Blood Brother’s Flashcards
(15 cards)
What are the notes on Mrs Johnstone from page 16-25 in ‘Blood Brothers’?
Pg 16 - ‘But a debt is a debt and must be paid’ - debt has deeper meaning , links to idea of being price to pay, ultimate price made by Mrs Johnstone and Mrs Lyon’s for separating twins, repeated phrase throughout play.
Through play Russell uses extended metaphor comparing price pay for separating twins with of buying goods on ‘never never’, only method open to people living in poverty.
‘When y’look in the catalase ‘an there’s six months to pay, it seems years away…’ - highlights how cycle of poverty inescapable.
Pg 17 - song ‘Easy Terms’ explores theme of poverty and reminds audience of inevitable consequences of Mrs Johnstone’s actions.
‘Nothings yours on easy terms’ - not even her own child.
‘never sure who’s at the door’ - life of uncertainty.
Repetition of lines ‘you never ever learn…’ foreshadowing ultimate price of losing sons.
‘I’ll have a look in the catalogue next week…’ - Mrs Johnstone never going to learn lesson and never going to escape cycle of poverty.
Song ‘Shoes Upon the Table’ by Narrator about superstitions that affect people’s lives and consequence that will result as Mrs Johnstone has sold her son and no escape from this, foreshadows ultimate tragic ending.
What are the notes on Mrs Johnstone from page 35-58 in ‘Blood Brothers’?
Pg 42 - ‘take no notice of mothers. They’re soft.’ - dramatic irony as referring to Mrs J who is mother of them both.
Pg 47 - ‘you don’t want to end up in court again, do ya?’ - reinforces working class of Johnstone’s way policeman speaks to Mrs J, adverb alludes to fact children been in trouble with law more than once, no respect or compassion shown.
Mrs Johnstone shakes her head, - stage directions showing she knows not to argue or try and defend children as has been here before.
Pg 48 - ‘I warned you last time, didn’t I?’ - reinforcing Johnstone’s has had many run ins with police and law.
Pg 48 Mrs J - ‘where they don’t know my face and nobody’s heard of my name’ - showing she just wants fresh start, her and children can be given benefit of doubt.
Pg 54-58 - ‘bright new day, we’re moving away’ - foreshadowing and dramatic irony, Mrs J and family told moving to country, getting fresh start, audience aware this will not be case.
What are the notes on Mrs Johnstone from page 59-80 in ‘Blood Brothers’?
Pg 59 - ‘Mrs Johnstone moves forward to sing,’ - stage direction, Mrs J also opens Act 1.
Ph 59 - ‘Since I pay me bills on time…bread and eggs.’ - appears Mrs J no longer in debt and able to pay bills on time.
Pg 59 - ‘Says I’ve got legs like Marilyn Monroe.’ - recurring motif of MM, now she able to pay her bills on time, Mrs J has become desirable once again.
Pg 59 - ‘Mrs Johnstone and Joe dance’ - stage direction and recurring motif of dancing represents joyful and happy time.
Pg 59 - ‘I know our Sammy burnt the school down.’ - juxtaposes early dancing motif and reminder trouble will always find Mrs J, foreshadowing inevitable tragedies that will plague her life.
Pg 61 - ‘Not like Marilyn Monroe…’ - Mrs J hopes Edward living good life, unlike MM who ultimately took own life, however due to constant reference to MM, audience fell only matter of time before tragedy strikes characters once again, foreshadowing untimely deaths of twins.
Pg 62 - further outlines contrast in social class, routine of getting ready for school very different, Mrs J and Mickey seem more disorganised than Mrs L and Edward.
Pg 62 - lots of light-hearted and jovial dialogue between Mrs J and Mickey, outlining mother/son relationship.
Pg 63 - ‘Happy are y’?’ - dialogue, series of questions, Mrs J constantly questions decision to give up on of children, questions if new happy life will last forever, presence of narrator makes audience feel uneasy, foreshadows tragic events to come.
Pg 75 - ‘Do you still keep that locket I gave y?’ - even after all these years, Mrs J still remembers locket, her motherly love and role as nurturer will never fade.
Pg 77 - Mrs Johnstone lilting ‘We Go Dancing’ recurring motif of dancing, natural motherly instincts consume her as happy to have both sons close by once again.
Pg 78 - ‘I don’t want your money’ - through her dialogue, presents evolution in Mrs J’s character, social class remained same, but confidence and independence become stronger, no longer presented as “push over” she was in Act 1, now has advantage over Mrs L, who is higher class than her, has realised money cannot bring you happiness.
What are the notes on Mrs Johnstone from page 81-108 in ‘Blood Brothers’?
Pg 88 - ‘Mrs Johnstone:…you’ve not had much of a life with me, have y?’ - sympathy for Mrs J as has tried her best raising her children given her financial situation and everything she’s been through, dialogue foreshadows Mickey’s complaint at end of play that he wishes he’d be one given away.
What are the notes on Mrs Lyons from page 16-25 in ‘Blood Brothers’?
Pg 16 - ‘But a debt is a debt and must be paid’ - debt has deeper meaning, links to idea of being price to pay, ultimate price to be made by Mrs J and Mrs L for separating twins, repeated phrase throughout play.
Repetition of lines ‘you never ever learn…’ foreshadowing ultimate price of losing sons.
Pg 18 - ‘please,please’ - parallel to Mrs L language on Pg 12.
‘We made an agreement, a bargain.’ - again language of repaying and debt.
‘You swore on the Bible’ - Mrs L using superstition against Mrs J.
Pg 19 - ‘Mrs Lyon’s rapidly pulls out the padding…’ - stage direction, Mrs L behaviour becoming more unstable, can be interpreted as marking begin in golf her descent into mental instability.
Pg 20 - ‘Mrs Lyon’s in the background obviously agitated at Mrs Johnstone’s fussing…’ - Mrs L’s insecurity developing within ultimately contributed to mental breakdown.
‘she coos into the cot’ versus ‘if he needs picking up I shall pick him up’ - marked contrast between state directions to describe how Mrs J reacts to baby and Mrs L’s colder and more stern dialogue, throughout contrast between motherly attributes and mannerisms.
Pg 21 - ‘She’s always fussing over him…as if she were his mother.’ - Mrs L manipulating husband.
‘It’s this depression thing…’ - again implies downward spiral and foreshadows mental breakdown.
‘Mr Lyon’s (glancing at his watch)’ - stage direction, do you feel some degree of sympathy for Mrs L? She has husband who does not seem interested in her health or wellbeing. Craves attention and is lonely. Does this justify actions of emotionally bullying Mrs J into giving her one of twins.
‘(he hands her money)’ - prop symbol of wealth, contrast between Mrs L being given Monet and Mrs J constantly owing money.
Pg 22 - stage direction: (She pushes money into Mrs Johnstone’s hands) - trying to now physically bribe her.
Stage direction: (As Mrs Johnstone moves towards the cot Mrs Lyons roughly drags her out of the way) - highlights violence and foreshadows future violence through adverb and verb.
‘Edward is my son. Mine’ - possessive language illustrate Mrs L’s aggressive nature, Mrs J giving Edward away due to financial necessity not as she doesn’t love him, however, Mrs L through pronoun seems to view Edward as possession and not child she loves dearly.
‘You’ll be locked up’ - threatening and aggressive tone from Mrs L.
Stage direction: (Mrs Lyons stops her) - example of her violence, will continue to escalate as play develops when hits Edward arms attacks Mrs J with knife.
‘You’ll feel nobody…’ - threatening dialogue.
Pg 23 - ‘You do know what they say about twins, secretly parted don’t you?’ - audience witness Mrs L’s instability increasing, use of dramatic irony as foreshadows later breakdown, makes clear no matter how much she tries she cannot cope with fact Edward no her own son.
What are the notes on Mrs Lyons from page 35-58 in ‘Blood Brothers’?
‘The sort of thing a silly mother might say’ - Mrs L use of word ‘silly’ shows she thinks it’s trivial thing say, reference to social class system.
Pg 36 - can see panic and unease rising in Mrs L.
Pg 37 - stage direction: ‘Mrs Lyon’s hits Edward hard and instinctively’ - reacts without thinking and instantly regrets it, actions showing demise of her mental state.
Stage direction p: ‘she notices his terror on Edward’s face and realises how heavy she has been’ - showing her mental state, foreshadowing what will happen in Act 2.
Pg 44 - narrator appears - representing fear and paranoia of Mrs L, representing foreboding feeling from Mrs L, who once used superstition to manipulate Mrs J, however now starting to feel as equally as superstitious and believing own lies.
‘You know the devil’s got your number, you know he’s going to find you…’ - referring Mrs L lies will eventually catch up with her.
Can see demise in Mrs L mental state at this point, calls Mr L home from work in frantic state as has lost Edward.
Mr Lyons - ‘Look, Jen. What is this thing you keep talking about getting away from?Mm?’ - dramatic irony, she needs to run away from Mickey and fear manifesting in Mrs L making her nervous and act in hysterical way.
Pg 45 - Mrs L: ‘I just need to move away from this neighbourhood, because I’m frightened. I’m frightened for Edward.’ - dramatic irony, audience aware what really afraid of, afraid of truth getting out about Edward and losing everything , worried about Edward developing relationship with Mrs J and having more of bond with her, secret keeping inside making her hysterical and living in fear.
Can see in stage directions when ‘she rushes at he table and sweeps the shoes off’ - Mrs L once mocked Mrs J for being superstitious about shoes on table,, fee reflects racing mind and impulsive actions which very different from controlled lady at start of Act 1, shoes upon table reinforces theme of superstition and something foreboding going to happen.
Pg 50 - ‘she takes him. Cradles him, letting him cry’ - dramatic irony in stage directions, doing something mother would do for her son.
Pg 51 - ‘but keep it a secret eh Eddie?’ - dramatic irony and foreshadowing entire relationship so far based on secrecy and lies.
What are the notes on Mrs Lyons from page 59-80 in ‘Blood Brothers’?
Pg 61 - ‘On the other side of the state Mrs Lyons enters, waltzing with a very awkward fourteen-year-old Edward’ - Mrs L seems to be more motherly figure in scene, trying to teach son to dance, middle class etiquette.
Pg 61 - ‘…when you’re home for half term.’ - seems strange Mrs L so desperate for child but willing to send off on own.
Pg 61 - ‘Oh mummy…stop fussing…I’m going to be late.’ - nature Vs nurture? Mrs L is better mother due to Edward’s behaviour.
Pg 61 - ‘Yes. We’re safe here, aren’t we”’ - Mrs L’s dialogue seems slightly paranoid at this point, foreshadows inevitable confrontation between herself and Mrs J and reunion of boys.
Pg 62 - further outlines contrast in social class, routine of getting ready for school very different, Mrs J and Mickey more disorganised than Mrs L and Edward.
Pg 63 - ‘But you’ve got heaven am endin’, if a starts been made. No one gets off without the price bein’ paid.’ - ominous dialogue from narrator, more reference to debit and payment, Mrs L will pay ultimate price, foreshadows death of 2 brothers.
Pg 68 - ‘There is a pause’ - stage direction creates tension as secret of locket and origins about to be revealed to Mrs L.
Pg 68 - ‘I know it’s from a girlfriend, isn’t it?’ - dramatic irony as audience fully aware that Mrs J gave locket but Mrs L completely unaware, undoubtably some sympathy for Mrs L as believed she finally escape past by moving to new house years before.
Pg 68 - Music recurring motif, change mood and atmosphere, symbolises Mrs L’s realisation that her finally caught up with her, foreshadows downwards spiral to paranoia and insanity.
Pg 69 - ‘I never looked a bit like Mickey’ - by questioning son about being photographed with Mrs J, Mrs L starting to lose grip on lie and façade she created, foreshadows inevitable moment when truth ultimately come out into open.
Pg 69 - ‘…but I’m your mother.’ - dramatic irony as audience know isn’t true, link to themes of nature Vs nurture, seem while Mrs L nurtured Edward, seems to had neutral bond to Mrs J and Mickey, sympathy for Mrs L once again has to defend and justify her role as Edward’s mother.
Pg 69 - ‘…everybody has secrets, don’t you have secrets?’ - dramatic irony, Mrs L keeping ultimate secret all these years, Mrs L unable to tell son truth as her superstitious nature would lead her to believe if Mickey and Edward discovered secret, would die.
Pg 69-70 - narrator once agains brings ominous atmosphere, reminds audience Mrs L unable to outrun past, foreshadows inevitable moment when secret finally revealed, biblical reference to devil.
Pg 74 - ‘making up her mind she quickly goes and fetches a coat, the follows the two boys.’ - stage directions and adverb reflect paranoia and fear, afraid she losing her son and secret revealed.
Pg 75 - ‘Come on then, before my ma sees me. She’s off her beam, my ma…’ - Edward makes fun of mother’s mental health, starting to deteriorate and foreshadows erratic behaviour with Mrs J later on in play.
Pg 75 - ‘become secure… ever be found..debts to pay…’ - anaphora, narrator reminds Mrs L even with wealth and social background, unable to outrun past and will pay price for deceit, foreshadows death of 2 brothers as price both mothers will lay for lying.
Pg 7n - ‘Mrs Lyons appear in the kitchen’ - stage direction audience get glimpse of Mrs L’s erratic and strange behaviour, enters Mrs J’s home without invitation or formal permission, behaviour only gets worse from this point, ag urged drive by jealousy and hatred towards Mrs J as Edward always seem drawn naturally to biological mother.
Pg 77 - ‘Are you always going to follow me?’ - Mrs L’s dialogue presents her as troubled and paranoid woman, argued driven mad due to extreme love for Edward, do anything to keep him safe, keep away from Mrs J.
Pg 78 - ‘…just for a while I cam to believe that he was actually mine.’ - Mrs L admits always battled with knowledge Edward not really her son, suggesting nature more powerful than nurture.
Pg 78 - ‘Nut you won’t ruin Edward! Is it money you want?’ - see Mrs L’s manipulate and patronising personality, believes Seconal calls gives her advantage and can control Mrs J through Promise of ‘thousands’, sympathy for Mrs L as so desperate to keep son to herself and drive by love willing to go to extreme.
Pg 78 - ‘Like a shadow unless…I can…make…you go… but you won’t’ - Mrs L stinted dialogue presented by use of ellipsis reflects her broken and fragile state of mind.
Pg 79 - ‘Mrs Lyons has opened the knife drawer…lethal-looking kitchen knife in her hand…Mrs Johnstone, unaware, has her back to her…Mrs Lyons lunges again…’ - stage direction paired with violent verb presents Mrs L’s aggressive, violent and unpredictable nature, descent into madness presented through her abrupt and violent behaviour seen many times, attired driven by extreme love as willing to murder biological mother just to keep from knowing truth, her way of protecting him.
Pg 79 - ‘Witch (suddenly pointing) I cure you. Witch!’ - Mrs L gone through Chang Erin character, represented through mental state, laughter at Mrs J’s superstitious beliefs in Act 1, in fragile state, now starts to believe in superstitious actions, cursing Mrs J.
Pg 79 - ‘high upon the hill’ - geographically, Mrs L no longer viewed as being higher class, height no longer represents superiority, house on hill connotations of madness and fear.
Pg 79 - ‘Mad woman’ - Mrs L social class can’t save her from new reputation as mad woman children fear.
Pg 79 - ‘Never eat the sweets she gives.’ - advice give child about dangerous strangers, no longer viewed as motherly figure, no longer has any natural motherly qualities.
For woman that has everything, still not satisfied and as result now lost sanity, soured everything done to protect her son.
What are the notes on Mrs Lyons from page 81-108 in ‘Blood Brothers’?
Pg 103 - ‘Mrs Lyons enters and goes to Mickey’ ‘…she points out Edward and Linda to him.’ - stage directions, Mrs L seems to have lost all motherly feelings and connections with Edward by betraying him, aggressive given her mental health, wasn’t fully aware of what she was doing and consequences of her actions.
What are the notes on Linda from page 35-58 in ‘Blood Brothers’?
Pg 41 - introduction of Linda - same age as Mickey and same social class, protects and mothers Mickey from outset, foreshadowing that she does this throughout play.
What are the notes on Linda from page 59-80 in ‘Blood Brothers’?
Pg 70 - ‘he walks away from her’ savage direction shows Mickey finds difficult to express his feelings for Linda, foreshadows their crumbling relationship later on, Linda walks away from Mickey into arms of Edward.
Pg 70 - ‘She puts her hands on her waist’ - stage direction shows levels of maturity between Linda and Mickey, she wants something physically, Mickey not ready, foreshadowing dynamics of future relationship, Linda always willing to give to relationship in contrast to Mickey.
Pg 71 - ‘You…I give up with you…’ - dialogue foreshadows inevitable demise of their relationship as adults.
What are the notes on Linda from page 81-108 in ‘Blood Brothers’?
Pg 82 - ‘…a game of piggy in the middle. When Linda is caught in the middle the game freezes.’ - game of piggy in middle with Linda caught in middle foreshadows how she will get caught in love triangle between two brothers, one of many factors why Mickey decided to confront Edward at end of play.
Pg 82 - ‘The price she’ll have to pay for just being there?’ - dialogue in form of rhetorical question foreshadows that like Mrs J and Mrs L, Linda will be affected by tragic end, but exempt from any blame as caught up by just being there.
Pg 83 - ‘Edward down on on knee and kissing her hand.’ - stage direction foreshadows growing sexual relationship between Edward and Linda and to his eventual marriage proposal.
Pg 93. ‘I heard you had friends. I didn’t like butting in.’ - differences in social class now coming between Edward and Linda, Linda feel up out of place surrounded by middle class background.
Pg 94 - ‘Didn’t Mickey tell y’? We got married two weeks before you cam home…’ - Edward could offer Linda secure and happy life due to his social background and financial security, however she rejects it and stays loyal to Mickey, makes Mickey’s betrayal of Linda, getting into trouble himself, all more dramatic.
Pg 96 - ‘Bur I’ve ironed him a shirt.’ - reminding audience supposed to be good day when went out dancing and positive connotations dancing motif has had throughout play, sympathy for Linda as Edward gave her opportunity to leave and be happy, however stands by husband, paying price for loyalty.
Pg 98 - Linda’s life presented in very negative light in this scene, stage direction describes her as ‘weighted down by shopping bags’ and as ‘weary’.
Pg 101 - narrator contrasts ‘young girl’ Linda with woman has become, life has become dull and mundane, phone call to Edward presented as girl wanting to ‘get free’ and idea of ‘song’ or ‘melody’ used to represent happiness girl remembers and wants to rediscover, risk highlighted in final 2 lines by suggestion will be ‘price ‘ for this happiness.
What are the notes on Mickey from page 16-25 in ‘Blood Brothers’?
Pg 24 - ‘our Sammy robbed me other gun…’ - foreshadowing Sammy stealing gun when is an adult to carry out robbery, failed robbery will lead to Mickey and Edward’s deaths.
Pg 25 - stage direction: ‘aiming the gun at her and firing’ - foreshadows tragic ending.
Pg 25 - ‘…with those hooligans down at the rough end.’ - emphasises theme of class division.
What are the notes on Mickey from page 35-58 in ‘Blood Brothers’?
‘Hi-ya, Eddie. I’ve got our Sammy’s catapult. Y’comin’ out?’ - colloquial language used by Mickey, reinforcing social class difference between boys.
Pg 37-38 - theme of violence begins to expand as neighbourhood children play game with toy guns, illustrates how common violence is in world, also how naïve children are bout full implications of their games.
‘you know that is you cross your fingers and you count from 1-10…The whole things is just a game.’ - what starts of as game and finishes with their deaths.
‘Like your twin y died, didn’t he, when he was a baby.’ - even at young age of 7 have been subjected to tragedy and hardship.
What are the notes on Mickey from page 59-80 in ‘Blood Brothers’?
Pg 62 - ‘I never. That was - a line out of the school play!’ - uses humour to establish Mickey going through awkward coming of age stage in his life.
Pg 62 - lots of light-hearted and jovial dialogue between Mrs Mickey, outlining mother/son relationship, Mickey at times comes across bit harsh but further adds to his awkwardness and how unable to express himself.
Pg 63 - ‘Mickey (handing over his money)’ - stage direction highlighting even from young age, Mickey is handing money over, not receiving it, foreshadows loss of his job later which ultimately leads to life of violence, drug abuse and poverty.
Pg 67 - ‘How the hell do you hope to get a job…’ - because of working class background and education, Mickey destined to fail due to lack of opportunity presented to him, foreshadows hi struggles and life of unemployment, further leads to life of poverty.
Pg 67 - ‘…I was lookin for a job in an African restaurant.’ - mentality of working class, Mickey unable to see value in education as no one in family have qualifications, due to upbringing, destined to lead life of typical working class man.
Pg 71-72 - ‘If I was like him’ - dramatic irony, brothers don’t recognise each other after 7 years apart, both boys brought up very differently but both want what other has, ultimately, both want same thing to be better than who they are, to impress girls.
Pg 73 - ‘Hi. Gis a ciggie?’ - moment and dialogue parallel first encounter, Mickey still one asking for something and Edward still able to provide, brothers destined to meet once again, highlighted in how similar encounter is with first meeting.
Pg 79 - ‘They are both quite overcome with their celluloid encounter.’ - stage directions very humorous to show how boys are overwhelmed by what just witnessed, shows themes of friendship and growing up, brothers sharing these experiences together.
Pg 79-80 - ‘Naked knockers’ ‘Tennis with tits’ - humorous dialogue shows naivety and immaturity of the boys, shows how different social classes can still enjoy each other’s company.
What are the notes on Mickey from page 81-108 in ‘Blood Brothers’?
Pg 84 - ‘Linda: Je must be workin’ overtime.’ - through her dialogue Linda establishing childhood playtime and innocence is over as Mickey has become more permanent member of working class, doing overtime for extra wages, out of necessity, theme of growing up.
Pg 86 - ‘I had to do overtime. I hate the soddin’ place.’ - Mickey now become typical working class, forced to do overtime job he doesn’t like in order to support himself, unlike Edward, Mickey can’t go to university and explore other options, working class background prevents him from doing so.
Pg 87 - ‘…I’m gonna do loads of overtime between now and then, so the Christmas party’s gonna be on me…’ - even though Mickey now earning money, still in life of poverty, forced to do overtime so can afford to take Edward out in few months’ time.
Pg 88 - ‘They’ve started layin’ people off.’ - foreshadows Mickey will lose his job, narrator’s premonition already beginning to become, Mickey seems destined to fail, can’t escape his fate.
Pg 88 - ‘Mickey remains in his working clothes…’ - stage direction highlights even on his special day, he is unable to afford suit and forced to wear work clothes, creates impression he will have to go back to work as soon as ceremony is over, costume further labels him as working class citizen.
Pg 88 - ‘A managing director enters and sings as his secretary, Miss Jones, takes notes.’ - stage directions juxtaposes marriage scene also taking place, highlights working class has no hope of happy life and makes loss of Mickey’s job even more tragic, obviously had plans of better life with Linda that will now go unfulfilled, highlights theme of fate, no matter what he does, Mickey destined to failed, potentially due to his social class.
