in many ways to reinforce Priestley's messages of change. Eric's actions force an audience to reflect upon their own habits and Priestley does this to confront an audience with change. At first we see Eric presented as unsettled and awkward, we then see Eric as reckless and ashamed. Finally we see him presented as alienated and secretive.
At the start of the play, we see Eric presented as unsettled and awkward in the stage direction "(not quite at ease, half shy half assertive)" Here we see Eric's contrasting emotion to illustrate he isn't the average character. "Not quite at ease" shows his discomfort in his own home, and the contrast between "half shy, half assertive" reflects an internal conflict or inner turmoil. Structurally, Priestley gives this first impression to suggest complexity and foreshadow his emotional struggles. Priestley may have done this to show Eric doesn't fully fit in his priveleged, upper-class world, which shows an audience that he is capable of change later in the play. The stage direction "(suddenly guffaws)" reinforces the idea of Eric being awkward as his "sudden" outburst is socially innapropriate. "guffaws" shows how his actions are uncontrolled and immature. Priestley presents Eric in this way to set the stage for later uncontrolled and immature actions from Eric.
Later in the play we see Eric presented as reckless and ashamed in the quote "I was in the state where a chap easily turns nasty" Here Eric downplays the severity of what he did. "that state" is vague, but it is clear to an audience that drunkeness is implied. The phrase "turns nasty" is also a euphemism, suggesting he knows he acted violently but cannot name it directly. However it could be suggested that Eric simply dosen't understand what he's done so he continues to downplay it using Euphemism, which could highlight the misteachings of the upper-class showing how Birling has brought him up wrong. Priestley here exposes how upper class men use alcohol and status to harm vulnerable women without taking full responsobillity. "I didn't even remember- thats the hellish thing" Eric here is disturbed by his own actions. "Hellish" shows his guilt and horror. Priestley makes the audience confront the damage caused by carelessness and entitlement, and to signal that change is needed to stop things like this happening. This presentation also shows how Eric shows remorse and regret.
In the final act of the play, Eric is presented as alienated and secretive in the quote "your not the kind of father a chap could go when he's in trouble" Here Eric exposes the emotional distance between him and Mr Birling. the noun "chap" is casual, but it highlights how isolated Eric feels and illustrates he lacks proper support from his father. "not the kind of father" also shows the lack of trust and connection between him and his father. Structurally, Priestley reveals this confession at the end of the play to show Eric's poor roots lie in poor parenting. "(uneasily) Yes - I know he is." "(uneasily) shows Erics discomfort and guilt before his full role is revealed to the Family. Priestley uses tension here to foreshadow that Eric has something serious to hide, and that he's already burdened by his conscience. Priestley may have presented Eric in this way to reflect to an audience that it's the older generations causing trouble and poor parenting for the younger generation. This forces an audience to change to adopt a more socialist view.
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