“The money’s not the important thing. It’s what happened to the girl and what we all did to her that matters.”
Highlights the Generational Divide. Eric represents the “impressionable” youth Priestley believed could be “taught” to be better than their parents. He accepts his role in the “chain of events.”
“I was in that state where a chap easily turns nasty”
Eric admits to abusing his Gender and Class power to threaten Eva. Shows the lack of protection for 1912 working-class women from the young gentlemen of the upper class.
“You’re not the kind of father a chap could go to when he’s in trouble”
Exposes the lack of real love in the Birling household, and cracks in the relationships between upper middle class families.
“Just used her… as if she was an animal, a thing, not a person” (Inspector to Eric)
Condemns Eric’s Dehumanization of Eva. Rejects the 1912 idea that the poor are just tools for the rich.
“I insisted on giving her enough money to keep her going”
Eric tries to solve a moral problem with Capitalist means (money), but the money was stolen.
“And I say the girl’s dead and we all helped to kill her – and that’s what matters -“
Eric accepts Collective Responsibility. To a 1945 audience, Eric represents the younger generation finally standing up to the “hard-headed” elders who caused the world’s “anguish”.
