Literature Paper 2

Blood Brothers

Revision and Exam Preparation

April 2019

Name:Class:

The musical Blood Brothers begins as its Narrator tells the audience about the Johnstone twins, Mickey and Edward, who were separated at birth and died on the same day. We next meet the twins’ mother, Mrs. Johnstone, a lower class woman who was abandoned by her husband after giving birth to five children, and while pregnant with another. She reminisces about the days when she used to go dancing with her husband, who made her feel like Marilyn Monroe. Now, however, her life is a never-ending cycle of unpaid bills and hungry children. She works at the house of Mrs. Lyons, a wealthy woman who longs for a child of her own.

Mrs. Johnstone is devastated to find that she’s carrying twins. There’s no way she can afford to feed two more mouths. An unlikely solution presents itself, however, in the form of Mrs. Lyons, who pleads to take one of the twins—but only if Mrs. Johnstone swears, on the Bible, never to reveal the truth of their bargain. The Narrator warns that misfortunes will follow. Soon after, Mrs. Johnstone gives birth, and as Mrs. Lyons takes one of her twin boys away, the poorer woman laments all the debts she’s had to pay. When she goes home, she lies to her children, telling them that one of the twins has died.

The musical Blood Brothers begins as its Narrator tells the audience about the Johnstone twins, Mickey and Edward, who were separated at birth and died on the same day. We next meet the twins’ mother, Mrs. Johnstone, a lower class woman who was abandoned by her husband after giving birth to five children, and while pregnant with another. She reminisces about the days when she used to go dancing with her husband, who made her feel like Marilyn Monroe. Now, however, her life is a never-ending cycle of unpaid bills and hungry children. She works at the house of Mrs. Lyons, a wealthy woman who longs for a child of her own.

Mrs. Johnstone is devastated to find that she’s carrying twins. There’s no way she can afford to feed two more mouths. An unlikely solution presents itself, however, in the form of Mrs. Lyons, who pleads to take one of the twins—but only if Mrs. Johnstone swears, on the Bible, never to reveal the truth of their bargain. The Narrator warns that misfortunes will follow. Soon after, Mrs. Johnstone gives birth, and as Mrs. Lyons takes one of her twin boys away, the poorer woman laments all the debts she’s had to pay. When she goes home, she lies to her children, telling them that one of the twins has died.

After Mrs. Johnstone returns to work, Mrs. Lyons grows jealous and suspicious, believing that Mrs. Johnstone is paying too much attention to the new baby. She proceeds to fire Mrs. Johnstone—and when the cleaning lady tries to take her baby back, Mrs. Lyons, knowing Mrs. Johnstone to be superstitious, comes up with a fatal lie. She tells Mrs. Johnstone that if two twins, separated at birth, ever learn the truth about their origins, they will die on the spot. Horrified, Mrs. Johnstone agrees to keep their secret. The Narrator warns that one day the Devil will come to punish the two women.

Seven years pass, and Mickey, the twin who stayed with Mrs. Johnstone, grows up in a rough-and-tumble environment. Edward, who grew up believing Mrs. Lyons to be his mother, matures in the lap of luxury. When still boys, the two meet by chance, and become fast friends. When they find that they share a birthday, they agree to become “blood brothers,” allying against Mickey’s bullying older brother, Sammy. When Mrs. Johnstone realizes that the two have met, she is horrified, and sends Edward away. Mrs. Lyons reacts even more violently, and contemplates uprooting her entire family in order to escape.

Despite their mothers’ disapproval, Mickey and Edward continue to see each other, and we witness a series of children’s games (many involving guns), as the two boys play with their other friend, Linda. The trio gets up to various pranks, eventually drawing the attention of the police, who threaten Mrs. Johnstone while flattering Mr. Lyons. Mrs. Lyons takes this moment to move her family to the country, despite Edward’s lack of enthusiasm. Before Edward leaves, however, Mrs. Johnstone gives him a locket with a picture of herself and Mickey, so that he can always remember them. The boys are lonely without each other, but the first act ends on an optimistic note: Mrs. Johnstone’s family is being relocated to the country as well, a move that she hopes will remove her children from a life of crime and squalor, and will help her to forget the sins of her past.

As Act Two opens, seven years have passed, and the boys are now fourteen. Both have become interested in girls, but feel awkward and unsure. Mickey and Linda, meanwhile, clearly have romantic feelings for each other, but Mickey’s lack of confidence has thus far kept them from any real connection. A moment of violence ruins this relatively calm beginning, as Sammy, now a full-fledged juvenile delinquent, attempts to rob a bus.

Mickey and Edward both struggle at school, with Mickey insulting a teacher, and Edward refusing to take off the locket despite his posh boarding school’s dress code. When Mrs. Lyons learns of his disobedience, she’s appalled, and she becomes even more upset when she sees the contents of the locket. The Narrator returns once again to remind Mrs. Lyons, and us, that the devil will be coming eventually.

After a failed romantic interaction with Linda, Mickey spots Edward, wishing that he could be suave and cool like “that guy.” Edward, meanwhile, longs for what he sees as Mickey’s freedom. The two meet, and after a moment, joyfully recognize each other. The two decide to see a porn film together, and set off for Mrs. Johnstone’s house together so that Mickey can get money—unaware that Mrs. Lyons is following them. Mrs. Johnstone is shocked but delighted to see her long-lost son. After the boys exit, Mrs. Lyons emerges. She accuses Mrs. Johnstone of stealing Edward’s affection, and claims that her son was never hers. She becomes violent, and attacks Mrs. Johnstone with a kitchen knife. Although eventually disarmed, she curses Mrs. Johnstone, calling her a witch, before exiting.

The boys meet up with Linda and experience yet another scrape with the police, before deciding to spend the summer together. An idyllic sequence follows, in which the trio transitions from fourteen to eighteen, glorying in the joys of youth and summer, even as the Narrator warns that soon, both their joy and their childhood will end. At eighteen, Edward—who has developed feelings for Linda—is going to university, while Mickey is working in a factory. With some encouragement from the self-sacrificing Edward, Mickey asks Linda to be his girlfriend, and she enthusiastically accepts.

In October, Mickey gives Mrs. Johnstone news: Linda is pregnant, and the two will be getting married. Their wedding, however, coincides with a severe economic downturn, and Mickey is fired. By the time that Edward returns for the Christmas holiday, his friend is downtrodden and careworn. Mickey tells Edward that he is still a child, and doesn’t know anything about life, claiming that the idea of blood brothers was just “kid stuff.” A rejected Edward meets up with Linda and confesses his love to her, but leaves after finding that she has married Mickey and is pregnant.

Mickey, impoverished and desperate, agrees to participate in a burglary with Sammy. The crime goes awry, and Sammy murders someone; he and Mickey are sentenced to jail. Imprisoned, Mickey becomes depressed, and is prescribed addictive antidepressants. After he’s released, he continues taking the pills, despite the pleas of his mother and his wife. Eventually, a desperate Linda asks Edward, now a city councilman, for help finding an apartment and getting Mickey a job. After Mickey reacts with anger at her efforts, the devastated Linda seeks comfort with Edward, and begins an affair with him.

As the two carry on their affair, Mickey resolves to stop taking his pills, for Linda’s sake. He’s derailed when Mrs. Lyons—fully unhinged—reveals Linda and Edward’s affair. The enraged Mickey finds a gun and sets out to confront Edward, followed by a distraught Linda and Mrs. Johnstone. The Narrator warns that the devil has arrived. Finding Edward in the town hall, Mickey accuses him not simply of the affair, but of secretly fathering his child, which Edward denies. As Mickey continues to threaten Edward with the gun, Mrs. Johnstone bursts in and tells the young men the truth: that they are twins, separated at birth. This revelation completely unhinges Mickey, however, as he realizes that he could be the one living Edward’s life. As he gesticulates wildly with the gun, he accidentally shoots and kills his twin, and is immediately shot and killed by the police in turn. The play ends with this horrific and bloody tableau, as the Narrator wonders what really killed the twins: superstition, or the British class system?

BLOOD BROTHERS: NOTES FOR REVISION

Characters and their relationships within ‘Blood Brothers’

Mrs Johnstone and Mrs LyonsA large part of the tension throughout the text hangs on the superstition that Mrs Lyons uses to trap Mrs Johnstone into silence: should Mickey and Eddie discover their brotherhood, they will both die.

Throughout the play, we see the huge contrast between Mrs Lyons and Mrs Johnstone. At the beginning of the play, the Narrator describes Mrs Johnstone as ‘the mother, so cruel’ – but is this what we are led to think of Mrs Johnstone? For instance, how do we react to the scene where Mrs Johnstone allows the boys to go to the cinema to watch the ‘Swedish Au Pairs’ film? We know that Mrs Lyons would not be as liberal. We see that Mrs Johnstone has a better understanding and acceptance of the fact that young boys will be sexually curious and she does not try to suppress their curiosity. We see her as down-to-earth and the more approachable mother – she of course wins instant credibility with her two sons. This moment is also an example that indicates that happiness during upbringing is not assured by social status or wealth.

Rather than viewing Mrs Johnstone as a cruel character, we tend to sympathise with her dilemma. We see her handle her house full of children with endless patience and tenderness. Despite being trapped by her social position and her lack of funds, she is down-to-earth and does not see money as the answer to all of her problems. We see her refuse money from the desperate Mrs Lyons –

MRS LYONS: Thousands… I’m talking about thousands if you want it, and think what you could do with money like that.MRS JOHNSTONE: I’d spend it. I’d buy more junk and trash; that’s all. I don’t want your money. I’ve made a life here. It’s not much of one maybe, but I made it.

In contrast, Mrs Lyons is very conscious of her social position and the above scene indicates that she sees money as a solution to the problems of Mrs Johnstone. Mrs Lyons is also portrayed as a cold woman who doesn’t show much emotion. She is very over-protective of Eddie and fears his bond with the Johnstones. Later in the play this fear becomes more evident and she appears as a neurotic, obsessive character who appears to be losing control as evident when she attempts to attack Mrs Johnstone with a kitchen knife.

Mrs.Lyons is initially presented as a good woman, however, this quickly changes as she manipulates Mrs Johnstone and then stops her from seeing Edward. As Edward grows up, she is shown to be increasingly paranoid that her secret will be found out, and she tries to control Eddie. The challenging part of her character is the fact that Mrs. Lyons is not on stage that much. So to portray her going from a genteel woman to descending into madness is difficult.

Mickey and EddieFor the audience, the delight of watching Mickey and Eddie’s friendship blossom is the knowledge that they are brothers, the fact of which they are unaware. This sense of dramatic irony is a point of humour throughout the play, but also a reminder of the superstitious curse that Mrs Lyons has inflicted – and the foreknowledge of what is going to happen as is revealed at the start of the play.

In the first half of the play, Mickey appears as a childhood ringleader, and a hero-figure for Eddie, who is in awe of Mickey’s unrestrained energy. The audience witness their natural bond unfold, and as their inhibitions fall away, we notice that they appear more alike.In contrast, we see Eddie becoming the role model towards the end of the play. We appreciate him more for his foundations – he holds a good job and is considerate of Linda when Mickey rebukes her. We see the brothers grow apart again, as Eddie prospers and Mickey faces imprisonment and falls into depression.

Mickey: Low class, soft-hearted, good natured and easily influenced.The life of Mickey's character starts getting very hard, with him being married at 18, his wife expecting a child, and to make things worse, he realizes towards the end that he knowingly or unknowingly is dependent on his best friend Eddie, for almost everything in his life.

Eddie: The other Johnstone twin, grows up in the privileged Lyon’s household, and is raised sheltered. In reality, he is shown to want to break away from his inhibitions and lead a life like Mickey's. In the first half of the play, his role is played almost to the point of caricature. In a way, they both want to be like each other, but for very different reasons. While Eddie wants everything Mickey has, that money can't buy, Mickey on the other hand wants the material aspects of Eddie's life.

Class differences:

Quotations: Edward Read the following quotations and explore what they reveal about Edward’s character, ideas about

social class and ideas about education.

1. EDWARD: Hello, Mrs Johnstone. How are you?MRS JOHNSTONE: You what?EDWARD: I'm sorry. Is there something wrong?MRS JOHNSTONE: No, I just ... I don't usually have kids enquiring about my health. I'm alright. An' how are you, Master Lyons?EDWARD: Very well, thank you.MRS JOHNSTONE: Yeh. You look it. Does your mother look after you?EDWARD: Of course. 2. My best friend, he could swear like a soldier.You would laugh till you died all the stories he told you.He was untidy from Monday till FridayI wish that I could be likeKick a ball and climb a tree likeRun around with dirty knees like my friend. 3. If I was him I'd bring you flowers and ask you dance.We'd while away the hours making future plansFor rainy days in country lanes and trips to the seaI'd just tell you that I love you if it was me.But I'm not saying a word...

4. EDWARD: What's wrong, Mickey? MICKEY: Nothin'. How's University?EDWARD: Mickey, it's fantastic. I haven't been to so many parties in my life. And there's just so many tremendous people, but you'll meet them, Mickey, some of them - Baz, Ronnie and Clare and, ooh, lots of them. They're coming over to stay for the New Year, for the party. Ooh it's just ... it's great, Mickey. 5. Why is a job so important? If I couldn't get a job, I'd just say, sod it and draw the dole, live like a bohemian, tilt my hat to the world and say 'screw you'. So you're not working. Why is it so important? 6. MICKEY: How's University?EDWARD: I thought we were always stuck together. I thought we were ... blood brothers.MICKEY: That was kid's 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.

Quotations: MickeyRead the following quotations and explore what they reveal about Mickey’s character, ideas about

social class and ideas about education.

1. My best friend always had sweets to share he

Knew every word in the dict-i-on-ar-y.

He was clean, neat and tidy from Monday till Friday

I wish that I could be like

Wear clean clothes, talk properly like,

Do sums and History like my friend.

2. EDWARD: Mickey, what's wrong?

MICKEY: You - you're a dick head! There are no parties arranged. there is no booze or music.

Christmas? I'm sick to the teeth of Christmas an' it isn't even here yet. See, there's very little to

celebrate, Eddie. Since you left I've been walking around all day, every day, lookin' for a job....

EDWARD: What about the job you had?

MICKEY: It disappeared. Y' know something, I bleedin' hated that job, standin' there all day never doin'

nothin' but cardboard boxes together... But after three months of nothin', I'd crawl back to that job for

half the pay and double the hours.

3. 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's stuff. But I can't, because while no one was looking I grew up ... 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? So just take yourself away. Go an' see your friends an' celebrate with them. Go on ...

beat it before I hit y'.

4. MICKEY: Get dressed up. I'm takin' y' out. We're goin' dancin', right? Then we're goin' for a slap-

up meal an' tomorrow you can go into town an' get some new clothes.

LINDA: Oh yeh? Where's the money comin' from?

MICKEY: Look, stop arguin' will y'? I'm doin' some work an' then I'm takin' you out.

SAMMY: Mickey!

LINDA: Is that your Sammy?

MICKEY: Now shut up Linda. Right? Just make sure you're ready at eight...

LINDA: Mickey... Mickey... No!

5. LINDA: What are y' doin?

MICKEY: I'm takin' me tablet ... I need to take them ... The doctor - he said, about me nerves. An' how I

get depressed an' I need to take these because they make me better...

LINDA: I get depressed, but I don't take those. You don't need those, Mickey.

MICKEY: Leave me alone, will y'? I can't cope with this. I'm not well. the doctor said, didn't he, I'm not

well ... I can't do things ... leave me alone.

6. I didn't sort anything 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' Councillor Eddie Lyons.

Now give me the tablets ... I need them.

Where are the fathers?Russell, despite being male, does not show great support of the father figures withinBlood Brothers and instead shows more sympathy for the role of motherhood and thenotions of tenderness and nurturing. Mr Lyons plays a relatively small part in the show, often away on business, whilst Mr Johnstone appears at the beginning of the performance as a womaniser who leaves Mrs Johnstone in the lurch with children in tow.In regard to parenthood and brotherhood, can we assume that Russell views the bond of brotherhood to be inseparable, and that nature and truth will out?

Genre: Tragedy

The definition of tragedy can vary. Key elements of the genre usually include a hero who, through a flaw in their personality or because of an error of judgement, meets their inevitable doom. In Shakespearian tragedy, the hero is often a high status character who loses everything, largely through their own flawed choices, while the decisions or actions of other characters also contribute to their suffering.

In Blood Brothers, Mickey and Edward seem to display some of the features of tragic heroes: they certainly meet an unhappy end which Russell presents as inevitable by revealing it at the start of the play. At almost precisely halfway through Act Two Mickey has a best friend and a job, he gets married and is going to have a baby; by the end of the play he is addicted to pills; has lost his best friend, his job and his wife; and believes Edward may be the father of his child. In that sense, the tragedy of Blood Brothers is very much Mickey’s tragedy – and, just as they shared everything throughout their childhood, he shares it with his twin, killing Edward before he is shot himself.

In one sense, Russell presents their tragic end as the inevitable consequence of decisions taken by Mrs Johnstone and Mrs Lyons when the twins were born. It could be suggested that Mrs Johnstone’s poverty and Mrs Lyons’s desperate jealousy are the personality flaws that spark the inevitable tragedy. However, Mickey and Edward’s own decisions contribute to their end: Mickey’s decision to join Sammy in the robbery, and Edward’s decision to have an affair with Linda. Ultimately, Russell suggests, through the Narrator, that it is 'class' which causes their downfall: the society in which they grew up.

Key Issues and Themes

• Childhood and adolescence - friendship, identity.• Nature or Nurture? • The social class system• Surrogate parenthood• Superstition

Themes:

The social class system and inequality:The grouping of people by occupations. The different positions represent different levels of power, influence, opportunity and wealth.

Russell believed that the class you belong to determines - to a large extent - your chances in life. In Blood Brothers, these differences are extreme, and Russell describes them very dramatically. In the play, class is an active and destructive force, infiltrating and perverting at least Mickey's life, and eventually destroying both brothers. Russell does not deal crassly with even this great force in his characters' lives; there is insight and true-life complexity in his treatment of the issues, and both brothers long for aspects of the other's life - 'I wish that I could be like my friend'. But the class divide wins out in the end and destroys them both.

In 'Blood Brothers' Mrs Johnstone lives working class liverpool struggling to bring up eight children on her own and is forced to give one away to keep the others clothed and fed well enough, whereas Mrs Lyons, whom she works for, lives in a large house, very comfortably in a nice part of Liverpool, she wants children but is unable to have any, even though she is rich, unlike Mrs Johnstone.

We see social class as a conflict, mirroring the battle between the two mothers. We also see Mickey and Eddie overcoming the class boundaries to secure a bond of friendship and affection. On stage there are several indications of the class separation that cannot be made as apparent in the text:

-The use of costume immediately causes us to make an assumption about each character. Eddie appears with his clothes neatly pressed – Mickey appears as if he has just been ‘dragged out of a hedge backwards’.

- On the stage, the accents can also be brought to life, again reminding us of the conflict between the classes. Eddie and the Lyons are well-spoken, traditional of the middle and higher classes – suggesting a good education and elocution lessons. The Johnstone family share a broad Liverpudlian accent, suggesting the lack of a ‘proper’ education and implying a connotation of ‘commonness’.

Nature vs nurture:The relative significance of a person’s inborn individuality, which is considered as "nature" versus individual experiences, which is "nurture", in shaping or causing differences in physical and behavioural character.

How much does the debate of Nature vs Nurture feature in Russell’s depiction of thebrothers? Do we think that an individual’s identity is formed by the process in which they are nurtured, or raised, or does Russell suggest that heredity (nature) influences an individual’s identity and ingrains a sense of belonging that runs back to your roots?We see that Eddie has been nurtured into a well-spoken, middle-class boy, whereas his twin remains a working-class ruffian. However, when Eddie returns to the Johnstone household we see a change that suggests he is going back to his roots.It is also possible to suggest that fate and heredity are working together to bring the brothers back together.

Surrogacy:

Throughout the play we view the idea of surrogacy as a dangerous concept. We see from the very beginning that Mrs Johnstone is reluctant to give away her own child, and in turn we witness Mrs Lyons’ manipulative nature as she coerces Mrs Johnstone into parting with her son. Again, we encounter the idea of ‘Nature or Nurture?’ Mrs Lyons tries her best to make Eddie her own, bringing him up the way she desires; however, Eddie still finds his way back to his roots. Mrs Lyons suffers a dreadful insecurity as a consequence of this, revealing herself as an obsessive and quite aggressive character.

We know from the beginning that Mickey and Eddie’s separation is going to end in tragedy,so we always foresee their parting as a bad idea. Despite this, we are encouraged to question the ethic and moral issues surrounding the idea of surrogacy.

Superstition:A belief resulting from ignorance, fear of the unknown, trust in magic or chance, or a false conception of causation.

The superstition imposed upon the play by Mrs Lyons – that should either Mickey or Eddie discover that they are one of a pair, they both will die – becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy – we are reminded constantly of this curse by the Narrator’s repetition of the song, ‘Shoes Upon the Table’.How does the theme of superstition affect the pace of the text/play?

Love and SuperstitionLove is a theme, shown by the two women who love their sons but show it in completely different ways. Along with superstition, this is the basis of the whole story and is a theme that continues throughout the whole play, the consequences of most of the happenings can be traced back to superstition. It is also the reason for the tragic end of the play.

Guilt:Mrs Johnstone is fulfilled with the theme of guilt throughout most of the play because of giving her son Edward away to Mrs Lyons.It could be said that Mrs Lyons feels guilt because she has lied to everyone about Edward being her own son - she lied to her husband, friends, family and even Edward himself – and it could be said that it is guilt that leads to her mental decline.

Mickey also becomes to feeling guilt because he is so depressed he cannot support himself or his family (Linda and their child) and he has to rely on Linda and Mrs Johnstone to actually support him.

Childhood and Adolescence

Through Russell’s depiction of childhood in Blood Brothers, we witness two brothersexperience very different upbringings. The contrast between the two brothers, who meet and become friends, brings humour to the first half of the performance.

Eddie seems to have suffered from a lack of freedom in his childhood, as even when we first meet him as a child, he is very adult in his mannerisms and is polite and contained. We sense that Mrs Lyons has been overprotective and has not allowed her young son to interact with other children in messy, noisy childhood games. So it is with awe that Eddie learns from Mickey who is totally untamed; whilst Eddie rides his imaginary horse with the graceful air of a dignitary, Mickey’s horse is wild and foaming at the mouth.

In Blood Brothers Russell explores the ideas of fate and destiny and creates dramatic ironythrough the audience’s foreknowledge of the twins’ grim fate, whilst the brothers remainignorant of their demise. This accentuates the sense of childhood innocence in the firsthalf of the performance. We see Mickey and Eddie indulge in childhood games of gunfights, which we find more poignant as we already foresee their death-scene. This also brings a bitter taste of irony to Mickey’s involvement in a shooting later in the play. This in turn leads to his incarceration, depression and the desperation in which he pulls a gun on his best friend and brother.

How much does the debate of Nature vs Nurture feature in Russell’s depiction of thebrothers? Do we think that an individual’s identity is formed by the process in which they are nurtured, or raised, or does Russell suggest that heredity (nature) influences an individual’s identity and ingrains a sense of belonging that runs back to your roots?

We see that Eddie has been nurtured into a well-spoken, middle-class boy, whereas his twin remains a working-class ruffian. However, when Eddie returns to the Johnstone household we see a change that suggests he is going back to his roots. It is also possible to suggest that fate and heredity are working together to bring the brothers back together. The bond of their friendship disregards childhood fickleness and has a true air of sincerity.

Issues to bear in mind:The role of the narrator:Is he sympathetic but detached?Is he an evil or a good character?He appears dressed in a black suit: we cannot identify anything about his character, thus giving him a neutral status and a sense of anonymity.Other characters do not acknowledge him: this gives him a ghost-like quality.

His main role throughout the show is to act as a constant reminder to us of the brothers’ tragic fate – exemplified in the musical number ‘Shoes Upon the Table’, which is repeated

throughout both acts of the show. It is also notable that as the show commences with the scene of the finale, his attire is like that of somebody who is attending a funeral – and it seems that he is dressed for such an occasion throughout the entire play.

Often, the Narrator can also be read as the voice of consciousness for both blighted mothers. He knows what will happen in the end, because he starts the show by telling us and reminds us constantly throughout that something terrible is imminent.

His words are riddled with references to ancient folklore: they centre around superstition and the idea that fate alone control destiny.

Greek chorus offers a variety of background and summary info to help the audience follow the performance and comment on main themes.

Also expressed what main characters could not say (fears / secrets) Usually communicated in song form / sometimes spoke their lines In later Greek drama – served as an omniscient commentator and switched between role of

commentator and character.

Importance of social, historical and cultural contexts

Margaret Thatcher - the unnamed characterMargaret Thatcher does not appear in the play, but you could suggest that she is the most important character in it! Margaret Thatcher became Britain's first woman Prime Minister in 1979. But if some people hoped that 'a woman's touch' would lead to more caring policies, they were very much mistaken.

Thatcher's basic premise was that working Britain had got lazy. British industry, she said, needed to face the chill wind of foreign competition. She confronted the Trade Unions and reduced their power - notably during the Miners' Strike of 1984-5. Meanwhile, to combat inflation, she raised interest rates and reduced government spending. The result was a severe economic depression. Manufacturing output fell by a fifth, and unemployment rose to over 3 million. At the same time, however, people dependent on the Welfare State (especially single mothers) were stereotyped as scroungers and spongers. One Tory minister told them to 'get on their bike' and go and find a job. For the poor, therefore, the 1980s were a time of great hardship. It is possible to see Blood Brothers as an attack on Thatcherism, particularly in the cruelty of how the secretary 'Mrs Jones' loses her job (she is forced to type the letter to herself announcing her own redundancy), and in the destructive effects of unemployment on Mickey's life. It is unemployment which reduces him to despair, throws him into the bungled robbery, and then keeps him on the pills. These effects were all too common in the 1980s, when Russell was writing his play. Mickey's depression is arguably a metaphor for the state of Britain in the 1980s. So, in a very real sense, it was not Mrs Johnstone, the curse of the separated twins or even 'class' which killed Edward and Mickey - it was Mrs Thatcher. Contrastingly, while the poor struggled in Thatcherite Britain, there was plenty of money sloshing around for the rich 'yuppies' who were exemplified in Harry Enfield's comedy persona 'LOADSA' money!' Thatcher sold off the nationalised industries to private shareholders, reduced income tax and Council tax, and sold Council houses to their owners. During her time as Prime Minister, the gap between rich and poor widened significantly, and it is tempting to see the gap between Edward and Mickey in Willy Russell's play as reflecting this difference in British society.

Symbols/Motifs

Marilyn Monroe (a symbol of tragedy)

One of the first songs in the musical—sung by Mrs. Johnstone—constantly returns to the refrain of Marilyn Monroe. At first, Mrs. Johnstone views the movie star as a figure of glamor and wealth, and aspires to be like her. She’s flattered when people compare her to the platinum blonde, and even sometimes uses her sex appeal to manipulate men in power. As the musical continues, however, Mrs. Johnstone compares herself negatively to Marilyn Monroe, noting that she herself has become old and poor, quite unlike her idol. She continually comes back to the movie star, however, and as her family’s luck gets worse and worse, Mrs. Johnstone notices how poorly Marilyn Monroe’s life turned out as well. The parallels between Marilyn Monroe and the Johnstones continue late into the play, as when Mrs. Johnstone compares her son Mickey’s dependence on antidepressants to Monroe’s own addiction struggles. Although Monroe began as an icon of beauty and aspiration, she ends up being yet another tragic example of a life gone terribly awry.

Guns.

Guns crop up over and over again over the course of the musical, foreshadowing the terrible violence that sits at the narrative’s end. They at first seem relatively innocent, as when the neighborhood children use pretend weapons to play war games, and when Mickey hides his brother Sammy’s air rifle. Quickly, however, they turn sinister, and eventually Sammy accidentally uses a gun in a robbery, an act that ends in a murder. Of course, the fearsome power of guns is finally demonstrated in full when Mickey confronts Edward with a gun at city hall. Although he does not intend to shoot his twin, he is so crazed and enraged that he does so accidentally, and is then shot by policemen. By the end of the play, Russell has demonstrated that guns cause violence and havoc in a variety of situations.

Edward’s LocketBefore he moves away from Liverpool, Edward receives a locket from Mrs. Johnstone with a picture of herself and Mickey in it. Although he doesn’t know that he possesses a picture of his mother and brother, Edward treasures the locket, even getting into trouble at his boarding school for refusing to remove it when ordered to do so by a teacher. On a narrative level, the locket symbolizes the bond that Edward feels with Mickey. On a deeper level, however, the locket illuminates the connection between Edward, Mickey, and Mrs. Johnstone—a connection which, despite Mrs. Lyons’ best efforts, cannot be severed. On the question of nature vs. nurture, the locket represents Russell leaning towards the side of nature, implying that although Edward has been separated from his blood relations, he still feels a deep and powerful connection to them.

Mickey’s Anti-depressants

During his time in prison, Mickey suffers a mental breakdown and is eventually prescribed antidepressants, to which he becomes addicted. Although Mrs. Johnstone and Linda try desperately to curb his addiction, he continues to take his pills, symbolizing how far he has fallen and how much he has lost due to his unemployment and prison time. After nearly overcoming his addiction for Linda’s sake, Mickey grows incensed and insane when he finds out that his wife and Edward have been having an affair. On a broader level within the play, antidepressants also symbolize the “quick fix” that psychiatrists believed such drugs to be in the early 80s. Rather than actually dealing with other underlying issues, many patients like Mickey were immediately prescribed powerful medications, which put them in a state of foggy numbness rather than actual helping their mental states. (It’s important to remember, however, that although Russell’s portrayal of antidepressants is wholly negative, they are necessary and life-saving medication for many people. In the case of the play, antidepressants are less a condemnation of these drugs themselves, and more a representation the struggles of addiction, and the tendency to turn to substances when faced with overwhelming difficulties.)

Significant moments – as part of your revision, find the best quotations which relate to the plot summary. Make notes on the significance of these commenting on language where appropriate (in a different colour).

PAGES

PLOT SUMMARY KEY QUOTATION(S)

5 Mrs Johnstone and the narrator reveal that the twins will die at the end of the play. Their fates are sealed before the play even begins.

5 – 9 Mrs Johnstone’s character, family situation and poor financial status is established.

10-13 Mrs Johnstone reluctantly agrees to give one of the twins to Mrs Lyons.

6, 13, 14

Mrs Johnstone faces bills that she cannot afford to pay: milkman, catalogue and finance man.

15-16 Mrs Johnstone reluctantly hands over Edward to Mrs Lyons.

17-20 Mrs Johnstone is sacked and Mrs Lyons attempts to buy her silence.

20 Mickey, aged seven, knocks incessantly on the door but Mrs Johnstone screams for him to go away until she realises it is him and not the rent man.

20 Mickey complains to his mum that Sammy has stolen his best gun. He then proceeds to tell her that he was playing cowboys and Indians and pretends he shoots her dead.

21-22 Mikey sings “I wish I was our Sammy”.

22 - 26 The 7 year old twins meet and agree to become blood brothers. The brothers identify the differences within each other

and are excited by them.

26 - 27 Mrs Johnstone sends Edward away and tells him not to return.

Mrs Johnstone clearly is saddened at the need to reject Edward.

28 - 29 Mrs Lyons warns Edward to stay away from Mickey.

30 - 33 The children play childish games with violent undertones.

Mickey is left crying at the end of the game as he is scared of dying and Linda comforts him.

33 – 37

Mickey, Edward and Lynda play a shooting game. Linda is proven to be a proficient shooter. Edward’s naivety is highlighted.

37 – 38

The policeman treats Mrs Johnstone and Lyons family in a very different manner. The juxtaposition is obvious, and the social injustice and prejudice is clear.

38 – 40

Mrs Lyons moves away. Mrs Johnstone gives Edward a locket.

41 – 42

Both Mickey and Eddie miss each other. Russell uses a shared song to show their connectivity despite living away from each other.

42 – 45

Mrs Johnstone also moves away into the country. Act 1 ends positively although there are hints that some of her problems will follow her.

ACT 246 Seven years have passed and Mrs

Johnstone’s financial and relationships have improved since moving.

46 Sammy’s criminal behaviour has continued despite the move and he has begun to face court proceedings.

47 Mrs Johnstone still misses Edward and thinks of him regularly. It is revealed that she recognises that Mickey is growing up and that Donna Marie now has three children.

48 - 50 Now aged 14, Mickey has feelings for Linda.

Sammy is arrested for threatening bus conductor with a knife.

50 - 52 The schools Edward and Mickey attend are juxtaposed and social injustice and prejudice is highlighted again.

There is some commonality the way Mickey and Edward respond to their teachers.

52 - 53 Mrs Lyons is angry after she discovers the contents of the locket. Edward refuses to tell his mother where he got it from.

54 - 55 Mickey and Edward see each other for the first time since the move. They don’t recognise each other initially but they share a song which reflects their desire to be just like one another and their everlasting, natural bond is clear.

56 - 58 Micky and Edward reunite, and their happiness is palpable to the audience.

Edward gives Mickey relationship advice.57 - 59 Mickey takes Edward home. The connection

between Mrs Johnstone and Edward is obvious and is just as strong as seven years previous.

59 - 60 Mrs Lyons accuses Mrs Johnstone of following her. She attempts to give her money then threatens to stab her. Her mental decline is clear.

80-81 The boys return from watching the adult movie and meet up with Linda. They get in trouble with the police.

62 – 64

Time is shown to move quickly through the songs of the narrator. There is a reference to

15

a gun again, being handed to Linda, and numerous references to the happy experiences that friends have together over the space pf four years.

16

17

18

64 & 66

The social and educational gap between Edward and Mickey becomes clear. Whilst Edward plans to go off to university, Mickey is working overtime in a factory. Childhood has ended for Mickey abruptly.

65 - 66 Edward subtly reveals feelings for Linda but is self-sacrificial and instead helps Mickey to get with Linda.

67 Linda becomes pregnant with Mickey’s baby.

68 - 69 The factory is laying off numerous people including Mickey. Mr Lyons dictates letters to Miss Jones full of clichés which show a lack of feeling and understanding for the situation these working class employees are being placed in.

70 - 72 Edward returns from university three months later for Christmas. Mickey feels distant from Edward because of his financial situation and is angry.

Edward reveals his true feelings for Linda and she reveals that she is now married and pregnant.

Desperate he agrees to help Sammy with a robbery.

72 Whilst Linda talks to Edward, Sammy persuades Mickey to take part in an armed robbery.

73 - 74 The robbery goes wrong.

74 Mickey is sent to prison where he becomes dressed and ultimately addicted to anti-depressants.

75 Linda advises Mickey to stop taking pills before his release.

75 Mickey is released from prison early but is still struggling with depression and his

addiction to medication. Prison has aged him.

75 - 76 Linda reveals that she has got Mickey a job (to Mrs Johnstone) but she won’t reveal that Edward provided the job and is very guarded about it.

76 - 77 Mickey and Linda’s relationship is becoming strained. They are distant due to Mickey’s poor mental health and his continued dependence upon medication.Linda is frustrated with him and the situation.

77 – 79

Linda turns to Edward for support and an affair ensues.When they meet, Edward pretends to shoot her just like the games they played in childhood.There connection is clear and seemingly romantic (reflecting the promises he made earlier if he had been Mickey).

78 Mickey is shown to be trying to resist his tablets in work but struggles.

79 Mrs Lyons informs Mickey about the affair between Edward and Linda.

79 Mickey begins hammering on his door for Linda. His emotional distress is obvious.

79 Mickey goes to his mothers and takes Sammy’s hidden gun.Mrs Johnstone goes to tell Linda.

80 Edward is conducting a council meeting when Mickey arrives and aims the gun at him. He tells Edward he has stopped taking his pills.

81 Mickey accuses Edward of having an affair with Linda. Mickey then questions the paternity of his child.

The policemen try to calm Mickey and instruct him to lower his gun.

81 - 82 Mrs Johnstone reveals that the boys are twins and then Mickey shoots Edward the and the police shoot him.

82 – 83

Mrs Johnstone sings the song from the start. The company end with a section of it too.

BLOOD BROTHERS: TOP CHARACTER QUOTATIONSEDWARD MICKEY NARRATOR

ED: Pissed off. You say smashing things don’t you.

This means we’re blood brothers and we’re always to stand by each other.

So did y’hear the story of the Johnstone twins? As like each other as two new pins”

My mummy doesn’t allow me to play down here.

You don’t understand anything do ye? I don’t wear a hat that I could tilt at the world.

But y’know the devil’s got your number

It's just a secret, everybody has secrets, don't you have secrets?

I wish I could believe in all that blood brothers stuff. But I can’t, because while no one was looking I grew up. An’ you didn’t, because you didn’t need to; and I don’t blame you for it”

And who’d dare tell the lambs in spring what fate the later seasons bring?

You’re…you’re a f*** off No I don’t want your money, stuff it!

It was one day in October when the sun began to fade

Look...come on...I've got money, plenty of it.

So I can be invisible A debt is debt and must be paid’

I thought, I thought we always stuck together. I thought we were…blood brothers.

You. You! Why didn’t you give me away? I could have been…I could have been him!

Do we blame superstition for what came to pass? Or could it be what we…know as class?”

MRS LYONS MRS JOHNSTONE STAGE DIRECTIONSIf either twin learns that he was once a pair they shall both immediately die’

By the time I was 25 I looked like 42

(As MRS JOHNSTONE moves towards the cot, MRS LYONS roughly drags her out of the way.)

You gave your baby away. Don’t you realise what a crime that is? You’ll be locked up. You sold your baby.

I’ll tell someone... I’ll tell the police... I’ll bring the police in an’..

(MRS JOHNSTONE, horrified, sees the bundle of notes in her hand, and throws it across the room.)

Even when – when he was a tiny baby I’d see him looking straight at me and I’d he think, he knows…he knows

Oh God, Mrs. Lyons, never put new shoes on a table…You never know what’ll happen.

Mr Lyons ‘produces a toy gun for [Edward]. Edward delighted seizes it and shoots his father

We’re safe here, aren’t we? couldn’t I keep them together for a few more days, please, please, they’re a pair, they go together

Mrs Lyons is stopped by the sight of shoes on the table. She rushes at the table and sweeps the shows off.

“Witch. I curse you. Witch!”I curse the day I met you. You ruined me.”

like they say at the Welfare, kids can’t live on love alone

Mrs Lyons has opened the knife drawer and has a lethal looking kitchen knife in her hand.

Explore the significance of the quotations. Consider the effects of dialogue, language, tone, foreshadowing, irony…

Identify any themes or ideas (including abstract ideas alluded to).

BLOOD BROTHERS: TOP CHARACTER QUOTATIONSEDWARD MICKEY NARRATOR

Impulsive Naïve Generous restricted Friendly Excitable Friendly Shy Uneducated Resentful Menacing Lurking Omniscient Detached JudgementalED: Pissed off. You say smashing things don’t you.

Edward has a natural fascination with Mickey’s swearing. Despite class differences the genetic link is strong.

This means we’re blood brothers and we’re always to stand by each other.

Mickey’s pact with Eddie mirrors the pact made between Mrs J and Mrs L and comes back to haunt him.

So did y’hear the story of the Johnstone twins? As like each other as two new pins”

Simile. Pins are sharp which links to the violence that comes later.

My mummy doesn’t allow me to play down here.

‘Mummy’ suggests a protective upbringing & how middle classes try to avoid the working class influence

You don’t understand anything do ye? I don’t wear a hat that I could tilt at the world.

Mickey is resentful as he realises his life lacked the privileges granted to Edward.

But y’know the devil’s got your number

The narrator repeats this line to give regular reminders that the characters cannot escape fate.

It's just a secret, everybody has secrets, don't you have secrets?

This is referring to his secret locket from Mrs Johnstone. There is dramatic irony and dramatic tension here as Mrs Lyons fears Edward has discovered her secret about his upbringing but he hasn’t yet.

I wish I could believe in all that blood brothers stuff. But I can’t, because while no one was looking I grew up. An’ you didn’t, because you didn’t need to; and I don’t blame you for it”

A depressed and disaffected Mickey breaks his relationship with Eddie because he feels his upbringing has forced him to learn the harshness of the adult world much quicker than Edward has.

And who’d dare tell the lambs in spring what fate the later seasons bring?

Lambs are associated with innocence. Also it links to ‘lambs to the slaughter’ foreshadowing the deaths that are about to occur.

You’re…you’re a f*** off Edward’s insult highlights how Mickey has influenced Eddie.

No I don’t want your money, stuff it!

Mickey’s shows self-respect when he refuses free money.

It was one day in October when the sun began to fade

Pathetic fallacy. The start of winter brings the deaths closer.

Look...come on...I've got money, plenty of it.

Edward’s nonchalance reveals a lack of awareness of Mickey’s struggles.

So I can be invisible Mickey’s use of anti-depressants is an attempt to hide from the world.

A debt is a debt and must be paid’

Another reminder that both families will be punished for their pact.

I thought, I thought we always stuck together. I thought we were…blood brothers.

Edward refers back to the initial pact when an alienated Mickey breaks away from his relationship.

You. You! Why didn’t you give me away? I could have been…I could have been him!

Mickey turns his anger onto his mother. He wishes he was given the middle class upbringing.

Do we blame superstition for what came to pass? Or could it be what we…know as class?”

The key question Russell asks the audience: was it superstition or class that caused the deaths?

MRS LYONS MRS JOHNSTONE STAGE DIRECTIONSLonely Cold Manipulative Selfish Over-protective Generous. Impulsive. Unselfish. Uneducated. Happy-go-lucky (As MRS JOHNSTONE moves

towards the cot, MRS LYONS roughly drags her out of the way.)

Mrs Lyons manipulation is shown as she assertively pushes Mrs Johnstone away to stop her developing a bond with the son.

If either twin learns that he was once a pair they shall both immediately die’

Mrs Lyons creates a superstition to scare Mrs Johnstone. This becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy to haunt her.

By the time I was 25 I looked like 42

Simile shows that she has led a tough life in her working class life.

You gave your baby away. Don’t you realise what a crime that is? You’ll be locked up. You sold your baby.

When Mrs Johnstone threatens to call the police, Mrs Lyons manipulates Mrs Johnstone by reminding her of her crime.

I’ll tell someone... I’ll tell the police... I’ll bring the police in an’..

Desperate, Mrs Johnstone threatens to call the police over Mrs Lyons’ deception only to be threatened again by Mrs Lyons.

(MRS JOHNSTONE, horrified, sees the bundle of notes in her hand, and throws it across the room.)

Mrs Johnstone shows self-respect and regret by refusing the money. Mickey does the same to Eddie later in the play.

Even when – when he was a tiny baby I’d see him looking straight at me and I’d he think, he knows…he knows

Mrs Lyons reveals she has never been truly content and always had fears about Edward discovering the truth.

Oh God, Mrs. Lyons, never put new shoes on a table…You never know what’ll happen.

In revealing her belief in superstition, she inadvertently reveals a weakness which Mrs Lyons decides to exploit.

Mr Lyons ‘produces a toy gun for [Edward]. Edward delighted seizes it and shoots his father

This seemingly innocent detail foreshadows the actual violence that occurs in Act 2.

We’re safe here, aren’t we? Mrs Lyons moves to the country in the hope it will allow her to start a new life. This doesn’t work when Mrs Johnstone moves too.

couldn’t I keep them together for a few more days, please, please, they’re a pair, they go together

Mrs Johnstone regrets her decision after the birth and begs to be allowed more time to spend with both her sons together.

Mrs Lyons is stopped by the sight of shoes on the table. She rushes at the table and sweeps the shows off.

Whereas Mrs Johnstone moved the shows in Act 1, now Mrs Lyons has become haunted by superstition in Act 2.

“Witch. I curse you. Witch!”I curse the day I met you. You ruined me.”

Irony. She calls Mrs Johnstone a witch but it seems Mrs Lyons is more cursed than Mrs Johnstone.

like they say at the Welfare, kids can’t live on love alone

Mrs Johnstone is down-to-earth and accepts Mrs Lyons can give her son a life that she couldn’t

Mrs Lyons has opened the knife drawer and has a lethal looking kitchen knife in her hand.

Mrs L’s desperation leads her close to committing murder but Mrs JStops her. This episode prepares the audience for the tragic ending.

Grade 3 and 4: At this levels, students deal with both the text and the task.

Grade 5 and 6: At this level, students understand that the text is a deliberate construction and they will begin to explore more abstract elements, themes and ideas.

Grade 7 - 9

Q13: How does Golding present Ralph as a leader in Lord of the Flies?

Lord of the Flies: Level 4 (grade 5) 16 marks

Golding presents Ralph as a leader in Lord of the Flies in the quotation “we ought to have a chief”. The word ‘ought’ is a verb. It is a commanding word. In the quotation Ralph shows that by having that civilisation and democracy it keeps the group in a good place. The reader would acknowledge Ralph as a leader and question themselves what Ralph is going to do next. Golding used Ralph as a leader because of his status and also because men were more dominant in that time.

Golding also presents Ralph as a leader in Lord of the Flies when Ralph says ‘I am chief’. The word ‘chief’ is a noun. It shows us that Ralph has those qualities to be a chief like the determination and passion of hope and rescue. Golding was influenced by reading ‘Coral Island’ and realised that the story was not showing the real society and how people would actually react so Golding wrote Lord of the Flies to show reality and also that you might see an outer side of a person and they might be civilised but their inner personality is savagery as when they want something they will get it. Like Ralph, he might be a leader but he was part of Simon’s death which showed his true personality.

Another way in which Golding presents Ralph as a leader in Lord of the Flies is whenhe questions the group whether they want to go to Jack and never get rescued but just hunt or be with him and be rescued. In the quotation, “Don’t you want to be rescued or do you want to hunt.” The word ‘rescued’ is a verb and it shows that Ralph as a leader still believes there is hope to be rescued and he doesn’t want the group to give up now. Golding is showing that you have the determination and the perseverance you can achieve what you want, you don’t need to let others put you down.

Furthermore, Golding presents Ralph as a leader in the quotation “He might be a boxer”. The word ‘He’ is a pronoun. It shows us that Ralph has the qualities to be a leader and the quotation is also intimidating him. In this quotation it shows that not only does he have the qualities he has the physical appearance. Golding is showing that to be a leader you need to have everything to be effective and to make a place like the island feel like home.

The final way in which Golding presents Ralph as a leader is at the end of the book. In thequotation, “Ralph wept for the end of innocence, the darkness of man’s heart”. The word‘innocence’ and ‘darkness’ contradicts with each other. As Ralph wants innocence to be on island but instead there is darkness of man’s heart. This shows that Ralph failed his duties of a leader and did not achieve the civilisation throughout. Golding is showing that there is evil in everyone in society and nothing is going to change that

This is a low level 4 response (grade 5). What does the candidate need to do to improve his grade?

Lots of clear ideas, but none are developed. The candidate names methods but does not really consider why the writer has used them and this actually hinders the meaning. Comments on methods would be best placed in level 3 (some understanding but not clear).

Lord of the Flies: Level 6 – 30 marks

Through ‘Lord of the Flies’, Golding criticises the idea of ‘the perfectibility of man’ he once believed in, after discovering what man could do to another during the horrors of WWII. In his twisted response to ‘Coral Island’, Golding uses Ralph to explore the Hobbesian view that governments are to protect men from each other, and that ‘correct structure of society would produce good will’. He then slowly destroys Ralph’s democratic leadership, to present his view that no amount of civilisation can mask man’s inherent evil.

Towards the beginning of the novel, Golding gives Ralph the power and qualities of a leader to explore how the boys will respect this system. Golding describes Ralph as ‘the fair boy’ with a ‘golden body’, which immediately gives the impression of a sympathetic, genuine protagonist. The adjective ‘fair’ has positive connotations of equality and kindness which we now associate with Ralph. To further emphasise this, Ralph has a ‘mouth and eyes that proclaimed no devil’, again presenting him as a genuine person with only good intentions. This contrasts greatly with Jack’s ‘fiery red hair’ which has connotations of fire, violence and even Satan.

The conch is used by Golding as a symbol of democracy and equality, therefore when ‘Ralph held up the conch’, we associate these ideas with Ralph, especially since he is the one to blow the conch and seemingly to initiate a meeting. However, this is ironic as it was in fact Piggy’s idea to have a meeting, so Golding already hints at corruption slightly at this point. Ralph uses an imperative – ‘we’re having a meeting, come and join in’ – when first meeting Jack, which suggests his natural authority over the boys. However, Ralph makes an unforgivable mistake as leader by giving Jack authority over the choir to be his hunters, which arguably ends up being the reason for the destruction of Ralph’s attempt at civilisation, showing that Golding believed even those in power who attempt to enforce rules and order are capable of deadly mistakes.

Further throughout the novel, Golding uses Ralph’s gradual fall to savagery to present man as unable to restrain from their innate evil. Golding involves Ralph in Simon’s murder in Chapter 9, ultimately marking the loss of morality and humanity which Simon bore. Although Ralph recognises his terrible actions – ‘that was murder’ – we are still no longer able to see the kindness and genuine good of Ralph that was introduced in Chapter 1. However, Ralph’s fall to evil doesn’t happen instantly, as Golding hints at it in Chapter 4 – ‘He watched the ship ravenously’ – which suggests some impurity. The adverb ‘ravenously’ – has animalistic connotations of deep desires, however when paired with the symbol of civilisation – ‘theship’ – Golding allows Ralph to remain civilised for a while longer, as his desires are justified.

At the end of the novel, Ralph ‘wept for the end of innocence, for the darkness of man’s heart’, showing that Ralph is aware of an evil force present within man. This may be as a result of Ralph’s time as leader, Golding allowed him to realise the true ‘darkness’ of man, perhaps saying that through an attempt at leadership, Ralph has become more aware of the nature of mankind.

Overall, Golding uses Ralph as a leader, and then destroys a perfect opportunity for society and civilisation to reflect his view that despite law and order, man’s inherent evil nature will prevail, as seen in WWII.

What skills makes this a much stronger response than the example we looked at previously?

This is all level 6. The only technical terms are adjective/imperative/adverb). However, it is peppered with subject terminology (highlighted in red). The comments are sophisticated and perceptive and firmly rooted in a top level band.

How does Russell present Mickey and Edward in Blood Brothers?

What qualities (skills) makes this a Level 6 answer?

Exam Questions and Tools for Aiming High

To achieve a Level 5 of above, you need to write in a critical style with a consistent focus upon the text as a conscious construct. You need to ensure that you know your text, themes an ideas really well, and you must be able to consider abstract ideas. The following resources will really help you to stretch yourself whilst also giving you the opportunity to practise exam questions.

Although in this booklet we provide you with some extracts to get you started, you must remember that in the exam YOU WILL NOT BE GIVEN AN EXTRACT AND YOU WILL HAVE TO EXPLORE THE PLAY FROM MEMORY.

1 – AIM HIGHERBlood Brothers – Essential Guides for Exam Study by Ros Merkin (2016)

Read through the extracts below taken from Merkin’s guide carefully and highlight anything that could relate to the role of the narrator.

[Bertolt] Brecht [a German playwright, theatre practitioner and poet] was critical of naturalistic or, what he called, dramatic theatre. He believed that in this kind of theatre, the audience forgets their own lives and escapes into the lives of others, losing their ability to think…he wanted a theatre that made his audience think, which he called epic theatre, and in order to prevent the audience from becoming too involved he reminded them throughout that they were watching a representation of life, not life itself. …To achieve this he used a number of theatrical devices and some of these can be seen in Blood Brothers, especially in the use of the narrator. For Brecht, epic theatre ‘began to tell a story’ from which the narrator was no longer missing and narration is used to remind the audience that they are watching the presentation of that story (Brecht, 1986, 71). Sometimes the narrator will tell the audience what happens before the audience sees it, which can help to ensure that they are less emotionally involved in the action as the outcome is already known (think about reading a story for the second time). Blood Brothers uses both a narrator and tells us at the start what will happen, so we become more interested in how it happens rather than what happens.

The narrator also speaks directly to the audience, breaking the fourth wall. In naturalistic theatre, the actor behaves as if they were the character and the audience was not present,

adding to the illusion that this is reality. When the narrator asks us to judge how Mrs Johnstone has become a mother so cruel, he is not only asking us to think and make our minds up about something, he is also reminding us that we are watching a story. The narrator plays a number of different parts and at one moment the play even draws attention to this as Mrs Johnstone asks the narrator who appears as the gynaecologist (having just previously played the milkman), what he is doing there because the milk bill is not due until Thursday. …For and audience, seeing the same actor play a number of roles reminds them that they are watching an actor, to use Brecht’s word, demonstrating a character.

1 – AIM HIGHER (In your own words)

1. Based on Brecht’s ideas, to what extent is the Narrator a theatrical device of epic theatre?______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

2. Why do you think Russell chose to create more of an epic play than naturalistic?______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

3. ‘Blood Brothers uses both a narrator and tells us at the start what will happen, so we become more interested in how it happens rather than what happens.’ How does Russell’s use of the Narrator support its purpose?____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

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Question: How does Russell present the Narrator in Blood Brothers?

Teacher’s tips (you won’t get this in the exam!)You might want to consider:

How Russell presents the Narrator at the beginning of the play and elsewhere How and why the Narrator consistently breaks the fourth wall How the Narrator is used as a structural device (to foreshadow events or to show the

passage of time) How Russell uses song in his narration and the effect of this

2 – AIM HIGHERAs we continue to blame single mothers for society's woes, it's no surprise their

children are living in poverty by Glosswitch for The Independent (2018)

Read through the extracts below taken from Glosswitch’s article carefully and highlight anything that could relate to the struggles of single mothers and working class families.

Single-parent families are struggling. According to the charity Gingerbread, up to one in three children with a working single parent is living in poverty. This is not a surprise. We know that low pay, job insecurity and welfare cuts hit the vulnerable the hardest. We also know that single parents – especially single mothers – are go-to scapegoats whenever the going gets tough.After all, so the narrative goes, single parenthood isn’t a normal way of raising children. It remains something in-between a mortal sin and an unfortunate accident. We can’t make it too comfortable, unless others might be wanting to have a go, and if that means some children suffer, well, that’s just all for the common good.What is happening right now is a direct result of our current Government’s policies on welfare and employment. Bland statements about work being “the best route out of poverty”, which ignore both the value of unpaid work and the harm of zero-hours contracts and low-paid, inflexible roles, mask a drive to sever basic social ties. It’s immediate, but it’s also longstanding, rooted in age-old beliefs about class, work and gender. Children’s immediate welfare and their long-term futures are being sacrificed to right-wing ideologies regarding social superiority, the value of caring and the role of women. As long as single parenthood can be stigmatised, the true horror of deprivation can be downplayed. Victim-blaming policies – the removal of tax credits for third babies, the loss of

free school meals for up to a million children,  child benefit reforms  which favour dual-earner families – allow responsibility to be shifted onto those who suffer most. The response from self-styled moralists of the right will not be one of shame. To them, the solution lies the promotion of marriage – any marriage, regardless of what happens behind closed doors – and “helping people back to work” by withdrawing the safety nets needed when work either isn’t available or simply doesn’t pay. It’s not that they don’t see that parenting itself is a job which has social and economic value. It’s just they only see it when we’re dealing with stay-at-home mothers who are married to wealthy men (hence a struggling single mother is still supposed to take lessons in responsibility from the likes of “had six children, never changed a nappy” Jacob Rees-Mogg). 

1. According to Glosswitch, what are society’s attitudes towards single mothers in working class families?_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

2. How does Glosswitch expose the impact that social prejudice has on the working classes?

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3. Despite the fact that this article was written in 2018, what parallels can be drawn between the ideas presented and the struggles Mrs Johnstone endures in Blood Brothers?____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

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Question: How does Russell present the struggles of the working class throughout the play?

Teacher’s tips (you won’t get this in the exam!)You might want to consider how: Mrs Johnstone’s life is presented as a working class single mother the family are presented as living below the poverty line Milkman/debt collector responds to Mrs Johnstone, despite also being working class (dialogue,

action, symbol) Mrs Johnstone’s children are affected by the working- class environment (dialogue – kids) education is affected by economic status (dialect and vocabulary in dialogue – contrasts with

others) Mrs Johnstone can be easily manipulated by others (Mrs Lyon’s strong command of

vocabulary to persuade) the children fall into anti-social behaviour and petty crime (Mickey’s song, dialogue, action) the policeman treats Mrs Johnstone differently to the Lyons family (dialogue, language of

power, contrasts) the family are not supported by government agencies (threats in dialogue) the family are trapped in a poverty cycle which is passed on to next generations

In all of this, consider Russell’s intention behind it. What is he trying to highlight about society as a whole?

3 – AIM HIGHERPierre Bourdieu – Cultural Capital

Read through the extracts below about Bourdieu’s theory regarding Cultural Capital and carefully highlight any relevant information about the theory itself.

Pierre Bourdieu (1930-2002) was born to a working class family in a small village in Southern France. Bourdieu’s father was a small farmer turned postal worker with little formal education, but he encouraged a young Bourdieu to pursue the best educational opportunities his country had to offer. Bourdieu took his father’s advice, eventually gaining admittance to one of France’s most prestigious universities, the École Normale Supérieure in Paris, where he studied philosophy under the famous Marxist thinker, Louis Althusser.

Key Concepts: Cultural CapitalWhile he didn’t consider himself a Marxist sociologist, the theories of Karl Marx heavily influenced Bourdieu’s thinking. Marx’s influence is perhaps most evident in Bourdieu’s

theory of cultural capital. Like Marx, Bourdieu argued that capital formed the foundation of social life and dictated one’s position within the social order. For Bourdieu and Marx both, the more capital one has, the more powerful a position one occupies in social life. However, Bourdieu extended Marx’s idea of capital beyond the economic and into the more symbolic realm of culture.

Bourdieu’s concept of cultural capital refers to the collection of symbolic elements such as skills, tastes, posture, clothing, mannerisms, material belongings, credentials, etc. that one acquires through being part of a particular social class. Sharing similar forms of cultural capital with others—the same taste in movies, for example, or a degree from an Ivy League School—creates a sense of collective identity and group position (“people like us”). But Bourdieu also points out that cultural capital is a major source of social inequality. Certain forms of cultural capital are valued over others, and can help or hinder one’s social mobility just as much as income or wealth.

According to Bourdieu, cultural capital comes in three forms—embodied, objectified, and institutionalized. One’s accent or dialect is an example of embodied cultural capital, while a luxury car or record collection are examples of cultural capital in its objectified state. In its institutionalized form, cultural capital refers to credentials and qualifications such as degrees or titles that symbolize cultural competence and authority.

3– AIM HIGHER (In your own words)

1. According to Bourdieu, what is cultural capital and how is it linked to social class?_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

2. Throughout the song ‘My Child’, what examples do both characters give of embodied, objectified and institutionalised cultural capital? Consider all the benefits a child growing up middle class.___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

3. With Bourdieu’s theory in mind, consider how lack of cultural capital may disadvantage working class children.

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Question: How does Russell emphasise the privileges of the middle class?Teacher’s tips (you won’t get this in the exam!)You might want to consider how:

Mrs Lyons’ lifestyle as a married, middle-class woman is presented Mrs Lyon’s command of language reflects her high level of education (dialogue to manipulate

Mrs J, superstitions) Russell uses language and stage directions to construct Mrs Lyon’s and how this contrasts

with others Russell creates a juxtaposition between Mrs Lyons and Mrs Johnstone Mrs Lyon’s appears to have few monetary concerns (dialogue, stage directions)

In all of this, consider Russell’s intention behind it. What is he trying to highlight about society as a whole?

4 – AIM HIGHERMiddle-Class children ‘hear 23 million more words than poorer children before

they start school by The Daily Mail and Frank Field

Read through the extracts below taken from the article citing Frank Field’s study ‘The Foundation Years: preventing poor children becoming poor adults’ and carefully and

highlight anything that could relate to how Mickey’s upbringing has affected his character so far.

Middle-class children hear 33 million words by the time they start school - 23 million more than poorer children of the same age, a Government adviser has revealed.

A collapse in parenting skills in poor homes with unstable families blights a child's prospects by the time they are three-years-old, according to the Government's adviser on poverty Frank Field.

In a report on child deprivation, he said that wealthier children from stable homes will have heard 440,000 more positive comments from their parents than children from dysfunctional families by the age of three.

He told The Sunday Times newspaper that the level of communication between a parent and child has a more drastic impact on a child's future than class, race or income.

And he warned that the findings are only set to continue for future generations if action is not taken as young people brought up in dysfunctional families have no experience of being a good parent when it comes to raising their own children.

Mr Field aims to 'break into this cycle of deprivation so the whole thing is not automatically handed on the next generation'.

His proposals come just days after he accused David Cameron of wasting the first half of his term in government by ignoring the study into how to smash the cycle of deprivation.

Mr Field’s paper ‘The Foundation Years: preventing poor children becoming poor adults’ revealed that many children begin school without knowing their first name because their parents barely speak to them.i

One of his most damning findings was that youngsters who were behind when they started school never caught up to their peers. He blamed the situation on the low aspirations of parents trapped in poverty where no one in the family has worked for generations.

4 – AIM HIGHER (In your own words)

1. According to the article, how does social class affect child language acquisition?___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

2. What reasons does Frank Field give for the huge inconsistencies between the vocabulary of working and middle class children?_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

3. To what extent can you apply Field’s findings to Mickey and Edward and their upbringing?___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

5 – AIM HIGHERBorn to fail? No. But working class children do need help to succeed by Sonya

Blandford (The Guardian, 2018)

Read through the extracts below taken from Blandford’s article carefully and highlight anything that relates to education and the working class.

Getting education right for working class children remains a challenge in many schools. As a working class professor, it’s something I think about a lot.

Theresa May has already admitted that the education system is failing to serve the needs of every child and that the odds are stacked against working-class pupils. The team behind the

BBC’s new Generation Gifted series, which follows the lives of six disadvantaged 13-year-olds, say they were inundated with headteachers keen to highlight the uneven playing field that bright, disadvantaged pupils face compared to wealthier children.

How do schools begin to close this gap between rich and poor? I believe it starts by addressing the idea that being working class itself is a failure. Instead, we must acknowledge the curriculum’s inbuilt middle class prejudices, understand that not every child will go to university, and emphasise that success comes in all shapes and sizes.

Identifying barriersUnfortunately the national curriculum in England has been developed based on the knowledge and learning experienced by middle-class people, rather than a world that all young children can identify with. Many of the social and cultural references in exams, for example, relate to middle-class experiences. As a sector, we need to do better to increase the understanding of how working class, disadvantaged and special educational needs children – groups particularly at risk of underachievement – learn.

Schools play a key role in breaking down barriers to learning by providing opportunities for all children – regardless of what their parents earn – to participate in social and cultural activities, sport, the arts, debating, volunteering, wider community-based provision, museums and other trips. But funding cuts have meant schools offer a declining number of extracurricular activities, which disproportionately impacts those from working class backgrounds. Richer students are more likely to have access to these at home and the subsequent opportunities to develop teamwork, creativity and problem-solving skills.

Encourage ambitionLearning about the workplace doesn’t have to start at secondary school. Offering career advice and suggestions at an early stage helps ambition develop naturally and is particularly helpful for students whose parents are not in work.

Working-class children aren’t born to fail. But we need an approach that will build self belief in every child. Schools can help by instilling aspiration, access, attainment, and achievement at the earliest stages of their development. 

Increasing access to learning for all children should be the benchmark of any successful school. I have seen schools where building self-belief and a sense of belonging has improved academic outcomes, behaviour and attendance. But our approach should change because of more than that. As a society we must strive to create opportunities that build character, resilience, drive and grit for all children, wherever they come from

5 – AIM HIGHER (In your own words)

1. According to Blandford, what are the current issues with the education system with regards to social class?_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

2. What does Blandford suggest needs to change in order to make the education system more equal?

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

3. With this article in mind, how and why does Russell criticise the education system in Blood Brothers?___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Question: How does Russell present ideas about education?Teacher’s tips (you won’t get this in the exam!)You might want to consider how: Mickey’s accent and dialect are presented and the way they contrast with Edward’s vocabulary lacks variety in Mickey’s dialogue versus Edward’s rich vocabulary and why this is

the case finances are a barrier to learning (symbolism of dictionary a clear indicator) Mickey’s schooling is presented and the way it contrasts with Edward’s a strong education is presented as being synonymous with financial success

In all of this, consider Russell’s intention behind it. What is he trying to highlight about society as a whole?

6 – AIM HIGHERChav: The vile word at the heart of fractured Britain by Polly Toynbee (The

Guardian, 2011)

Read through the extract below taken from Toynbee’s article carefully and highlight anything that relates to social prejudice.

Fostering the loathing of a feral underclass allows public resentment to be diverted from those above to those below. That word slips out. This time it was used by a Lib Dem peer on the Equality and Human Rights Commission. Baroness Hussein-Ece tweeted: "Help. Trapped in a queue in chav land. Woman behind me explaining latest EastEnders plot to mate while eating largest bun I've ever seen." When challenged, she said she hadn't meant chav in any derogatory way. Of course not. But take a look at the venomous class-hate site ChavTowns to see what lies beneath.

She would presumably never say n*****, but chav is acceptable class abuse by people asserting superiority over those they despise. Poisonous class bile is so ordinary that our future king and his brother played at dressing up and talking funny at a chav party mocking their lower class subjects.

Wrapped inside this little word is the quintessence of Britain's great social fracture. Over the last 30 years the public monstering of a huge slice of the population by luckier, better-paid people has become commonplace. This is language from the Edwardian era of unbridled snobbery. When safely reproduced in Downton Abbey, as the lady sneering at the scullery maid or the landowner bullying his workers, we are encouraged to look back smugly as if these shocking class differences were long gone. The form and style may have changed – but the reality of extreme inequality and self-confident class contempt is back.

That brief period between 1917 and 1979, when British wealth, trembling in fear of revolution, ceded some power, opportunity and money to the working classes is over. There is now no politics to express or admit the enormity of what has happened since the 1980s – how wealth and human respect drained from the bottom to enrich and glorify the top.

Public perception of the shape of society has been so warped that most no longer know how others live, where they stand in relation to the rest, who earns what or why. By deliberate misrepresentation, drip, drip, week after week, the powerful interests of wealth deliberately distort reality. The best weapon in the class armoury fosters loathing of a "feral underclass" – its size vague and never delineated, relying on anecdotes of extreme dysfunction, of which any society has plenty. One sneer cleverly elides millions of low-earning workers in equal chav contempt for all living on an estate, drawing any benefit – even if in work – as cheats, addicts and layabouts. That's the way to divert resentment from those above, to those below.

6 – AIM HIGHER (In your own words)

1. According to Toynbee, in what way is the term ‘chav’ a label and stigma placed on the working class?___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________2. Why does Toynbee feel that this label is unacceptable?

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

3. How is the social prejudice presented in this article similar to the discrimination presented through the Policeman?_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Question: How does Russell explore ideas surrounding social prejudice throughout Blood Brothers?Teacher’s tips (you won’t get this in the exam!)You might want to consider how: the contrasts between the way the policeman reacts to Mrs Johnstone and Mr Lyons show

inequality

Mrs Johnstone is easily manipulatedMrs Johnstone is threatened by social services, the police and Mrs Lyons

segregation between the classes (working and middle-class) is presented

In all of this, consider Russell’s intention behind it. What is he trying to highlight about society as a whole?

7 – AIM HIGHER

Spate of youth murders directly linked to poverty and austerity, practitioners warn by May Bulman (The Independent, April 2018)

Read through the article below carefully and highlight anything that relates to the link between poverty and crime.

Austerity is contributing to a spate of youth murders in our cities, as poverty-stricken households and “decimated” youth services push young people into a cycle of violence, practitioners have warned.Youth workers and other practitioners told The Independent that financial pressures on parents to work long hours and cuts to vital youth support programmes are leaving teenagers in a “vulnerable place”. This causes some of them to turn to a life of crime, they said.Many of the victims and perpetrators were below the age of 21, prompting questions about why the number of violent incidents between teenagers appears to be increasing.Tom Isaac, a youth worker who supports stabbing victims at a paediatrics unit in South London, told The Independent that the young people referred were usually aged between 11 and 18. Often from households where parents are out working most of the time, he said they are deprived of youth services in the community which have been “cut to shreds”.Oasis Youth, the service Mr Isaac heads up in St Thomas’s Hospital, has seen a spate of referrals this year, with 2018 set to be the busiest year since it began. He said there were four stabbing referrals over Easter bank holiday weekend alone.“Poverty is a big systemic issue. If a young person’s mum is working nights as well as days, and hasn’t got time, they’re left in the flat on their own. A lot of the time the parents don’t know what’s going on. They don’t have the time or the capacity,” Mr Isaac said.

“The violence is linked to young people not having the basics. It’s no good convincing somebody that carrying a knife isn’t the right way of going about things if that person hasn’t got the basics around them – like coming home to a meal or having a parent around,” he said. “We know more people are working and living in poverty. All of this is having an effect. Youth violence links directly to austerity and poverty. It stems from people being in a vulnerable place in the first place.

7 – AIM HIGHER (In your own words)

1. What links does Bulman make between between home life and criminal behaviour in young people?

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

2. According to Bulman, how does poverty encourage criminal behaviour?

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

3. With this article in mind, how has Sammy’s family life and social class contributed to the development of his character?

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Question: How does Russell present Sammy’s character as a victim of the society he was raised in?

Teacher’s tips (you won’t get this in the exam!)You might want to consider how: Sammy does not have a positive male role model (absent fathers) the gun is a recurrent motif (was he ever going to be able to avoid a life of crime?) there is a lack of social support systems in place Mrs Johnstone has no choice other than to work full time he is trapped in the same poverty cycle his mother was born in segregation between the classes (working and middle-class) is presented

In all of this, consider Russell’s intention behind it. What is he trying to highlight about society as a whole?

8 – AIM HIGHERWhat is Nature v Nurture? by Kendra Cherry (VeryWellMind.com, 2018)

Read through the extracts below taken from Cherry’s article carefully and highlight anything extends your understanding of Nature v Nurture debate.

The nature versus nurture debate is one of the oldest philosophical issues within psychology. So what exactly is it all about? Nature refers to all of the genes and hereditary factors that influence who we are—from our

physical appearance to our personality characteristics. Nurture refers to all the environmental variables that impact who we are, including our early

childhood experiences, how we were raised, our social relationships, and our surrounding culture.

Even today, different branches of psychology often take a one versus the other approach. For example, biological psychology tends to stress the importance of genetics and biological influences. Behaviourism, on the other hand, focuses on the impact that the environment has on behaviour.In the past, debates over the relative contributions of nature versus nurture often took a very one-sided approach, with one side arguing that nature played the most important role and the other side suggesting that it was nurture that was the most significant. Today, most experts recognize that both factors play a critical role. Not only that, they also realize that nature and nurture interact in important ways all throughout life. Some philosophers such as Plato and Descartes suggested that certain things are inborn, or that they occur naturally regardless of environmental influences. Nativists take the position that all or most behaviours and characteristics are the results of inheritance. Advocates of this point of view believe that all of our characteristics and behaviours are the result of evolution. Genetic traits handed down from parents influence the individual differences that make each person unique. Other well-known thinkers such as John Locke believed in what is known as tabula rasa, which suggests that the mind begins as a blank slate. According to this notion, everything that we are and all of our knowledge is determined by our experience.Empiricists take the position that all or most behaviours and characteristics result from learning. Behaviourism is a good example of a theory rooted in empiricism. The behaviourists believe that all actions and behaviours are the results of conditioning. Theorists such as John B. Watson believed that people could be trained to do and become anything, regardless of their genetic background.A few examples of biologically determined characteristics (nature) include certain genetic diseases, eye colour, hair colour, and skin colour. Other things like life expectancy and height have a strong biological component, but they are also influenced by environmental factors and lifestyle.An example of a nativist theory within psychology is Chomsky's concept of a language acquisition device (or LAD). According to this theory, all children are born with an instinctive mental capacity that allows them to both learn and produce language.

Some characteristics are tied to environmental influences. How a person behaves can be linked to influences such as parenting styles and learned experiences. For example, a child might learn through observation and reinforcement to say 'please' and 'thank you.' Another child might learn to behave aggressively by observing older children engage in violent behaviour on the playground.

8 – AIM HIGHER (In your own words)

1. How does Cherry define Nature v Nurture?________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

2. With regards to Blood Brothers, what aspects of nature influence the twins’ identities?________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

3. What aspects of nurture influence the twins’ identities?

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Question: How does Russell present ideas about identity in Blood Brothers?Teacher’s tips (you won’t get this in the exam!)You might want to consider how: Mickey is raised vs how Edward is raised in their differing environments (material aspects,

education, care) the boys have different role models (Mikey’s song – I wish… Mickey and Edwards shared song

“My friend end of act 1” and “I wish I was like him “ end of act 2. the boys are impacted by absent fathers

Edward has a more privileged upbringing when compared to Mickey (dialogue reveals this and language)

Edward and Mickey are repeatedly drawn to one another Mrs Johnstone and Edward have a clear bond despite Edward not knowing why (symbol of the

locket) how Mickey is drawn into a life of crime (gun symbolism, repeated reference to dying and

killing) whereas Edward is set onto a path of education and career success (university, council job – outward symbols of success).In all of this, consider Russell’s intention behind it. What is he trying to highlight about society as a whole?

9 – AIM HIGHER

The Psychology of Superstition by Sarah Albert (2006)

Read through the extracts below taken from Albert’s article carefully and highlight anything that relates to superstition and fate.

If you're like most people, you occasionally participate in superstitious thinking or behaviour, often without even realizing you're doing it. Just think: When was the last time you knocked on wood, walked within the lines, avoided a black cat, or read your daily horoscope? These are all examples of superstitions, or what Dr. Stuart Vyse calls ‘magical thinking’.

More than half of Americans admitted to being at least a little superstitious, according to a recent Gallup poll. Additionally, beliefs in witches, ghosts and haunted houses have increased over the past decade. But just what is the psychology behind our magical thinking, and is it hurting or helping us? When does superstitious thinking go too far?

Superstition, Ritual, or Anxiety?

First, not all rituals or beliefs are superstitions. "The dividing line is whether you give some kind of magical significance to the ritual," Vyse says. For example, if an athlete develops a ritual before a game, something Vyse says many coaches encourage, it may help to calm and focus him or her like repeating a mantra. "That's not superstitious," says Vyse. On the other hand, he says if you think tapping the ball a certain number of times makes you win the game, you've entered superstitious territory.

Driving Forces

Wanting more control or certainty is the driving force behind most superstitions. We tend to look for some kind of a rule or explanation for why things happen. "Sometimes the creation of a false certainty is better than no certainty at all, and that is what much of the research suggests," says Vyse. Job interviews, testing, and other situations where we want things to go well -- regardless of our own preparation or performance -- can spur superstitious thoughts. "We are often in situations in life where something really important is about to happen, we've prepared for it as best we can, but it's still uncertain," Vyse says. No matter how confident or prepared you are for an event, things can still happen beyond your control. "Superstitions provide people with the sense that they've done one more thing to try to ensure the outcome they are looking for."

Friend or Foe?

A sense of security and confidence are perhaps the greatest benefits we get emotionally from superstitious thinking or behaviour. "There can be a real psychological effect of superstitious thoughts," says Vyse. If you've done well before when you had a particular shirt on, for example, it might prove wise to wear the shirt again, if it helps to relieve anxiety and promotes positive thoughts. But this way of thinking can also hinder your performance, if, say, you lose your lucky object.

It's not news that expectations can be extremely powerful and suggestive. Studies regularly point to placebo effects (both positive and negative), which are entirely caused by the power of expectations or preconceptions. Yet superstitions can also play a negative role in our lives, especially when combined with a bad habit such as gambling. If you're a compulsive gambler who believes that you can get lucky, then that belief may contribute to your problem.

Phobic (fearful) superstitions can also interfere with our lives, and cause a lot of anxiety, says Vyse. For example, people who are afraid of Friday the 13th might change travel arrangements or skip an appointment because of unnecessary anxiety. These types of superstitions offer no benefit at all.

And the Award for Most Superstitious Goes to...

Generally speaking, women are more superstitious than men, Vyse says. When was the last time you saw an astrology column in a men's magazine? Women may also experience more anxiety, or at least, more women than men seek help for anxiety problems. Although personality is not a strong factor in developing superstition, there is some evidence that if you are more anxious than the average person you're slightly more likely to be superstitious.

Vyse says our locus, or centre, of control can also be a factor contributing to whether or not we are superstitious. If you have an internal locus of control, you believe that you are in charge of everything; you are the master of your fate and you can make things happen. If you have an external locus of control, "you're sort of buffeted by life, and things happen to you instead of the other way around," Vyse says. People with external locus of control are more likely to be superstitious, possibly as a way of getting more power over their lives. "Part of the reason why women are more superstitious than men is that women feel, even in today's modern society, that they have less control over their fate than men do."

Intelligence seems to have little to do with whether or not we subscribe to superstitions. Vyse says that at Harvard University -- where one would assume there are a lot of intelligent people -- students frequently rub the foot of the statue of John Harvard for good luck. In a sense, a superstition, like other rituals, can become part of a campus, community or culture, and can help bring people together. "Most of the superstitions people engage in are perfectly fine, and are not pathological," says Vyse.

9 – AIM HIGHER (In your own words)

1. According to the article, what are the main causes of superstition and how does it link with fate?

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

2. With reference to ideas in the article, to what extent is superstition responsible for the fate of the Johnstone twins?

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

3. To what extent is social class responsible for the fate of the Johnstone twins?

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Question: How is the theme of fate presented in Blood Brothers?Teacher’s tips (you won’t get this in the exam!)You might want to consider how: superstitions are illuminated and used (dialogue between Mrs Johnstone and Mrs Lyons) how the boys’ fate was sealed from the moment of separation (superstition, symbols of bible) the use of the narrator how Russell forces the audience to consider the idea of whether fate is sealed or something

we have control ofIn all of this, consider Russell’s intention behind it. What is he trying to highlight about society as a whole?

Previous Exam Questions

You will get a choice of two questions in the exam. Only complete ONE of them. Choose carefully and ensure you plan your response. Remember that you are writing an essay so you must address the question + make clear points (written in topic sentences) + make close reference to specific elements of the text/use quotations to support ideas + explore the effects of the writer’s choices/ideas/themes in depth.

0 3 How does Russell present Linda as an important character in the play Blood Brothers?

Write about:

• what Linda says and does in the play

• how Russell presents Linda as an important character in the play Blood Brothers.

[30 marks] AO4 [4 marks]

Or

0 4 How does Russell present the ways that Mickey and Edward are affected by their different experiences of family life?

Write about:

• what family life is like for Mickey and Edward

• how Russell presents the differences in their family lives.

[30 marks] AO4 [4 marks]

03 How does Russell explore the effects of Mickey’s and Edward’s different upbringings?

Write about:

• how the boys’ upbringings have different effects on their lives

• how Russell presents these effects by the ways he writes.

[30 marks] AO4 [4 marks]

OR

04

What kind of mother does Russell show Mrs Johnstone to be in Blood Brothers?

Write about:

• what Mrs Johnstone says and does in the play

• how Russell presents Mrs Johnstone by the ways he writes.

[30 marks]AO4 [4 marks]

How does Russell present some of the differences between social classes in Blood Brothers?

Write about:

how Russell presents some of these differences

how Russell explores differences between social classes in the play.

[30 marks] AO4 [4 marks]

OR

How does Russell present attitudes towards education in Blood Brothers?

Write about:

what some of the attitudes towards education are

how Russell presents some of these attitudes by the ways he writes.

[30 marks] AO4 [4 marks]

How far does Russell present Mickey as a likeable character?

Write about:

• what Mickey says and does in the play

• how far Russell presents Mickey as likeable.

[30 marks] AO4 [4 marks]

Or

How does Russell suggest that what happens to Mickey and Edward throughout the play is unavoidable?

Write about:

• what happens to Mickey and Edward

• how Russell presents what happens to Mickey and Edward as unavoidable.

[30 marks] AO4 [4 marks]

How does Russell use the characters of Mrs Johnstone and Mrs Lyons in Blood Brothers to explore

ideas about class?

Write about:

• how Russell presents Mrs Johnstone and Mrs Lyons

• how Russell uses these characters to explore ideas about class.

[30 marks] AO4 [4 marks]

Or

How does Willy Russell present childhood and growing up in Blood Brothers?

Write about:

• the ways particular characters change as they grow up

• how Russell presents childhood and growing up by the ways he writes.

[30 marks] AO4 [4 marks]