blood brothers mickey essay

Mickey: Positive characteristics

Mickey is an energetic and mischievous young boy. Russell makes him a likeable character to make the audience invested in him and his downfall during adulthood.

• Although it is Edward who initiates the first conversation between the two brothers at the age of seven, Mickey soon becomes an enthusiastic participant in their conversation.
• “Do you wanna be my blood brother, Eddie?” (Act One).

Mischievous

• “Come on Eddie, you can have a shot at our target in the park.” (Act One).

Good natured

• Russell has created Mickey as a good-natured and likeable child, and this makes his demise when he reaches adulthood even more shocking and saddening.
• Russell therefore uses the character of Mickey to show how the innocence of childhood is prematurely taken away from those who are born into poverty.

A good friend

• Mickey seems to really enjoy the fact that he can teach Edward lots of things he has learnt on the street, like swearing and getting up to mischief.
• “Yeh. Yeh, I know loads of words like that. Y’know, like the ‘F’ word.” (Act One).
• “If I was like him, I’d know all the right words.” (Act Two).

Mickey: Shy and Insecure

Mickey is presented as a shy and insecure young boy.

Envious of Sammy

• “ I wish I was our Sammy.” (Act One).
• This desire to please Sammy could be one of the reasons that Mickey is ultimately persuaded to act as a lookout for Sammy in the ill-fated robbery.

Relationship with Linda

• Mickey’s insecurity is also seen during his teenage years through the way he acts towards Linda.
• “I’ve got pimples an’ me feet are too big an’ me bum sticks out.” (Act Two).

A warning for the audience

• Perhaps Russell is using this shyness and vulnerability as a warning that Mickey is going to struggle greatly with the pressures of adulthood.

1 Context & Author

1.1 Context

1.1.1 Setting

1.1.2 Political Background

1.1.3 Education & Work

1.1.4 Marilyn Monroe & Pop Culture

1.1.5 Family

1.2.1 Willy Russell

1.2.2 End of Topic Test - Context & Author

2.1 Act One

2.1.1 Overview: Introduction to Mrs Johnstone & Lyons

2.1.2 Analysis: Introduction to Mrs. Johnston and Lyons

2.1.3 Overview: The Birth of Mickey & Edward

2.1.4 Analysis: The Birth of Mickey & Edward

2.1.5 Overview: Mickey Playing at Home

2.1.6 Overview: Mickey & Edward as Seven-year-olds

2.1.7 Analysis: Mickey & Edward as Seven-year-olds

2.1.8 Overview: Mickey & Edward as Seven-year-olds 2

2.1.9 Analysis: Mickey & Edward as Seven-year-olds 2

2.1.10 End of Topic Test - Act One

2.1.11 End of Topic Test - Act One 2

2.2 Act Two

2.2.1 Overview: Mickey & Edward as Teenagers

2.2.2 Analysis: Mickey & Edward as Teenagers

2.2.3 Overview: Mickey & Edward as Teenagers 2

2.2.4 Analysis: Mickey & Edward as Teenagers 2

2.2.5 Overview: Mickey & Edward as Teenagers 3

2.2.6 Analysis: Mickey & Edward as Teenagers 3

2.2.7 Overview: Mickey & Edward as Adults

2.2.8 Analysis: Mickey & Edward as Adults

2.2.9 End of Topic Test - Act Two

2.2.10 End of Topic Test - Act Two 2

3 Characters

3.1.1 Mickey

3.1.2 Mickey as a Damaged Adult

3.2.1 Edward

3.2.2 Edward 2

3.2.3 End of Topic Test - Mickey & Edward

3.3.1 Linda

3.3.2 Linda 2

3.4 Mrs Johnstone

3.4.1 Mrs Johnstone

3.4.2 Mrs Johnstone 2

3.5 Mrs Lyons

3.5.1 Mrs Lyons

3.5.2 Mrs Lyons 2

3.5.3 End of Topic Test - Linda & Mothers

3.6 Mr Lyons

3.6.1 Mr Lyons

3.7.1 Sammy

3.8 The Narrator

3.8.1 The Narrator

3.9.1 Minor Characters

3.9.2 End of Topic Test - Other Characters

3.10 End of Topic Sessions

3.10.1 Grade 9 - Key Characters

4.1 Parents & Children

4.1.1 Parents & Children

4.2 Growing Up

4.2.1 Growing Up

4.3 Friendship & Brotherhood

4.3.1 Friendship & Brotherhood

4.3.2 End of Topic Test - Parents, Growing Up, Friends

4.4 Fate & Superstition

4.4.1 Fate & Superstition

4.5 Nature vs. Nurture

4.5.1 Nature vs. Nurture

4.6 Social Class

4.6.1 Social Class

4.6.2 End of Topic Test - Fate, Upbringing & Class

5 Literary Techniques

5.1 Structure

5.1.1 Structure

5.2 Tragedy

5.2.1 Tragedy

5.3 Dramatic Irony

5.3.1 Dramatic Irony

5.4 Imagery

5.4.1 Imagery

5.5 Character & Voice

5.5.1 Character

5.6 Music & Lyrics

5.6.1 Music & Lyrics

5.7 Accent & Dialect

5.7.1 Accent & Dialect

5.7.2 End of Topic Test - Literary Techniques

5.7.3 End of Topic Test - Literary Techniques 2

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End of Topic Test - Act Two 2

Mickey as a Damaged Adult

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Blood Brothers

Willy russell.

Ask LitCharts AI: The answer to your questions

On some level, the lives of Mickey and Edward seem almost like a science experiment: what will happen when two genetically similar boys are raised in vastly different circumstances? Is a person’s character determined more by their genetics, or by their upbringing? Throughout the play, Willy Russell illuminates the contrasts that stem from Mickey and Edward’s separate childhoods, and compares them with the similarities that the two share. Mickey, for instance, is rough, rebellious, and jaded from a young age. In contrast, Edward is intelligent but innocent, which is made clear by his generosity towards other children and his tendency to get himself in trouble by accident. The differences between the two boys are rooted in the fact that Mickey grew up in a rough and tumble neighborhood, while Edward came of age in the lap of luxury.

At the same time, however, the boys feel a kinship with each other, calling themselves “blood brothers” years before they know they are in fact related. Although they have many superficial differences, at core they are both loving, decent, and honest individuals, much like their mother, Mrs. Johnstone . Their similarities are further emphasized by the fact that they fall in love with the same woman, Linda , and she feels strongly about both of them. Tragically, it is ultimately this similarity that ultimately leads to their joint downfall. Russell never comes down on one side or the other in the “nature vs. nurture” argument, but instead shows how both genetics and upbringing affect one’s personality and fate.

Nature vs. Nurture ThemeTracker

Nature vs. Nurture Quotes in Blood Brothers

So did y’hear the story of the Johnstone twins? As like each other as two new pins, Of one womb born, on the self same day, How one was kept and one given away? An’ did you never hear how the Johnstones died, Never knowing that they shared one name, Till the day they died…?

MRS. LYONS: You do know what they say about twins, secretly parted, don’t you? MRS. JOHNSTONE: What? What? MRS. LYONS: They say…they say that if either twin learns that he once was a pair, that they shall both immediately die. It means, Mrs. Johnstone, that these brothers shall grow up, unaware of the other’s existence. They shall be raised apart and never, ever told what was once the truth. You won’t tell anyone about this, Mrs. Johnstone, because if you do, you will kill them.

MICKEY: What’s your birthday? EDWARD: July the eighteenth. MICKEY: So is mine. EDWARD: Is it really? MICKEY: Ey, we were born on the same day…that means we can be blood brothers. Do you wanna be my blood brother, Eddie? EDWARD: Yes, please.

You see, you see why I don’t want you mixing with boys like that! You learn filth from them and behave like this like a, like a horrible little boy, like them. But you are not like them. You are my son, mine, and you won’t..you won’t ever…Oh my son…my beautiful, beautiful son.

MRS. LYONS:…If we stay here I feel that something terrible will happen, something bad. MR. LYONS: Look, Jen. What is this thing you keep talking about getting away from? Mm? MRS. LYONS: It’s just…it’s these people…these people that Edward has started mixing with. Can’t you see how he’s drawn to them? They’re…they’re drawing him away from me.

MRS. LYONS: Where did you get that…locket from, Edward? Why do you wear it? EDWARD: I can’t tell you that, Ma. I’ve explained, it’s a secret. I can’t tell you. MRS. LYONS: But…but I’m your mother. EDWARD: I know, but I still can’t tell you. It’s not important, I’m going up to my room. It’s just a secret, everybody has secrets, don’t you have secrets?

EDWARD: I wish I was a bit like Wish that I could score a hit like And be just a little bit like That guy MICKEY: I wish that I could be like Just a little less like me Like the sort of guy I see, like That guy That guy.

MRS. LYONS: Afraid he might eventually have forgotten you? Oh no. There’s no chance of that. He’ll always remember you. After we’d moved he talked less and less of you and your family. I started…just for a while I came to believe that he was actually mine. MRS. JOHNSTONE: He is yours. MRS. LYONS: No. I took him. But I never made him mine. Does he know? Have you told… MRS. JOHNSTONE: Of course not! MRS. LYONS: Even when—when he was a tiny baby I’d see him looking straight at me and I’d think, he knows…he knows. You have ruined me. But you won’t ruin Edward!

EDWARD: If I was him, if I was him That’s what I’d do. But I’m not saying a word I’m not saying I care Though I would like you to know That I’ not saying a word I’m not saying I care Though I would like you to know. But I’m not. LINDA: What? EDWARD: Mickey.

EDWARD: I thought, I thought we always stuck together. I thought we were…blood brothers. MICKEY: That was kids’ stuff, Eddie. Didn’t anyone tell y’? But I suppose you still are a kid, aren’t y’? EDWARD: I’m exactly the same age as you, Mickey. MICKEY: Yeh. But you’re still a kid. An’ I wish I could be as well Eddie, I wish I could still believe in all that blood brother stuff. But I can’t, because while no one was looking I grew up. An’ you didn’t, because you didn’t need to; an’ I don’t blame y’ for it Eddie. In your shoes I’d be the same, I’d still be able to be a kid. But I’m not in your shoes, I’m in these, lookin’ at you. An’ you make me sick, right? That was all just kids’ stuff, Eddie, an’ I don’t want to be reminded of it. Right? So just, just take yourself away. Go an’ see your friends an’ celebrate with them.

I didn’t sort anythin’ out Linda. Not a job, not a house, nothin’. It used to be just sweets an’ ciggies he gave me, because I had none of me own. Now it’s a job and a house. I’m not stupid, Linda. You sorted it out. You an’ Councilor Eddie Lyons.

MRS. JOHNSTONE: Mickey. Don’t shoot Eddie. He’s your brother. You had a twin brother. I couldn’t afford to keep both of you. His mother couldn’t have kids. I agreed to give one of you away! MICKEY: You. You! Why didn’t you give me away? I could have been…I could have been him!

And do we blame superstition for what came to pass? Or could it be what we, the English, have come to know as class?

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GCSE: Blood Brothers

• English Literature
• Willy Russell
• Blood Brothers

"And do we blame superstition for what came to pass? Or could it be what we, the English, have came to know as class?" Which do you think is more responsible for the deaths of Mickey and Edward in Willy Russell's Blood Brothers.

Sam Plackett "And do we blame superstition for what came to pass? Or could it be what we, the English, have came to know as class?" Which do you think is more responsible for the deaths of Mickey and Edward? Blood Brothers is a play set in Liverpool, Willy Russell wrote it in 1983. Willy Russell has wrote plays based in Liverpool because this is where he was brought up as a kid in a working class family, Blood Brothers relates to this and aspects of class that he would have experienced when he lived there. Willy Russell grew up just outside Liverpool, he left school when he was only 15 to become a hairdresser, it was in his early twenties when he decided to go back to school and take his O levels. His plays were about everyday circumstances and his portrayal of life then. In this essay I intend to find out the reason for Mickey and Edward's deaths, whether it was superstition or class, I will evaluate both of the possible causes and how they are used within the play, then I will have to make a conclusion to which side of the argument proves to be the correct one. The main sources of superstition revolve around Mrs Johnstone because she is the character who believes that when certain things happen consequences will unfold due to this. Willy Russell points these superstitious events out to the audience, by using one of the characters to mention this or a song will be used

• Word count: 2330
• Level: GCSE
• Subject: English

"Blood Brothers" is set in Liverpool in the early eighties.

"Blood Brothers" is set in Liverpool in the early eighties. The play follows the life of two main characters: Eddie Lyons and Mickey Johnstone. The play has proved extremely popular with audiences of all ages. In this essay I aim to consider all the dramatic qualities of the play and how Willy Russell uses them to promote the dramatic effectiveness of the play. In "Blood Brothers" the characters fall into two stereotypical groups: the working class Johnstones and their associates, and the middle class Lyons. It seems ironic that although the Johnstone family live on the breadline they start off cheerfully, compared to the Lyons who never seem content. This makes the audience what is wrong in the lives of both families and created dramatic tension. The main characters, Eddie and Mickey are people that we can relate to: we feel pathos with them as they face the trials and tribulations of life. Russell uses pathos to involve the audience so they feel pity when Mickey loses his job, fear at the end of the play when the shooting scene takes place, and experience childhood joy when Eddie and Mickey share jokes. Humour, in its various forms, plays a large part in æBlood BrothersÆ. It keeps the audience interested and balances out the conflict and sadness in the play. Throughout the play we experience different types of humour such as the use of a pun when Mickey and Eddie are

• Word count: 892

"Blood Brothers", a play by Willy Russell, was set in the late sixties/early seventies and was written in 1981

DRAFT COPY OF BLOOD BROTHERS ESSAY "Blood Brothers", a play by Willy Russell, was set in the late sixties/early seventies and was written in 1981. It is a Liverpudlian West Side Story about twin brothers being separated at birth because their mother cannot afford to keep them. She gives one of them away to a wealthy woman who longs for a child. The two children grow up as friends in very different environments, not bothered about the old tale about a curse that states that if twins are separated at birth, they will die if brought back together during their lives. But a quarrel between the two boys soon brings trouble. Russell uses the play, including the scene that I am going to be focusing on, to put across views about 20th century society and to show the importance of class and life in Liverpool in the late sixties and early seventies. He also highlights the importance of environment and the way society, at the time, regarded single mothers. Single mothers were thought of as lower class characters that have many children born of different fathers. At the time that "Blood Brothers" was set, politics would've been really bad. The government probably wouldn't have cared or been bothered about the poor living conditions that some of the weaker families were living in. This would've had a large effect on those weaker families, such as the Johnstones, because of lack of money

• Word count: 1713

> "Well how come you got everything...and I got nothing". This quote by Mickey highlights the relationship between class and opportunity which is what this essay is going to be focusing on. Willy Russell is a modern playwright but throughout history these themes have appeared in literature, for example world war one often revels the fact that men of a more lower class were sent to the front line whereas men from a wealthy class made all the decisions. The playwright uses a number of techniques to make the message accessible to the audience. Some of these include dramatic devices, language and the overall content of the play. The relationship between class and opportunity is that the opportunities you receive is based upon the class you are represented by. > Blood Brothers is a powerful illustration of how divisions in social class can affect the opportunity an individual has in life. It is a tragic musical written by the fantastic writer Willy Russell. Mrs Johnstone, a lonely woman whose husband has abandoned her and a houseful of mouths to feed, learns she is expecting AGAIN, however what she doesn't learn till later on is that she is having twins which adds to the life problems that her life comes to struggle with. She works for Mrs Lyons who is desperate for kid s but isn't able to have any her self, when she finds out about Mrs Johnstone's pregnancy she uses it to her

• Word count: 815

Blood Brothers interview with Willy Russell

Mr. Russell, welcome to our program, Writers' Question Time. Could you briefly tell us what your play is about? Thank you for inviting me to the show. "Blood Brothers" is about the story of twin brothers separated at birth. The twins' working-class mother - Mrs. Johnston - is too poor to keep both twins, so gives one to her very rich employer Mrs. Lyons, who cannot have children of her own. Mrs. Johnston is extremely superstitious, and Mrs. Lyons discovers this early on when Mrs. Johnston finds shoes on the table. Mrs. Lyons takes advantage of this, and tells Mrs. Johnston 'that if either twin learns he was one of a pair they shall both die immediately!' Until the twins are about eight years of age, Mrs. Lyons and Mrs. Johnston have no problem keeping their secret shut away. They then find that the twins have met, and have become very good friends without realising they are related to each other. Mrs. Lyons persuades her husband to move the family away from the city to the countryside. Later in the play, Mrs. Johnston and her children get moved from the slums, closer to the house of Mrs Lyons. As the twins discover each other once again, Mrs. Lyons' mental health begins to deteriorate, and paranoia starts to kick in. With Mrs. Johnston, anxious as ever that her secret will slip out, the general mood of the play becomes more sinister, and the ending is tragic. Mr. Russell,

• Word count: 2740

Who is to blame for the tragic deaths of the twins in Willy Russell's 'Blood Brothers'?

Who is to blame for the tragic deaths of the twins in Willy Russell's 'Blood Brothers'? Blood Brothers, a story of twins separated at birth, growing up in completely different environments, but with the same genetic composition, "never knowing that they shared one name, 'till the day they died, when a mother cried, my own dear sons lie slain", is a compelling story of which we will discuss in detail, of who is to blame for their tragic deaths. There are many character in 'Blood Brothers', which can be blamed for the tragic deaths; Mrs.Lyons, the rich, devious woman, Mrs.Johnstone, the under-privileged mother of eight, Sammy, Mickey's brother and his influence, and even superstition and fate. First of all, we will discuss the case of Mrs.Lyons, a vindictive, manipulative woman who has a caring side to her, for the desperation of the love for a child. Indeed she did start all of this deception, by offering to take one of Mrs. Johnstone's baby's and lying to Mrs.Johnstone that she could see her child everyday. She also lied to her husband that the child was theirs and not an adopted baby (as Mr.Lyons hated the fact of adopting children). Mrs.Lyons decided to take it upon herself to have the child as her own, "He need never guess" was her response to Mrs.Johnstone, about the deceit...could this be the story of the twins' deaths; being cruelly separated at birth by Mrs.Lyons, not

• Word count: 2139

The Function of the Narrator in Blood Brothers

The Function of the Narrator in Blood Brothers The narrator's role in 'Blood Brothers' is quite unusual. The convention of the narrator in most plays is such that they are usually brought on to introduce the next part of the play and then move offstage and the play continues. However, in Blood Brothers the narrator is a physical character and is on stage all of the time. At the beginning of the play the narrator says, "So did y' hear the story of the Johnstone twins?" This indicates that he is the storyteller. His presence at every scene thereafter shows that he is telling us about that part of the story. The narrator is on stage all the time, watching the characters and often lurking in the background, and this makes him seem a sinister and threatening character, which contrasts with other plays where the narrator is usually neutral. Also, as the narrator already knows the end of the story and is telling it back to the audience he can also suggest what is going to happen in the future which has a disquieting effect. Although the narrator knows what is eventually going to happen he doesn't try and prevent it in any way and even seems to be pushing the characters into performing their actions. The narrator speaks in rhyming couplets, which is akin to the supernatural characters used by Shakespeare; this would link with his prophetic knowledge and his cold presence around

• Word count: 1225

Blood Brothers - The Narrator

To what extent do you think the Narrator is presented as a moral guardian or a figure of doom in the play? Give reasons for your opinions. Throughout the play of Blood Brothers I think that the Narrator is presented as a moral guardian. It could be argued that he is a figure of doom because of his actions, but I disagree with this statement because I see him in a different light and I feel that Willy Russell wants his audience to look beyond his actions and see the positive reasons why he delivers bad news. I believe that the Narrator makes his actions obvious and that Willy Russell has made sure that his audience see him as evil straight away because of he says and does. But I think that Willy Russell is hoping that his audience look deeper and don't judge him based on his outward thoughts and sayings. I feel that there is something hidden underneath all the bad forebodings which he gives. There is something else to him and I think this is why I can see him as a moral guardian. From the opening of Act one he sets the scene. 'He steps forward and starts to recite the prologue to his audience. In this soliloquy he tells 'the story of the Johnstone twins...how one was kept and one was given away...never knowing that they shared one name, till the day they died.' This soliloquy is very effective in the fact that it allows the Narrator to prepare the audience for the

• Word count: 2281

What is the importance of the narrator in blood brothers?

What is the importance of the narrator in Blood Brothers? One of the most compulsory characters in Willy Russell's 1983 play Blood Brothers is the narrator. He is the main dramatic device and is critical for the audience. He makes the plot constantly flow and explains loose ends throughout the story. As well as being the narrator he plays various minor roles. He sings many songs, which show characters' emotions, and introduce and develop important themes. The narrator's main focus is to explain the story and what's happening. After long sections of speech he will briefly explain what's just happened, in case the actions don't make it clear. He also makes sure you fully understand the story. One example is just after Mickey shoots someone. The gun goes off and straight after the narrator says, "There's a man lies bleeding on a garage floor." This explains someone has just been shot and because you don't see it, you might not have known it had happened without him. He appears to be very omniscient by dropping hints about things that are going to happen in the future. This is one of the many devices he uses, to reveal the plot. The narrator plays many small roles in Blood Brothers as well as being the main character. Some examples are the milkman, Mrs Johnstone's ex husband, the policeman, the gynaecologist and the judge. All of these roles seem to bring negativity and bad

• Word count: 938

The German Job

The German Job By Tom Prendergast I could tell he was aiming bottom left. I just knew by the way he was standing nervously, waiting for the whistle. Putting the shiny white ball on the perfectly marked spot, stepping slowly back, lining up the crucial shot. Everyone silent. Ten other players hoping their schoolboy dreams would come true. Seventy six thousand fans from around the world packed into the Olympiastadion Berlin waiting anxiously for one single kick. Tens of millions watching carefully from houses, pubs and streets and then there was us, ten rows up, right behind the goal with a perfect view of the fear in the taker's eyes, ready to jump up in joy or drop in despair and after coming all this way we needed something special. All that long, hard labour, all of those brainless, dangerous risks and the bits of luck we had along the way, but to get so close to our dream only to be crushed and by the worst possible team, but........... wait, I better tell you how we got here first. My name is Jonathan Francis, also know as John, Jono, Frankie, Francy, Franny, King Kong - don't ask, but most people call me Johnny. I've always had this dream, since I was little enough to kick a ball, to go to a World Cup Final and see England win against the Germans in the final - for obvious reasons, but I always knew that it wasn't going to be very likely with it always being

• Word count: 2727
• Fewer than 1000 73
• 1000-1999 112
• 2000-2999 39

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Blood Brothers: Key Quotations ( AQA GCSE English Literature )

Revision note.

English Content Creator

Key Quotations

Remember, the assessment objectives explicitly state that you should be able to “use textual references, including quotations”. This means summarising, paraphrasing, referencing single words and referencing of plot events are all as valid as quotations in demonstrating that you understand the play. It is important that you remember that you can evidence your knowledge of the text in these two equally valid ways: both through references to it and direct quotations from it. 

Overall, you should aim to secure a strong knowledge of the text, rather than rehearsed quotations, as this will enable you to respond to the question. It is the quality of your knowledge of the text which will enable you to select references effectively.

If you are going to revise quotations, the best way is to group them by character, or theme. Below you will find definitions and analysis of the best quotations, arranged by the following themes:

Nature versus nurture

Social class 

Superstition and fate

Nature versus nurture is one of the most prevalent  themes within the play and challenges ideas related to personal and social responsibility. Throughout the play, Willy Russell presents the contrasting experiences and consequences relating to Mickey and Edward’s separate childhoods by demonstrating the influences of both genetics and upbringing.

 “As like each other as two new pins/Of one womb born, on the self same day.”

– The Narrator, Act I

Meaning and context

At the beginning of Act I, the narrator tells audiences that the twins are connected by nature , with the same natural mother

The narrator uses an idiom  to compare shiny and identical new pins with the two baby boys

This line, delivered in the prologue , ensures audiences know the depth of connection between the twins, due to their nature and genetics

By telling audiences this at the start, it allows them to watch this connection tested as the play unfolds; this challenges the nature versus nurture  debate

The comparison of new pins with the twins is emphasised by the rhyme , highlighting the theme of nature (genetics) 

Here, Russell emphasises to the audience that the boys are naturally similar

The idiomatic   expression: like two new pins, emphasises the boys’ innocence and similarities: he implies they are unspoilt, foreshadowing the influence of nurture   (upbringing)

“You learn filth from them and behave like this, like a, like a horrible little boy, like them. But you are not like them”– Mrs Lyons, Act I

This line is delivered in Act I by Mrs Lyons to Edward

She refers to Edward playing with Mickey, Linda and the other working-class  children

Mrs Lyons is suggesting that if Edward mixes with these children from another class, he will be influenced negatively by them

She tells him he is different to the working-class children

When Edward is naturally drawn to Mickey, Russell suggests nature is a factor in our identities

Russell suggests the inevitable connection of family: despite Mrs Lyons’s desperate attempt to keep the twins apart, she is unable to defy nature

Russell suggests Edward’s upbringing ( nurture ) is sheltered: Mrs Lyons is anxious to keep him separated, not only from his twin, but from working-class children

Mrs Lyons’s use of the pronoun , “them”, divides the classes, showing Edward’s upbringing as isolated from his natural family

The words “filth” and “horrible” suggest Mrs Lyons’s strong negative judgments on the working-class

Russell shows Mrs Lyons’s attitude to nurture : that she believes in the influence and impact of upbringing, when she tells Edward he will learn from the children

Russell shows Mrs Lyons as a mother with hypocritical attitudes about upbringing ( nurture ), suggesting she is aware of differences between the social classes

This challenges Conservative  perceptions of the time which suggested anyone, regardless of class, had the ability to succeed

“I wish I could still believe in all that blood brother stuff. But I can’t, because while no one was looking I grew up” - Mickey, Act II

The relationship of the twins becomes strained in Act II: when Edward returns from university, confident and secure, Mickey has just lost his job at the factory

Mickey refers back to the moment they became blood brothers when they were eight years old (unaware they are really twins)

Mickey tells Edward that his different upbringing made him grow up faster, facing more challenges than Edward had to face

Mickey’s desperate tone highlights his isolation: he feels unsupported and hopeless 

Pauses in Mickey’s dialogue suggest a serious tone

His language, “I wish” and “But”, suggests the chasm between his dreams and his reality

Here, Russell alludes to the way nurture influences outcomes for individuals

Edward reminds Mickey of their bond as blood brothers, alluding unwittingly to their natural connection and showing his immaturity

Mickey’s dismissive   tone about “blood brother stuff” suggests a bitterness towards Edward stemming from their different upbringings

Russell suggests that Mickey’s harder upbringing is less sheltered than that of Edward’s middle-class  upbringing ( nurture) , and this creates barriers in relationships

Social class

The musical, Blood Brothers, explores the influence of social class on an individual’s ability to determine their own future. The play presents the twins' tragic lives from birth to death, presenting the influences of both privilege and discrimination on the families’ emotional and physical well-being. 

“Don’t you know what a dictionary is?” – Edward, Act I

Meaning and context   

This line comes from Act I: Edward asks Mickey a question

Edward has just met Mickey, aged eight, and is surprised at Mickey’s lack of vocabulary

This line shows the difference between Edward's and Mickey’s social class 

Edward, in his new middle-class family, expresses surprise at Mickey’s swear words and that he is unfamiliar with a dictionary, depicting Edward’s life as sheltered

Mickey’s working-class family is depicted as less educated than Edward’s, highlighting the contrasting childhoods

Russell shows how the twins’ future is influenced, from an early age, due to social class

“It used to be just sweets an’ ciggies he gave me” - Mickey, Act II

This line is from Act II, when Mickey is struggling to pay his bills after losing his job

He is referring to the way Edward has helped him financially since they were young

Here, Mickey refers to how Edward’s situation is even better now they are adults

Mickey’s low self-esteem after losing his job is expressed through frustration towards Edward: now he needs even more help, not just cheap sweets and cigarettes

This line alludes to Edward’s better financial position due to his middle-class upbringing

Although Edward is generous and kind-hearted, Mickey begins to find his help demeaning , contributing to his violent actions which follow in the rest of the play

Russell criticises, via Mickey’s mental deterioration and low self-esteem, the emotional and psychological effects of the social class  system’s inequalities

Superstition and Fate

The narrator reminds audiences of the theme of fate  and superstition throughout the play to mirror these ideas with themes focusing on free will and external pressures. Russell depicts his characters making decisions which bring about their own fate , suggesting that the past brings consequences we cannot avoid. As well as this, he asks audiences to consider how far social inequalities have a part to play in an individual’s fate . 

 “There’s shoes on the table an’ a joker in the pack/“Someone broke the lookin’ glass … Now y’ know the devil’s got your number, y’ know he’s gonna find ya” - The Narrator, Act I

These rhyming lines are delivered by the narrator in Act I, after the mothers make their fateful deal

He lists a number of superstitions: this refers to the superstition Mrs Lyons tells Mrs Johnstone to persuade her to give away her son

The lines suggest that the mothers will not escape the consequences of their evil deal

The narrator delivers a number of rhyming songs throughout the play, reminding audiences of the origin of the tragic events, the superstition

The narrator uses rhyme to allude to the supernatural qualities of superstition and its fateful consequences:

The songs have a chant-like, sinister tone

The songs refer to the devil, connoting the supernatural and linking it with evil

The narrator delivers the lines from the background, in dark lighting, to create an ominous atmosphere

Russell links superstitious beliefs with tragic consequences 

When the narrator delivers the rhymes, he sounds like the voice of the public

He uses contractions , such as “ya”, associated with the dialect  of the working-class public

Mrs Johnstone, a working-class woman with little education, believes in superstition: she asks Mrs Lyons to remove the shoes from the table

Russell suggests a lack of education can be linked to superstitious beliefs

Russell criticises this: Mrs Johnstone’s belief in the superstition causes the tragic deaths of the twins

Russell uses the narrator to remind audiences that debts will always have to be paid; all actions have consequences

Paired quotations:

“They say…they say that if either twin learns that he once was a pair, that they shall both immediately die” - Mrs Lyons, Act I

“I curse you. Witch!” - Mrs Lyons, Act II

In Act I Mrs Lyons makes up a superstition in a bid to persuade Mrs Johnstone to keep the boys apart

After Mrs Lyons breaks her promise to allow Mrs Johnstone access to Edward and to let them know they are brothers, Mrs Lyons uses this superstition to persuade her to keep the contract in place

In Act II, Mrs Lyons accuses Mrs Johnstone of being a witch, while putting a curse on her because she is unable to keep the twins apart

In the superstition, Mrs Lyons uses the pronoun “they” to indicate the general public

This serves to involve the audience and challenge perceptions 

Mrs Johnstone, as a superstitious, working-class woman, does not question Mrs Lyons 

Here, Russell shows the vulnerability that comes with a lack of education and low self-esteem

This made-up superstition depicts Mrs Lyons as a deceitful and manipulative character

By Act II, Russell depicts the mental deterioration of Mrs Lyons, showing her erratic and aggressive behaviour towards Mrs Johnstone when she is challenged 

This line cements Russell’s aim to show Mrs Lyons as an unsympathetic and  hypocritical character:

The irony  of Mrs Lyons using superstitious language after mocking and deceiving Mrs Johnstone because of her superstitious nature, illustrates hypocrisy

Mrs Lyons’s deceit leads to the tragic deaths of the sons, thus Russell criticises the lack of accountability related to superstitious beliefs

“And do we blame superstition for what came to pass?

Or could it be what we, the English, have come to know as class?” - The Narrator, Act II

At the end of the play, the narrator suggests that superstition is a factor in the tragic outcome

He asks audiences to question the influence of the superstitious deal, as well as  inequalities between the social classes

The narrator, using rhyming lines, summarises Russell’s themes at the end of the play

The rhyming lines help emphasise messages about fate and social class

The narrator uses the pronoun “we” to illustrate his role as one of the public

This pronoun helps bond the narrator with the audience, suggesting a social and communal responsibility to address each issue raised in his words

He uses a rhetorical question   to directly address audiences:

The use of two rhetorical questions stresses each of Russell’s themes to the audience

Russell presents the prevalence of violence in young boys’ lives, both from men and women. The violence, at first, is playful and harmless fun. However, as the boys grow up the violence becomes deadly, suggesting its far-reaching power. 

Paired Quotations:

“Till the day they died, when a mother cried/My own dear sons lie slain” - The Narrator Act I

“You won’t tell anyone about this, Mrs. Johnstone, because if you do, you will kill them” - Mrs Lyons, Act I

The narrator tells audiences that the play ends in violence: that a mother will mourn her sons’ deaths

Mrs Lyons persuades Mrs Johnstone to keep a secret, telling her she will be responsible for their deaths if the twins ever know they are brothers

She is referring to a made-up superstition that requires separated twins to remain apart

Russell has the narrator introduce the theme of violence at the start of the play in order to show its impact in the story: the play will end with the deaths of two sons

Russell uses emotive imagery  to show the grief of a mother crying to convey the tragic consequences of violence

Foreshadowing the tragedy this way helps audiences grasp key themes

The use of the word “slain” refers to murder: this links the mothers to the murder at the end of the play

When Mrs Lyons suggests Mrs Johnstone will “kill them” if she does not abide by the superstition, Russell hints at their involvement in the murder

The pauses in Mrs Lyons’s dialogue, give a sinister tone to the line, foreshadowing the violence to come

“Mrs Johnstone has opened the knife drawer, and has a lethal-looking knife in her hand” - Stage Directions, Act II

These stage directions show Mrs Lyons becoming violent in Act II

Mrs Lyons threatens Mrs Johnstone in her kitchen when she learns Mickey and Edward are still friends

Russell uses stage directions   to show audiences Mrs Lyons’s actions

The actions represent a silent pause in the scene, creating tension

Russell links violence with feelings of powerlessness and mental deterioration

Mrs Lyons resorts to violence when she cannot control her situation

In this scene, she is called a “mad woman” by the children

Mrs Lyons slaps Edward when she feels unable to control him

Mickey, too, resorts to violence when he feels powerless and is depressed

Here, Russell shows the middle-class mother resorting to violence when powerless, while Mrs Johnstone, with challenges far greater, remains calm throughout the play

This challenges perceptions which link the working-class to violence

Russell could be suggesting violence is related to individual circumstances or nature , rather than social class

This challenges stereotypes of a violent working-class

Paired Quotations: 

“You can get up off the ground again / It doesn’t matter / The whole thing’s just a game” - The Narrator, Act I

“I’m gonna get a real gun soon” - Mickey, Act I

The narrator delivers these lines in Act I when the children are playing a game in the street: they are pretending to be cowboys shooting Native Americans, a typical game of 1970s England

The narrator tells audiences that in these childhood games, the children can get up after being shot as it is just pretend 

Later, Mickey tells audience he is going to get a real gun to impress his friends

Russell separates his play into two distinct acts to contract the difference between childhood and adulthood:

In Act I, the narrator tells audiences that the children’s game is not real, and the children will be able to get up after being shot

He suggests that the games the children play can lead to attitudes which underplay real violence

Here, Russell uses foreshadowing to hint at the real violence of Act II when Mickey commits armed robbery and shoots Edward

Russell shows the negative male influences of Mickey’s childhood lead to violence:

He looks up to his aggressive older brother, Sammy, and tries to impress his friends by telling them he wants a real gun

This links the innocence of childhood games with real violence

Russell criticises typical childhood games which involve pretend warfare

In this scene, Russell’s stage directions reference the children becoming “bored with genocide” when they stop the game

He challenges the normalisation   of violence, suggesting children grow up to see it as a game

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Author: Sam Evans

Sam is a graduate in English Language and Literature, specialising in journalism and the history and varieties of English. Before teaching, Sam had a career in tourism in South Africa and Europe. After training to become a teacher, Sam taught English Language and Literature and Communication and Culture in three outstanding secondary schools across England. Her teaching experience began in nursery schools, where she achieved a qualification in Early Years Foundation education. Sam went on to train in the SEN department of a secondary school, working closely with visually impaired students. From there, she went on to manage KS3 and GCSE English language and literature, as well as leading the Sixth Form curriculum. During this time, Sam trained as an examiner in AQA and iGCSE and has marked GCSE English examinations across a range of specifications. She went on to tutor Business English, English as a Second Language and international GCSE English to students around the world, as well as tutoring A level, GCSE and KS3 students for educational provisions in England. Sam freelances as a ghostwriter on novels, business articles and reports, academic resources and non-fiction books.