"boys" - he is patronising towards his son, who is an adult
because of the need to dominate him Birling: You don't know what some
he separates himself and Gerald who are supposedly "men", of these boys get up to nowadays
from Eric who is apparently too immature for their conversation
Birling isolates
Brevity of this exchange indicates tension between Birling: Well, what do you remember?
father and son along with the repetition with a Eric: (confused) Nothing.
question mark, there is distrust between them Birling: Nothing?
Eric is immediately insecure when he
walks in, he has secrets and is worried Eric: What's the joke? Started telling stories?
that they have been revealed
Eric feel
Eric initially begins eagerly but he realises that his father may father an
Eric: (eagerly) Yes, I remember –
not want to hear or approve of what he has to say due to how
(but he checks himself.)
he is continuously dominated and put down by his father
Birling encourages Eric to drink when it suits him, and
doesn't care to recognise that his son has a drinking Birling: No. Want another glass of port?
problem, not until it could affect his knighthood
He doesn't realise that he is the one that has encourages
Eric to live a life of indulgence, the use of the comparative to
More money to spend and time to spare
highlight differences between himself and his son, forgetting
than I had when I was Eric's age
he was once working class and so was not born into the life
of privilege that Eric takes advantage of
"potty" although women are only valued for appearance, since
it's the only way to get a husband and any source of income Women are potty about 'em.
they are ridiculed and objectified for caring about how they look
because of the need to dominate him Birling: You don't know what some
he separates himself and Gerald who are supposedly "men", of these boys get up to nowadays
from Eric who is apparently too immature for their conversation
Birling isolates
Brevity of this exchange indicates tension between Birling: Well, what do you remember?
father and son along with the repetition with a Eric: (confused) Nothing.
question mark, there is distrust between them Birling: Nothing?
Eric is immediately insecure when he
walks in, he has secrets and is worried Eric: What's the joke? Started telling stories?
that they have been revealed
Eric feel
Eric initially begins eagerly but he realises that his father may father an
Eric: (eagerly) Yes, I remember –
not want to hear or approve of what he has to say due to how
(but he checks himself.)
he is continuously dominated and put down by his father
Birling encourages Eric to drink when it suits him, and
doesn't care to recognise that his son has a drinking Birling: No. Want another glass of port?
problem, not until it could affect his knighthood
He doesn't realise that he is the one that has encourages
Eric to live a life of indulgence, the use of the comparative to
More money to spend and time to spare
highlight differences between himself and his son, forgetting
than I had when I was Eric's age
he was once working class and so was not born into the life
of privilege that Eric takes advantage of
"potty" although women are only valued for appearance, since
it's the only way to get a husband and any source of income Women are potty about 'em.
they are ridiculed and objectified for caring about how they look
