Eric

Question 1

Eric: ‘[involuntarily] My God’

Answer 1

• The stage directions show that he is emotional about Eva’s death.
• Demonstrates his morals.

Question 2

‘Why shouldn’t they try for higher wages?’

Answer 2

• Inherently socialist views.
• Condemns his father’s capitalist viewpoints
• Empathetic for the lower class

Question 3

‘[not too rudely] Well don’t do any (speechmaking). We’ll drink to their health and have done with it.’

Answer 3

• Eric is eager to be done with talk of the transactional engagement.

Despite of this, he is portrayed as powerless to do anything.

Question 4

‘…you killed her - and the child she’d have too - my child - your grandchild - you killed them both - damn you, damn you’

Answer 4

• Demonstrates his emotions are getting the best of him
• Shows he really cared
• Placing/ Diverting the blame
• The fragmentation of his speech mirrors the fragmentation of his family.

Question 5

’..I hate these fat old tarts round the town’

Answer 5

• Bigoted description of a woman - shaming her for displaying her body in a sexual way/ sex work.
• Priestley is presenting through Eric, that for all men, paying for sex was a social norm.

Question 6

‘…you’re not the kind of father a chap could go to when he’s in trouble…’

Answer 6

This shows the lack of affection and care shown to his children had lead to a relationship where Eric feels that he can’t tell his father things and ends up stealing his money and lying to him.