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Eric Birling Essay - Grade 9 - AN INSPECTOR CALLS
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A grade 9 essay on the character of Eric Birling and his development throughout the play. Marked by three professionals. [FULL MARKS]
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An Inspector CallsYou are advised to spend about 45 minutes on this question. You should use the extract on the
opposite page and your knowledge of the whole play to answer this question.
Write about Eric Birling and how he is presented at different points in the play.
In your response you should:
• refer to the extract and the play as a whole
• show your understanding of characters and events in the play [40]
5 of this question’s marks are allocated for accuracy in spelling, punctuation and the use of
vocabulary and sentence structures.
Priestley presents Eric Birling as a privileged, culpable, reckless young man who abuses his power
and status and mistreats the lower class and women. However, Eric is shown in a more positive light
through his admirable qualities we see through his transition towards the close of the play, into a
more responsible, mature young man who holds socialist views. Priestley uses the character of Eric
as a dramatic vehicle to place his message of socialism and collective responsibility into the play, for
audiences to hopefully emulate within their lives.
Priestley offers an initial impression of Eric through his description in Act 1. Everyone is gathered for
a party to celebrate the engagement of Sheila Birling (Eric’s older sister) and Gerald Croft (a
respectable, “well-bred, young man”). The stage directions describe Eric to be “not quite at ease”
and “half shy” and “half assertive”. This tells us Eric is unsure about himself and perhaps
uncomfortable - he may be seen as quite immature as he does not know how to act in an
appropriate manner for an appropriate setting. The adjective “half” implies Eric is acting strangely if
he is switching between behaving in one manner and then another. The idea of him acting strangely
for the particular setting is underpinned by the description of him being in an “excitable, silly mood”.
The adjective “excitable” is quite peculiar here as Eric doesn’t seem to have much to be excited
about - his sister is getting engaged, which pleases his father (for business reasons) and his mother
(as Gerald is an honourable man), but there is nothing in it for Eric. Therefore, his silliness implies he
may have been drinking too much which becomes a common theme as we later find out he is an
alcoholic. When Sheila describes Eric as “squiffy” it confirms the idea for the audience that Eric
drinks too much and foreshadows it may be a common occurrence. Eric is also presented to laugh
awkwardly and irrationally at random times; the stage direction ‘suddenly guffaws’ (Eric laughs at
nothing apparent) tells us this and further implies he is quite odd in his behaviour. Additionally,
through Mr Birling’s conversation with Gerald about how he hopes for a knighthood, Gerald replies
“unless Eric’s been up to something”. This makes the audience wonder if Eric’s misbehaviour is a
little bit more than just silliness and that he perhaps acts strangely or wrongfully quite often.
Priestley uses Eric’s odd behaviour to foreshadow that his secrets will later disrupt and threaten the
Birling’s whole way of life. I believe Priestley’s intent here was to make sure the audience got a
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