Eric Birling is a character from the play "An Inspector Calls" by J.B. Priestley. He is the son of the Birling family and is portrayed as a troubled young man. Eric struggles with his identity and often feels overshadowed by his father, Arthur Birling, a wealthy businessman. His actions throughout the play reveal his inner conflicts and moral dilemmas. As the story unfolds, Eric's character becomes central to the themes of responsibility and social conscience. He is involved in a scandal concerning Eva Smith, a working-class woman, which highlights the consequences of privilege and the impact of individual choices on others.