blood brothers class essay

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GCSE: Blood Brothers

• English Literature
• Willy Russell
• Blood Brothers

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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Blood Brothers interview with Willy Russell

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

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

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

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The Function of the Narrator in Blood Brothers

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

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Blood Brothers - The Narrator

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

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What is the importance of the narrator in blood brothers?

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

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The German Job

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

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• Fewer than 1000 73
• 1000-1999 112
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Blood Brothers

Part of English Literature

Plot summary - Edexcel

Blood Brothers by Willy Russell is centred around Mickey and Edward, twins who are separated at birth. How will their different upbringings affect their adult lives?

Themes - Edexcel

A theme is an idea that runs throughout a text. In Blood Brothers, the themes of social class and inequality, superstition and fate, and violence are explored.

Characters - Edexcel

The main characters in Blood Brothers are Mickey Johnstone and Edward Lyons, and their mothers, Mrs Johnstone and Mrs Lyons. Learn about the complicated and difficult lives they lead.

Form, structure and language - Edexcel

Blood Brothers is a play - this has an impact on its language and structure. The dialogue emphasises the characters’ different classes, while the structure of the play tracks the twins’ development.

Dramatisation - Edexcel

Willy Russell’s Blood Brothers was intended to be performed with music, rather than simply read. It is important to consider the characterisation, staging and music when studying the play.

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Blood Brothers

Willy russell, everything you need for every book you read..

Class and Money

Throughout the musical Blood Brothers , the theme of class and money plays a dominant role, controlling characters’ actions and determining their lives. This pattern begins when Mrs. Johnstone makes the fateful decision to give away one of her twin boys to her employer Mrs. Lyons . She does so not because she doesn’t want two babies, but because she simply can’t afford two extra mouths to feed. Thus the action that sets the entire…

Nature vs. Nurture

On some level, the lives of Mickey and Edward seem almost like a science experiment: what will happen when two genetically similar boys are raised in vastly different circumstances? Is a person’s character determined more by their genetics, or by their upbringing? Throughout the play, Willy Russell illuminates the contrasts that stem from Mickey and Edward’s separate childhoods, and compares them with the similarities that the two share. Mickey, for instance, is rough, rebellious, and…

Superstition and Fate

The theme of superstition and fate is one that the playwright—in the voice of the Narrator —brings up over and over again throughout the musical. Near the beginning of the play, the devious Mrs. Lyons tells Mrs. Johnstone that if two long-lost twins ever learn that they are related, they will both die instantly—and at the end of the play, despite the improbability of Mrs. Lyon’s made-up superstition, this is exactly what comes to pass…

Coming of Age

The musical Blood Brothers deals with many dark and complex issues. One of the lighter but equally important themes within it, however, is that of coming of age. Although the play ends with the twins Mickey and Edward ’s deaths, most of the musical is occupied with their lives and the events of their growing up. We see them evolve from infants, to boys, to teenagers, to young men, and at each point playwright Willy…

The Power of the Past

Throughout Blood Brothers , many characters dream of a new beginning, even as they are still mired in the past. Both Mrs. Johnstone and Mrs. Lyons exemplify this impulse. Mrs. Johnstone begins the play reminiscing about her deadbeat husband and mourning his loss, while also trying to figure out how to feed her family. Mrs. Lyons, meanwhile, decides early on in the play to pretend that her adopted son, Edward , is actually her biological…

Violence, in forms both innocent and deadly, shows up over and over again in Blood Brothers . Even as children, the characters play violent games, “killing” each other with pretend guns in the song “Kids’ Game.” As they grow older, the violence becomes more real and threatening, reaching its first peak when Mickey ’s older brother Sammy commits murder during an armed robbery. Of course, the violence doesn’t climax until the final scene of the…

Blood Brothers: historical context

Historical background of “blood brothers”.

• “Blood Brothers” is a musical by Willy Russell, first performed in 1981. Understanding its historical context is key for interpreting the characters’ actions, motivations, and the overall plot.
• The play is set in Liverpool in the UK, spanning several decades from the late 1950s to the early 1980s. This was a time of substantial social and economic change in the country.

Liverpool during the 50s to 80s

• Liverpool, in particular, faced significant hardship during this period, going through deindustrialisation and high unemployment rates. These circumstances deeply influenced the characters’ actions in the play.

Class Divide in “Blood Brothers”

• The class divide is a critical theme in “Blood Brothers.” The characters Mickey and Eddie are born into vastly differing social circumstances, with Eddie growing up in a middle-class family while Mickey is from a poor, working-class family.

Influence of Historical Events on the Play

• Various historical events that occurred during the time frame of the play, including the election of Margaret Thatcher, the subsequent rise of neoliberal policies , and the increased division between the rich and the poor are all essential background aspects affecting the characters’ lives and choices in the play.

Superstitions and Beliefs

• The play also touches on the superstitions and beliefs during this period. The belief in fate, destiny and the supernatural played a significant role in peoples’ lives, which is mirrored in Mrs. Johnstone’s superstitions in the play.

Housing Issue in the 80s

• The issue of housing, particularly council housing , was prominent at that time. The relocation of the Johnstone family from inner-city Liverpool to a new estate on the outskirts is reflective of urban regeneration attempts during the 1980s.

Significance of Historical Context

• Recognising the significant role that the historical context plays in “Blood Brothers” will offer a more profound understanding of the characters, their motivations, and ultimately the tragedy that unfolds in the play.