Lecture notes
WJEC GCSE English Literature Blood Brothers Quotes and Analysis
Range of descriptions and quotes and analyses for every character and theme in the Blood Brothers play. This was used to gain an A* in this exam.
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A01 (A - A* Mark scheme) A02 (A - A* Mark scheme)• Make increasingly assured selection and • Show appreciation of how writers use
incorporation of relevant detail language to achieve specific effects
• Speculate/offer tentative judgements • Make assured exploration and
• Evaluate characters/relationships and evaluation of the ways meaning, ideas
attitudes/motives and feeling are conveyed through
• Consistently handle texts with confidence, have language, structure and form
an overview and ability to move from the • Make assured analysis of stylistic
specific to the general. Convey ideas features.
persuasively and cogently with apt textual
support.
Unemployment
At the time the play is set, factories were closing down. At the start of Act 2, Sammy is already on
the dole, and the song ‘Take a Letter Miss Jones’ illustrates how this rising unemployment adversely
affects Mickey’s life and tempts him into crime.
Being out of work creates low self–esteem; particularly for traditional men who feel they need to
support their family.
Views at the time
At the time, people strongly disapproved of sex before marriage and this is why Mrs Johnstone ‘has
to’ marry quickly.
Divorce was uncommon and this is another reason the neighbours might disapprove of her.
Poverty
Mickey leaves school and goes into employment; things go wrong when he is made redundant,
whereas Edward has a much more secure ‘white collar’ job. Manual workers were called ‘blue collar’
workers; they were more affected by closure of factories and the scarcity of work connected with
the docks.
Mrs Johnstone
25 years old and has seven children - naturally maternal character, embracing new life, caring
person. Russell could be hinting at religious rulings against contraception.
Strong, generous character knows instinctively what’s right and wrong, although circumstances
make it hard for her to be a straightforwardly ‘good’ person. Refuses Mrs Lyons’ attempts to bribe
her (values people above money), yet does agree under pressure to give her one of her children.
Suggested to be unselfish as she only has concerns for the child, foreseeing a better life for him.
Natural kind and loving mother, finds it hard to discipline children and keep them under control.
Sammy burns the school down and she casually jokes that it was the school’s fault for letting “the
silly gets play with magnesium”
Uneducated and doesn’t value intellectual or academic pursuits - why she is superstitious, causes
her to believe the twins’ curse and be terrified into following Mrs Lyons’ desires. Also means she
lacks concern for education of children, taking little interest when Mickey and Sammy are suspended
, Lively and has a zest for life - love of dancing and general attitude. Follows instincts, believing them
to be her best guide through life.
Fatalistic attitude “what will be will be”. Doesn’t concern herself with causes or explanations of
events in her life, instead accepting them as they happen - rejoices in relocation by council but does
not wonder how this occurred, to her it is merely the work of fate.
Poor and trapped by poverty. Makes it difficult for her to care for children and is ultimately the
reason she gives Edward away to Mrs Lyons. Russell suggests she is old before her time and has had
to sacrifice any youthful enjoyment for the life she has.
“Mrs Johnstone, horrified, sees the bundle of notes in her hand, and throws it across the room.
Mrs Johnstone: I didn’t...You told me, you said I could see him every day. Well, I’ll tell someone,
I’m gonna tell...”
– Stage direction reveals that she has realised what she has done. We feel sympathy as this action
shows she is not really driven by financial gain. Her desperation makes her stammer threats
“look, next week I’ll pay y’”
“We got married at the registry an’ then we had a ‘do’”
“We’ll live like kings, like bright young things”
Superstitious – “New shoes upon the table, take them off”
Poor – “With one more baby we could have managed”
Scared – “Just shut up. Never mind why. You don’t go up there”
New start – “We’ll be alright out here son, away from the muck and the dirt”
Disbelief – “Tell me it’s not true, say it’s just a story”
Mrs Lyons
Presented as lonely housewife, with cold character who finds it difficult to be affectionate towards
others - may be natural personality, but circumstances haven’t helped, she and her husband are
unable to have children and he spends long periods at work away from home.
Wealthy, but dependent on successful businessman husband. Doesn’t work or do housework. Hires
Mrs Johnstone to do cleaning for her, while she shops for expensive things. Russell creates her as an
inconsiderate, pampered but dependent individual.
Self-centred character who uses others for her own gain. Mrs Johnstone has handed over Edward,
and she no longer needs her and cruelly discards her, manipulating her through preying on her
uneducated and superstitious mind.
Over-protective mother, always anxious about Edward, tries to keep him in the house or garden
away from Mickey as she doesn’t want him “mixing with boys like that”.
Shown to be overcome by anxieties and suspicions in later scenes, which Russell suggests are the
results of excessive loneliness and loveless life. Becomes unreasonable and possibly mad when she
attacks Mrs Johnstone.
“We thought children would come along”
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