Does Priestley encourage you to feel sympathy for Eric at any point in the play? Write about:

• Eric’s interactions with other characters
• how Priestley presents Eric by the ways he writes.

J.B. Priestley encourages readers to feel sympathy for Eric Birling, one of the characters in his play “An Inspector Calls.” Priestley presents Eric in a way that evokes empathy through his interactions with other characters and through the way he is portrayed in the play.

Eric’s interactions with other characters reveal his struggles and vulnerabilities, which can elicit sympathy from the audience. In the play, Eric is depicted as a troubled young man who is grappling with personal issues, such as alcoholism and his strained relationship with his father, Mr. Birling.