Throughout the opening scenes of Priestley's An Inspector Calls, Eric is depicted as little more than a drunken child (" only a boy", as his Mother would have said). If the work is considered a moral play, then perhaps Eric is guilty of the sins of lust, gluttony, and laziness. Later in the play, however, despite the revelations about his mistreatment of Eva Smith, the audience gains some sympathy for him as we realize that he is a sensitive and rather "lost" character, who perhaps yearns for a more supportive and fulfilling relationship. with his family. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get an original essayEven at the beginning of the play, Eric seems to be an outsider. The opening stage directions describe him as being "not quite at ease" and Priestley points out that he is "half shy, half assertive" and therefore at odds with the other characters, viz. the “easy and well-bred Gerald” and the “heavy-looking and rather menacing Arthur Birling.” Eric says very little in the first act - speaking only to congratulate and tease his sister for her engagement ("She has a bad temper sometimes - but she's not really bad") and to laugh at their solemnity ("Eric suddenly laughs "). Indeed, throughout the first act there are a number of hints that Eric has rather drunk too much ("You're squiffy") and it is implied that this is a strategy of d adaptation he uses to avoid confrontation or criticism (“Could I have a drink first?”). At this point, he comes across as more of a weak, self-indulgent character that the audience would not sympathize with. It is clear, however, that Eric commands very little respect in the family, and when he attempts to challenge his father's rather old-fashioned behavior and short-sighted views on the likelihood of war, he is met with little welcome. Mr. Birling: Everything to lose and nothing to gain by war. Eric: Yes, I know, but still Mr. Birling: Let me finish, Eric The fact that Priestley employs dramatic irony here (an audience in 1945 would have been well aware that war actually broke out in 1914) may improve the public's opinion of Eric. He has, at least, more insight than his seemingly stubborn and ignorant father. To both his parents, Eric is little more than a "boy" who has "a lot to learn", rather than a young man capable of dealing with consequences. His opinions are not sought in the Birling household and he is frequently treated like a child. When he challenges his father on the injustice of his actions in punishing his factory workers who went on strike, Birling tells his son that his views are "stupid" and advises him to "stay out of it." . In this way, the audience feels some sympathy for him, as it is clear that he is desperately unhappy in his job and in his role within the Birling family. On the other hand, Eric is later revealed to be involved in both Eva Smith's suicide and, furthermore, stealing money from his father's company. He openly admits to treating Eva "like an animal, a thing, not a person", which removes most feelings of sympathy towards Eric - the public sympathized with him until now because he was disliked by his family , but he revealed that he had no respect or value for this young woman either. He was no better than the other members of his family; he was simply abusing his status to gain power over a young woman. Eric tries to justify his use of Eva as well as the stolen money by saying that he would provide Eva with the care she needed..