Blood brothers Flashcards
Mrs J opening quote + inferences
“seven hungry mouths to feed and one more nearly due”
* she was left by her husband but society offers little sympathy
* Foreshadows the difficultly she will face with even more children
* ‘hungry’ demonstrates the daily struggle she faces to offer basic necessity
Mrs J development quote + inferences
“The shoes…the shoes”
* Shows her superstition and symbolises how her life is always on the edge of darkness
* Naïve and fragile character
Mrs J further on quote + inferences
“Y’ waitin for your y’ mum to give y’ a big sloppy kiss”
* Shows her genuine affection: loving and caring character
* Links to Mickey’s colloquial language = not good education
* Highlights the tragedy of not being able to offer her family stability but can offer love
Mrs J ending quote + inferences
“Living on the never never”
* Repetition shows the realisation that happiness is just out of reach for the poor
* They are always living on the edge of stability
* “Say its just a story” - Wants the tragedy to be fiction: has no power or control over the dramatic events, a bit like how the poor have no control over anything because of their class but rich do
* Highlights the fact that the poor have no independence but dependence on what the rich do (Mrs Lyons)
Dont talk about Mrs J vs Mrs L, talk instead about …
Rich vs Poor
Mrs L Opening quote + inferences
“It’s a lot of money but, well”
* Shows how the rich use money to control problems/situations
* She is controlling and manipulative
* No empathy for the poor/working class: only happy when the poor follow orders or they are of benefit to her needs
* Possibly shows how rich people are so divided from the poor as they are so privilaged that they dont even have to sort out their own problems, they just throw money at it and hope it goes away.
poor do what rich want = rich happy
poor not do what they are told = rich angry
Mrs L development quote + inferences
“You won’t tell anyone about this….you will kill them”
* Exclusive pronoun reveals direct aggression
* Foreshadows a violent approach towards Mrs J
* She is trying to control the situation with violence and is also playing on mrs J’s superstitious nature
* Repetition shows her losing control
Mrs L ending quote + inferences
SD: She turns mickey around and points out Edward and Linda
* Words not needed: she orchestrates the tragedy of the play
* Russell exaggerates the control and power the rich have on the poor by the agressive motion of turning mickey
* The poor/working class are at the mercy of the rich’s actions
