sammy blood brothers essay

When Mickey asks his mum why Sammy always ‘robs’ his toys, she replies:

‘Cos your the youngest, Mickey. It used to happen to our Sammy when he was the youngest.’

‘It’s last, anyway. It only fires caps. I’m gonna get a real gun soon.’

‘I know our Sammy burnt the school down.’

• Although we know that Mrs Johnstone has eight children, we only find out about them in detail when they are important to tell the story.
• Sammy is important because of his influence on Mickey. Although he is only about two years older than Mickey, Sammy is the most important male role model that his younger brother has.
• Sammy is Mickey’s older brother, but he has older siblings of his own, who bullied him, so he thinks it is Mickey’s “turn”.

Influence Over Mickey

• Throughout their lives, we see that Sammy continues to have a strong influence over Mickey, who seems to both hate and admire the older boy.
• Mickey finds it hard to say no to Sammy both when they are younger and when they are older.
• Mickey is not as streetwise as his brother and is unable to escape from the trouble that Sammy gets him in to.

Development

• As a teenager, Sammy’s behaviour is more serious.
• He robs the conductor (played by the same actor as the Narrator) at knifepoint and is given probation.
• This escalates even further when he reaches adulthood, when he draws his little brother in, too.
• Mickey ends up going to jail when Sammy persuades him to take part in a robbery. We don’t find out what happens to Sammy.

Sammy: Aggressive and Threatening

Sammy is immediately aware of societal injustice and feels hard done by. In turn he becomes an aggressive and threatening character.

Reaction to Edward

• “He’s a… poshy.” (Act One).

Aggressive as a child

• Early on in the play, Mickey describes Sammy as “dead mean sometimes” (Act One), and his tendency to be rough and aggressive as a child is a warning sign of the kind of adult he is set to become.

Betrayed by society

• Perhaps Sammy’s aggression comes from the way he is marginalised by society.
• He has no father, no prospects of employment, and no money. Russell could be using his character to illustrate what becomes of the people who society tries to ignore.

Sammy: Spiralling Behaviour

As the play develops, Sammy's behaviour spirals and becomes increasingly dangerous.

A role model for Mickey

• At first, Mickey admires Sammy’s bad behaviour, singing “I wish I was our Sammy” , looking up to him for his humorous pranks.
• Therefore, despite his poor behaviour, Sammy is a role model to his younger brother.

Burning down the school

• However, Sammy’s behaviour deteriorates and moves far beyond what one might consider to be innocent mischief. When Mrs. Johnstone sings “our Sammy burnt the school down” (Act Two), she also goes on to defend his behaviour by blaming the teacher for allowing “the silly gets” to “play with magnesium” (Act Two).
• This shows that Sammy’s upbringing lacks clear boundaries and that his mother often allows him to get away with things. This could be a reason why his behaviour continues to worsen throughout the play.

The bus incident

• Another situation in which Sammy presents very worrying behaviour is the incident on the bus, where an argument over the fare gets out of hand and results in Sammy threatening the bus driver.
• “Sammy, tell him, tell him you’re really sixteen. I’ll lend you the rest of the fare…” (Act Two).

Armed robbery

• “Fifty quid Mickey. Fifty quid for an hour’s work.” (Act Two).

Sammy: Gun Obsessed

Throughout the play, Sammy is very interested in guns. This becomes relevant in the climax of the plot, as Mickey kills Edward.

Childhood interest

• From the very start of the play, Sammy has a keen interest in playing with toy guns.
• “It only fires caps. I’m gonna get a real gun soon, I’m gonna get an airgun.” (Act One).

• “You shot him, you shot him.” (Act Two).

Mickey using Sammy's gun

• Sammy’s ability to obtain guns becomes a central part of the plot because, in the end, it is Sammy’s gun, hidden under the floorboards, that Mickey uses to kill Edward.

1 Context & Author

1.1 Context

1.1.1 Setting

1.1.2 Political Background

1.1.3 Education & Work

1.1.4 Marilyn Monroe & Pop Culture

1.1.5 Family

1.2.1 Willy Russell

1.2.2 End of Topic Test - Context & Author

2.1 Act One

2.1.1 Overview: Introduction to Mrs Johnstone & Lyons

2.1.2 Analysis: Introduction to Mrs. Johnston and Lyons

2.1.3 Overview: The Birth of Mickey & Edward

2.1.4 Analysis: The Birth of Mickey & Edward

2.1.5 Overview: Mickey Playing at Home

2.1.6 Overview: Mickey & Edward as Seven-year-olds

2.1.7 Analysis: Mickey & Edward as Seven-year-olds

2.1.8 Overview: Mickey & Edward as Seven-year-olds 2

2.1.9 Analysis: Mickey & Edward as Seven-year-olds 2

2.1.10 End of Topic Test - Act One

2.1.11 End of Topic Test - Act One 2

2.2 Act Two

2.2.1 Overview: Mickey & Edward as Teenagers

2.2.2 Analysis: Mickey & Edward as Teenagers

2.2.3 Overview: Mickey & Edward as Teenagers 2

2.2.4 Analysis: Mickey & Edward as Teenagers 2

2.2.5 Overview: Mickey & Edward as Teenagers 3

2.2.6 Analysis: Mickey & Edward as Teenagers 3

2.2.7 Overview: Mickey & Edward as Adults

2.2.8 Analysis: Mickey & Edward as Adults

2.2.9 End of Topic Test - Act Two

2.2.10 End of Topic Test - Act Two 2

3 Characters

3.1.1 Mickey

3.1.2 Mickey as a Damaged Adult

3.2.1 Edward

3.2.2 Edward 2

3.2.3 End of Topic Test - Mickey & Edward

3.3.1 Linda

3.3.2 Linda 2

3.4 Mrs Johnstone

3.4.1 Mrs Johnstone

3.4.2 Mrs Johnstone 2

3.5 Mrs Lyons

3.5.1 Mrs Lyons

3.5.2 Mrs Lyons 2

3.5.3 End of Topic Test - Linda & Mothers

3.6 Mr Lyons

3.6.1 Mr Lyons

3.7.1 Sammy

3.8 The Narrator

3.8.1 The Narrator

3.9.1 Minor Characters

3.9.2 End of Topic Test - Other Characters

3.10 End of Topic Sessions

3.10.1 Grade 9 - Key Characters

4.1 Parents & Children

4.1.1 Parents & Children

4.2 Growing Up

4.2.1 Growing Up

4.3 Friendship & Brotherhood

4.3.1 Friendship & Brotherhood

4.3.2 End of Topic Test - Parents, Growing Up, Friends

4.4 Fate & Superstition

4.4.1 Fate & Superstition

4.5 Nature vs. Nurture

4.5.1 Nature vs. Nurture

4.6 Social Class

4.6.1 Social Class

4.6.2 End of Topic Test - Fate, Upbringing & Class

5 Literary Techniques

5.1 Structure

5.1.1 Structure

5.2 Tragedy

5.2.1 Tragedy

5.3 Dramatic Irony

5.3.1 Dramatic Irony

5.4 Imagery

5.4.1 Imagery

5.5 Character & Voice

5.5.1 Character

5.6 Music & Lyrics

5.6.1 Music & Lyrics

5.7 Accent & Dialect

5.7.1 Accent & Dialect

5.7.2 End of Topic Test - Literary Techniques

5.7.3 End of Topic Test - Literary Techniques 2

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The Narrator

Blood Brothers

Willy russell, ask litcharts ai: the answer to your questions.

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 play, when Mickey kills Edward with a gun, only to be shot himself by policemen.

Throughout the play, there are signs of how present and powerful violence is, cropping up in unexpected times and places. For instance, the seemingly refined Mrs. Lyons at one point slaps Edward, proving that she is not as gentle and loving as she pretends to be. Even the fun that Mickey, Edward, and Linda share is tinged with violence, as when Mickey and Linda encourage Edward to break a window with a rock. These characters are all so accustomed to violence that they believe it to be something casual, normal, and even fun. Russell, however, clearly has a different view. By weaving violence into so many moments of his narrative, he essentially allows the audience to become used to it—and then he depicts a shocking, brutal act of violence in the final moments of his play. This reminds us that violence always has consequences, and should never be thought of as “normal.”

Violence ThemeTracker

Violence Quotes in Blood Brothers

So did y’hear the story of the Johnstone twins? As like each other as two new pins, Of one womb born, on the self same day, How one was kept and one given away? An’ did you never hear how the Johnstones died, Never knowing that they shared one name, Till the day they died…?

MRS. LYONS: You do know what they say about twins, secretly parted, don’t you? MRS. JOHNSTONE: What? What? MRS. LYONS: They say…they say that if either twin learns that he once was a pair, that they shall both immediately die. It means, Mrs. Johnstone, that these brothers shall grow up, unaware of the other’s existence. They shall be raised apart and never, ever told what was once the truth. You won’t tell anyone about this, Mrs. Johnstone, because if you do, you will kill them.

You’re always gonna know what was done Even when you shut your eyes you still see That you sold a son And you can’t tell anyone. But y’know the devil’s got your number, Y’know he’s gonna find y’, Y’know he’s right behind y’, … Yes, y’know the devil’s got your number … And he’s knocking at your door.

But you know that if you cross your fingers And if you count from one to ten You can get up off the ground again It doesn’t matter The whole thing’s just a game.

MRS. JOHNSTONE: YOU’RE MAD. MAD. MRS. LYONS: I curse the day I met you. You ruined me. MRS. JOHNSTONE: Go. Just go! MRS. LYONS: Witch. I curse you. Witch! MRS. JOHNSTONE: Go!

There’s a man gone mad in the town tonight, He’s gonna shoot somebody down, There’s a man gone mad, lost his mind tonight … There’s a mad man running round and round. Now you know the devil’s got your number. He’s runnin’ right beside you, He’s screamin’ deep inside you, And someone said he’s callin’ your number up today.

MRS. JOHNSTONE: Mickey. Don’t shoot Eddie. He’s your brother. You had a twin brother. I couldn’t afford to keep both of you. His mother couldn’t have kids. I agreed to give one of you away! MICKEY: You. You! Why didn’t you give me away? I could have been…I could have been him!

And do we blame superstition for what came to pass? Or could it be what we, the English, have come to know as class?

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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

• Word count: 892

"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

• Word count: 1713

> "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

• Word count: 815

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,

• Word count: 2740

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

• Word count: 2139

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

• Word count: 1225

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

• Word count: 2281

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

• Word count: 938

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

• Word count: 2727
• Fewer than 1000 73
• 1000-1999 112
• 2000-2999 39

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Blood Brothers

By willy russell, blood brothers summary and analysis of part 2: "easy terms".

The next section begins with the debt collectors leaving Mrs. Johnstone 's home. She goes to comfort her crying babies and begins to sing, "Easy Terms." The song describes her financial hardships and fear about having to make good on her agreement with Mrs. Lyons . She concludes with the lyrics: "Never sure / Who's at the door / Or what price I'll have to pay."

Mrs. Lyons appears at the house. She is surprised to see that the twins were born and that she was not notified. Mrs. Johnstone tries to explain that she wanted to keep them together, just for a few more days. Mrs. Lyons is wholly unsympathetic and says she is taking one of them now. She asks Mrs. Johnstone to pick which one she will take, but Mrs. Johnstone tells her to choose, as she cannot bear to be responsible for that decision. Mrs. Lyons takes one of the boys and leaves. She tells Mrs. Johnstone to take the rest of the week off.

The other children ask what has happened to one of the twins. Mrs. Johnstone lies and says he died. The following week, Mrs. Johnstone converses with Mr. Lyons . Mr. Lyons says he is very happy about having a son and proud of Mrs. Lyons for her handling of the "pregnancy." Mrs. Johnstone holds the crying baby which upsets Mrs. Lyons. Mrs. Johnstone leaves the room to continue cleaning. Mrs. Lyons asks Mr. Lyons for some money.

After Mr. Lyons leaves the house, Mrs. Lyons fires Mrs. Johnstone. Mrs. Johnstone becomes emotional and says that if she is leaving, she is taking her son with her. Mrs. Lyons says she cannot do this as they have a binding agreement. Mrs. Lyons says if she attempts to do this, she will tell everyone what she has done and that she will be jailed for giving her child. Mrs. Lyons adds that the boys have to be kept apart for their entire lives. She reminds Mrs. Johnstone that English superstition says that if twins learn that they were separated, they both immediately die. Defeated and desperate, Mrs. Johnstone leaves the house and takes the money, agreeing to never return.

The narrator sings "Shoes Upon the Table," accompanied by a lively rock rhythm section and horn chorus. He sings about how Mrs. Johnstone feels doggedly pursued by the devil, who knows she gave up her baby to Mrs. Lyons. The song ends and the musical leaps forward several years. Mrs. Johnstone's son, Mickey , is seven years old and he comes to the door, complaining about how his brother Sammy took his toy gun. Mrs. Johnstone says this only happened because he is the youngest sibling. He continues to complain but she dismisses him.

Feeling glum, Mickey goes outside to play again. He recites a short lyric about how Sammy is always getting the things that he wants and how he has had no such luck. Mickey then encounters a young boy named Eddie . They talk and Eddie tells him he is Mrs. Lyons' son. Mickey asks Eddie for a sweet and is shocked when Eddie just gives him one. They talk about their families. Mickey says his brother Sammy has a plate in his head as a result of an injury he sustained after falling out a window as a child. They take a liking to one another.

Through subsequent conversation, they discover that they share a birthday. Mickey asks Eddie if he'd like to be his "blood brother," since they have a birthday in common. They cut their hands and clasp them together, swearing an oath of brotherhood. Suddenly Sammy pops up and points his toy gun at them, demanding a candy. Sammy mocks both Mickey and Eddie, saying Eddie's accent clearly marks him as a "poshy." They return to Mickey's house and Mrs. Johnstone is shocked to see Eddie, as she quickly realizes that he is Mickey's secret twin.

This part of the musical uses its scoring to convey Mrs. Johnstone's mounting anxiety. The song "Easy Terms" shows a distressed Mrs. Johnstone wrestling with her growing financial problems and her greater, child-shaped debt to Mrs. Lyons. The song's slow pace, and soft orchestral string and guitar accompaniment, emphasize her yearning to hold onto her son for just a little longer. In a different manner, the frenetic energy of "Shoes Upon the Table" shows the sinister enthusiasm of the devil that Mrs. Johnstone imagines pursuing her. The songs’ varying tempos reflect the characters' emotional turbulence.

Fate also plays a significant role in this second part of the musical. The boys meet despite overwhelming odds and seem to share a deep connection. They take an immediate liking to one other and use a bloody handshake to cement their shared "blood" brotherhood. Their coming together suggests that they possess a powerful bond, one that will not be severed by their class divide or the interference of their respective mothers. They are seemingly destined to be in each other's lives.

Class is another important theme in this section of the musical. After meeting, Eddie and Mickey immediately become aware of their differing circumstances. Mickey is tormented by his older brother and is never allowed to have nice things unless he is willing to battle neighborhood kids for them. In contrast, Eddie is given most of the things he wants, including toys and candy. He is an only child and receives his parents' undivided attention and affection. Interestingly, the boys still find common ground and enjoy laughing and playing with one another. The musical highlights the sharp divide between their financial situations while also showing how it does not impede their friendship, as children.

Violence is a significant theme in Sammy's storyline. Sammy is shown immediately being involved in violent acts. He bullies Mickey and enjoys threatening other children with his toy gun. He uses force to get what he wants from Mickey, continually intimidating and harassing him. While Mrs. Johnstone does little to stand in his way, this behavior clearly does not bode well for his future. Sammy's menacing presence at a young age foreshadows his eventual involvement in terrible crimes. The musical shows how Sammy's reliance on violence at an early point in his life causes him increasingly large problems.

The musical's use of rock instruments, like electric guitar, adds to the dramatic pace of the story and captures elements of the economic divide between the two boys. By blending orchestral strings with pop instruments, Russell is able to bring together two musical textures that reflect the "posh" and working-class backgrounds of Eddie and Mickey, respectively. This approach creates friction between the two types of instruments that mirrors the eventual clash between Eddie and Mickey.

Blood Brothers Questions and Answers

The Question and Answer section for Blood Brothers is a great resource to ask questions, find answers, and discuss the novel.

Study Guide for Blood Brothers

Blood Brothers study guide contains a biography of Willy Russell, literature essays, quiz questions, major themes, characters, and a full summary and analysis.

• About Blood Brothers
• Blood Brothers Summary
• Character List

Blood Brothers ( AQA GCSE English Literature )

Topic questions.

Willy Russell: Blood Brothers

How far does Russell present Mrs Johnstone as a strong female character in Blood Brothers ?

Write about:

• what Mrs Johnstone says and does
• how far Russell presents Mrs Johnstone as a strong female character.

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How does Russell use the Narrator to comment on society in Blood Brothers ?

• what the Narrator says
• how Russell uses the Narrator to comment on society.

How does Russell use the character of Mickey to show the importance of education in  Blood Brothers ? Write about:

• Mickey’s experience of education
• how Russell uses Mickey to show the importance of education.

How does Russell present the importance of friendship in Blood Brothers ?

• examples of friendship in the play
• how Russell presents the importance of friendship.

How does Russell present the importance of money in Blood Brothers ?

• the importance of money to characters in the play
• how Russell presents the importance of money.

How far does Russell present Mrs Lyons as a lonely and unhappy character in Blood Brothers ?

• what Mrs Lyons says and does
• how far Russell presents Mrs Lyons as lonely and unhappy.

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

• 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]

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

• what family life is like for Mickey and Edward
• how Russell presents the differences in their family lives.