As Eric confesses, he slowly reveals how he has drinking problems, which were previously unknown to his parents. He exposes how his drinking made him irresponsible, how his indulgence in alcohol made him forget his responsibilities "I was squiffy" he says, meaning he was drunk. He reveals how unfairly he insists on taking Eva home, and getting her drunk as well. At this moment, the tension would have been at a peak. The Inspector, who would have been demanding answers, massively would have been disgusted at what he was finding out (if he didn't know already), Mr Birling would be thinking about a public scandal and thinking about how his knighthood was slipping from his hold, in a withdrawn, thoughtful manner. Mrs Birling would feel as though her pride had been hurt, her reputation tarnished, or at least her reputation that people of similar social status to her know about. Sheila would already be feeling devastated, knowing how she was involved and this would distress her even more.
The audience would be completely drawn in at this moment as the story is being unravelled and as they find out about how Eric finds out how Mrs Birling literally killed his child, her grandchild. Eric is at breaking point.
The family members each encapsulate at least one of the seven deadly sins: Arthur Birling represents greed, Cybil Birling represents pride, Eric represents lust and to a certain extent sloth, Sheila represents covetousness and Gerald represents lust. These can all induce anti-social behaviour. As JB Priestley wrote the play in 1945, after the end of world war two, and set it in 1912, two years before the start of world war one, it is almost certain that he was trying to educate the people watching the play in a sense that they should learn from the two wars, and not make the same mistake again.
When the inspector leaves, he gives a speech:.
"But just remember this. One Eva Smith has gone - but there are millions and millions and millions of Eva Smiths and John Smiths still left with us, with their lives, their hopes, their fears, their suffering and chance of happiness, all intertwined with our lives and what we say and do and think.
