Is Eric or Gerald Responsible for Eva's Death

Compare And Contrast Eric And Gerald. Which Do You Consider To Be Most To Blame For Eva’s Death? Eric and Gerald share similarities, the main one being that they both had a relationship with Eva. They also both gave her money and their behaviours went against the moral ‘code’ of the time. There are more differences however between the pair. Eric exploited Eva whereas Gerald ‘rescued’ her meaning that Eva meant different things to them. Whilst Eric made Eva worried, Gerald made her happy.

During the Inspector’s interrogation, Eric illustrates socialist views, and also takes more responsibility whereas Gerald is more capitalist.

Although Eric takes more responsibility during the cross-examination, Gerald took more responsibility during his relationship with Eva. Eric was less conscious of what he was doing at the time of relationship and seems to be less loyal towards his parents than Gerald. In addition to this, Eric did not arrange Eva again whereas Gerald did. Another difference between the two is that Eric offered marriage to Eva whilst Gerald didn’t even contemplate it.

Gerald resists the interrogation and starts to fight back towards the end, dissimilarly though, Eric admits his bad actions almost immediately and repents.

Finally, Eric drinks but Gerald is much more in control of himself. Through these differences and similarities, both Eric and Gerald moved Eva closer to her death as they both left her to cope on her own. Gerald started her decline and then Eric followed by capping it. Gerald broke Eva’s heart, and although this was not the case with Eric, he forced her into the relationship which may have made her feel awful.

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Eva experienced emotional damage as Gerald opened up her mind to possibilities that she couldn’t have. However, the final straw for Eva was when she found out that she was pregnant, and that Eric, the unborn baby’s father, had abandoned her. As a result of this, Eva no longer wished to go on and committed suicide. This leads me to believe that Eric is more to blame for Eva’s death.

Gerald Quotes An Inspector Calls

There are numerous, and relevant to the cause of Eva’s death, similarities shared by Eric and Gerald. Although Eric and Gerald both had a relationship with Eva, it can be said that they did so for different reasons. Eric met Eva at the Palace bar where he had obviously gone to make use of a woman. After talking and drinking with Eva, Eric “insisted” that Eva took him back to her lodgings. Eric was admittedly drunk, and this could have certainly frightened Eva and left her with no choice.

It shows that Eric’s intensions were to just exploit Eva, not to have a proper relationship with her. His relationship with Eva was a purely physical one. He told the inspector that he liked her but “wasn’t in love with her or anything”. Gerald however seemed to have different intensions. He too met Eva at the Palace bar although he was there just to have some drinks. He appears to have “rescued” Eva from being exploited by men. He did not ask for anything in return for rescuing her, and although it was unintentional, their relationship began to grow due to Eva’s gratitude.

Eric’s drunken behaviour made Eva worried. “I was in that state when a chap turns nasty”. This shows that Eva could have easily been scared to go against Eric’s will. Gerald however made Eva “happier than she’d ever been before”. Although their relationship was never intended it grew because Gerald made her happy by helping her. During the cross-examination, Eric portrays socialist views and takes more responsibility for Eva’s death than Gerald.