1. Blood Brothers Themes Revision Pack

2. Blood Brothers-Violence
Violence shows up many times in Bloood Brothers. Even as children the kids are playing violent games and that is shown when the song Kids game comes on and the kids shoot each other with pretend guns. As the kids get older the violence becomes more real and threatening when Mickey's older brother Sammy commits murder during an armed robbery. The scene that shows the most violence is the final scene when Mickey shoots Edward because when the policeman shot Mickey it made him shoot Edward so the twins are both dead in the end.
The play shows violence most of the time even if it doesnt seem like it is. It shows up in unexpected points like when Mrs Lyons laps Edward which shows us that Mrs Lyons isn't as gentle and loving as we thought she was and this shows us more about what kind of character Mrs Lyons really is.
It shows violence when Mickey, Edward and Linda are together and decide to throw rocks at a window for fun and they encourage Edward to join in but as he does it a police man comes and stops them so this shows they were doing something bad and its violence because they are doing an act of violence against someone.
Violence is also shown when Mrs Lyons follows Mickey and Edward to Mrs Johnstones house and then Mrs Lyons starts talking to Mrs Johnstone about why she's there and Mrs Lyons tires to stab Mrs johnstone because she didnt accept her offer of money so that she'd move away from her and Edward so this is violence because Mrs Lyons tried to kill Mrs Johnstone.
These characters are used to doing all this so they dont see it as an act of violence because they see it as a normal, casual and fun thing to do so they'll just keep doing it again and again without knowing what its really doing to other people and that its bad.
Russell has a diffrent view to all this. He does this by weaving violence into so many momments of the play that the audience becomes used to it-and then he depicts a shocking and brutal act of violence at the end of his play when Mickey gets shot and dies whilst at the same time killing Edward which kills him as well.
This reminds us that violence always has consequences and should never be thought as a normal thing to do.

3. Violence Sammy gets Mickey involved in an armed robbery quote:
The key characters that show violence include: Mickey, Sammy, Edward, Mrs Lyons and the rest of the children.
Violence started 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.
There are signs of how present and powerful violence is. 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 familiar 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.”
The working class children are linked to violence from a young age quote:
“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.”
Sammy gets Mickey involved in an armed robbery quote:
“Look at y’, Mickey. What have y’ got? Nothin’, like me mam.”
Mrs Lyons becomes violent towards Mrs Johnstone quote:
“Wherever I go you’ll be just behind me. I know that now... always and for ever and ever like, like a shadow.”
Mickey shoots Edward by accident quote:
[Mickey waves at Edward with his gun hand. The gun explodes and blows Edward apart. Mickey turns to the police screaming the word “No”. They open fire and four guns explode, blowing Mickey away.]

4. Violence
The key characters that are involved in any sort of violence throughout Blood Brothers are Mickey, Edward, Sammy, Mrs Lyons and Mrs Johnstone.
The last scene in Blood Brothers is a great example of violence as every other part of violence throughout the play leads to the death of the two brothers. Such as the part of the play where Sammy shoots an innocent man. The gun that he uses is then used to kill Edward this is foreshadowing.
Key Quotations: ‘He’s gonna shoot somebody down’ Narrator. ‘Mickey. Don’t shoot Eddie. He’s your brother’ Mrs Johnstone.
2 or 3 ideas that could be used to described violence are:
The part where Mrs Lyons tried to stab Mrs Johnstone with a kitchen knife this shows the conflict between the two families which ends in violence.
Another point is the scene where the children are pretending to be cowboys and Indians using their hands as guns this shows that the children of the working class were used to violence at a young age.
My last point is the scene where Mickey shoots Edward and the police shoot Mickey.

6. Fate and Superstition ‘never look at one magpie’…’Mickey told me’
Mrs Lyons Manipulates Mrs Johnstone using her belief in superstition.
‘You do know what they say about twins, secretly parted, don’t you’ (Act1 pg.23)
How do we know that Mrs Lyons doesn’t actually believe this? Why does Mrs Lyons try to convince Mrs Johnstone of a superstitious thing? What does this say about Mrs Lyons? Why and how does she use persuasive phrases like ’you do know’? What does this say about what willy Russell might think of superstition and its effect on the working classes?
‘(twigging it; laughing) Oh…you mean you’re superstitious?’ (Act1 pg.9)
Willy Russell uses a rhetorical question as it seems patronising. She is laughing and ‘twigging it’ meaning that being superstitious seems strange and stupid to Mrs Lyons
Superstition is used- Mickey’s influence over Edward, even after Edward leaves.
‘never look at one magpie’…’Mickey told me’
This is kind of the reverse to Mrs Lyons manipulation of Mrs Johnstone. It is the reverse in the sense of class and who over powers who with superstition. Willy Russell often uses superstition to suggest who has influence over whom and who has an effect on whom.
‘Blood Brothers’ is a tragedy and tragedies often have the key feature that they focus on a hero (i.e. Eddie and Mickey) whose downfall is inevitable and unavoidable. Due to a flaw in them or their surroundings. Neither Eddie nor Mickey can control what happens and Superstition is a way to show and demonstrate that.
Superstition is used to suggest Mrs Lyons mental fragility.
‘sweeps’ the shoes off the table and ‘should see a doctor’
This is an interesting part of the play as Mrs Lyons who originally laughs at the idea becomes a reluctant believer. Perhaps Russell is suggesting that anyone can be made to believe things that provide some sort of certainty as to what the future holds. Especially when facing an uncertain and difficult future.
Think about the Narrator and his role in superstition in the play. He often mentions it and keeps it in the audience’s mind throughout the play. However by the end of the play he suggests whether we should ‘blame superstition for what came to pass’ or whether ‘it be what we, the English, have come to know as class’. Does Russell actually only use superstition for dramatic effect, just to string the story together or does he suggest more than just that, does he suggest a self-fulfilling prophecy for example?

7. Superstition And Fate In Blood Brothers
Excessive belief in the supernatural
Belief in the lucky and unlucky
Fate
An uncontrollable turn of events
Quotes about superstition in the play
“There's a black cat stalking and a woman who's afraid” Narrator
“Do we blame superstition for what came to pass/or could it be what we, the English, have come to know as class?”
“It’s a magpie, never look at one magpie. Its one for sorrow” Edward
Mrs Johnstone is superstitious
Mrs Lyons manipulates Mrs Johnstone about being superstitious
Mrs Lyons becomes superstitious herself
Which leads to the Narrator who reminds the audience of the influence of superstition
Narrator then questions superstition
Question
Point
Example
Analysis
Mrs Johnstone is superstitious. How does Russell show this?
Willy Russell uses Mrs Johnstone to show the superstition believing working classes
‘You never put new shoes on the table.’
Superstition becomes intertwined with the working class. Mrs Lyons, who doesn’t believe in class has a method of manipulation, and so keeps the twins split up. Mrs Lyons has the power over her employee. Perhaps Russell believes that many of the working classes’ belief in superstition actually make them easily manipulated by the middle classes. This influence forces Mrs Johnstone into giving a twin away

8. “Don’t you know what a dictionary is?”
Social Class
The four main characters (Mickey, Edward, Mrs Johnstone and Mrs Lyons) can be seen as social stereotypes, presented dramatically in order to emphasise the differences in the social classes. Russell does this to show the unfairness that it results in.
Working classes –
“living on the bread line”
“living on the never never”- dream world (where you can afford things)
Unemployment and poverty was high which lead to a massive gap between the rich and poor. Willy Russell can relate to this as he himself was born outside of Liverpool and was of the working class.
Russell shows how wealth brings privilege, due to the way the Johnstone's and the Lyons are treated differently by the law.
Middle classes- can afford luxuries (such as a watch, which we see Edward wearing)
At the end when Mickey says “I could have been him” it makes us realise that Mickey's life could've turned out very differently if he had been brought up in the Lyon's household.
Insult- Noun
Word level analysis:
“He’s a friggin poshy”
Pronoun (conjoined words)- Sammy doesn’t know Edward and his judging him.
Trying not to swear, shows good parenting from Mrs Johnstone.
Pre-modifier shows that he doesn’t like middle class people because they are treated differently by authority (Mrs Thatcher and police).
Dropping the ‘g’ on ‘friggin’ shows bad education (slang).
“Don’t you know what a dictionary is?”
Edward Mickey
Sammy considers Edward as being an object (stereotype).
Police targeted young people in the working classes- stop and search systems etc. (Policeman scene)
The way he treats them is similar to…

9. The Social Class- Gemma Ansell
2). The main presence of class difference is between Mrs Johnstone and Mrs Lyons. Mrs Johnstone is shown as a working class women who struggles to care for her children alone, for example not being able to pay the milkman and only “just manage to get by”. Unlike Mrs Lyons who is a middle class woman because she has a large house, can afford a cleaner and has a husband away with the “company”.
3). It is also shown when the twins first meet, as Edward has sweets to share unlike Mickey who also finds this strange as he isn’t often around people that share.
1). Social Class is a reoccurring theme in play. Willy Russel can portray through this that the class someone is in can change the course of their life.
4). In the play, class also effects the behaviour of the characters. For example both mothers see a middle class upbringing with the politeness and well behaved children, by saying about how Edward wouldn’t “get into fights”. When the twins meet this is active as Mickey swears in the convocation and teaches Edward the “F-word” whilst Edward is well spoken and offers sweets to Mickey.
6). The different classes also have different opportunities, such as Edward being able to go to private school, where as Mickeys school is shown as being “all boredom”. The opportunities in the play are often played next to each other or after to juxtapose ( put next to each other to contrast).
5). Class prejudice is also active in the play, this is shown when the boys get caught by the policeman, he treats the parents differently. Saying that it is a “serious crime” and threatening Mrs Johnstone, where as he drinks and jokes with the Lyons, saying it was “a prank” and calling Edward “Adolf”. He also suggests that Edward shouldn't “mix with the likes of him”, showing that the working class was stigmatised (labelled in a bad way).

10. Class
The middle classes are the social class that are professional and business people. They don’t have as much money as upper classes but a lot more than working classes. They had very important jobs , like owning factories, but they don’t work in them.
The middle classes look down upon the working classes. They can buy luxuries. An example from the play, is that Edward has a watch and Mr Lyons owns the factory that Mickey works at, later on in the play.
Working class and middle class people were treated very differently. In the 1960’s policemen treated working class badly; this is shown in the play when they caught by the policeman. He hits Mickey and tells Mrs Johnstone that this is the last warning, whereas when he talks to Mr Lyons, he tells him that it was ‘more of a prank’ and jokes around with Edward calling him ‘Adolf’.
Willy Russell uses Mickey and Edward to show how differently the social classes were treated. If you were in working class, you were more likely to have hand-me down clothes, poor speech as a result of bad education and were more likely to have a bigger family. Micky represents them as he goes to a state school (which when he finishes goes straight into work); says ‘gis’; has other siblings and has to wear clothes that are too big for him, being passed down from his older siblings. Compared to working classes, middle classes are much better off. This is because they can afford luxuries, buy named clothes and get good education (therefore getting a good paying job). Edward shows this as he has a watch, Mrs Lyons sings about buying him ‘George Henry Lee’ and after he has finished his private schooling, he doesn’t go off to work he goes to university to get further education to be able to get a better paid job.
The working classes are people who are employed for wages in manual or industrial work. They work for middle class citizens. They can’t afford luxuries (they just have things that they need) and some only have enough money for food. One example from the play is a kid saying to Mrs Johnstone “I’m hungry, I’m starvin’…” .
Working class citizens don’t like middle class. An example from the play is when Sammy insults Edward by calling him a ‘poshy’.

11. Social Class Working class Middle class
Working class have to work for wages mainly in manual or industrial work. They don’t have any extra things they would like, they only have the bare essentials that they need. The working classes do what the system sets out for them.
Middle class
Middle class have professional and business jobs. They can buy some luxuries such as a watch. a social group that consists of well-educated people, such as doctors, lawyers, and teachers, who have good jobs and are neither very rich or very poor

12. How is this shown in Blood Brothers?
Power of the Past
Children normally do what they want and don’t listen to their parents, if Edward and mickey did listen to their mums about not going to each others parts of town (past) they wouldn’t be dead (future).
When Mrs Johnstone sings about her past and is constantly compared to Marilyn Monroe. Marilyn Monroe life end early in real life but this could hint to the future when mickey dies at a young age.
The narrator appears when Mrs Lyons and Mrs Johnstone swears on the bible show how important that moment it. The two agree, and the narrator tells them that it is now too late for the women to go back on their agreement because the deal has been sealed. He emphasises that they have committed a crime and he reminds us throughout the play that sooner or later they will have to face the consequences of their actions that they engaged in the past.
This means the influence on what we have done in the past and how it have affected the future
For example this could be our past experiences, education, environment, genetics or expectations of society
How is this shown in Blood Brothers?
Throughout Blood Brothers ,many characters dream of a new beginning, even though they are simply still in the past of the play (act one). At the same time, the power of the past can be a positive force. Although Edward and Mickey eventually lose their close bond, they were best friends at the beginning. They share a past – a past they weren’t aware of – even though Mrs Johnstone gave Edward away there would always stay a close bond because we all have an instinct of what happened in the past.
By Paige Simmonds

13. The power of the past Helpful Quotes: Example in Blood Brothers :
The power of the past means how will the past effect your future life.
Helpful Quotes:
“In the name of Jesus, the thing was done,
Now there’s no going back, for anyone.”
Religion
Throughout Blood Brothers, many characters dream of a new beginning, even as they are still stuck in the past.
adjective
Mrs Johnstone is a strict catholic
Past
unavoidable
Example in Blood Brothers :
Although Edward and Mickey eventually lose their close bond, they are best friends for most of the play. Their shared past—a past that they are not even aware of—exerts a great deal of power over them, making them call each other “brother” without realizing that they actually are brothers.
Mrs Lyons: “I curse the day I met you. You ruined me.”
noun
Misfortune in future
Also , the boys both have a rewarding relationship with Linda because of the trio’s shared past. The relationships among all three characters, in fact, has been shaped by their past interactions with each other.
Foreshadowing twins deaths
The power of the past (Mrs Lyons)
The secret of the twins birth is the ultimate sign of the power of the past. Despite their mothers many desperate attempts, the boys will not stay away from each other. Further the two ultimately pay the price for their mothers past decisions.
Throughout the play Mrs Lyons tries to run away form her past but instead it just makes her more and more paranoid about her son not really being hers. By trying to erase the past, she has in fact given it power over her.
The conductor, who is played by the Narrator tells the teenagers to get on the bus, but then turns to Mrs. Johnstone. He asks if she’s happy, and whether she’s forgotten the past. He reminds her that she can’t escape eventually paying the price for her actions.
The power of the past (Mrs Johnstone)
Mrs. Johnstone also tries to escape the past, in the Act One finale song “Bright New Day,” she imagines a world for herself and her children without crime and poverty. Act Two, however, proves that these misfortunes will follow her family wherever she goes, as two of her sons become criminals despite her best efforts.

14. The Power of the Past Act 1:
When the Narrator appears when Mrs.Lyons and Mrs.Johnstone swear on the Bible, shows how important that moment is . The two of them agree and the Narrator tells them and the audience that it is now too late for them to go back on their words. He emphasises that they've committed a crime and reminds us constantly throughout the play.
Act 2:
The Narrator who plays the role of the conductor tells the teenagers to get on the bus, but then turns to Mrs.Johnstone and asks if she's happy, and whether she's forgotten the past. He reminds her that she can't escape because eventually she has to face the consequences.
Key Characters
Mrs. Johnstone – Mainly in Act 2
Mrs. Lyons – Mainly in Act 2 
Mickey – Mainly in Act 2
Edward – Mainly in Act 2
Narrator – Shows it in Act 1 and Act 2

15. Rough meaning of the quotes REMEMBER!!!
Key Quotations
Rough meaning of the quotes
REMEMBER!!!
Someday you'll have to face the consequences of your actions
Context
Exhaust your points
DO NOT RETELL THE STORY!!!
"The devil's got your number
He's gonna find y'
Y' know he's right behind y'"
"Did you forget you've got some debts to pay?
Did you forget about the reckoning day?"
Reminder that you will never know when will your past knock on your door
Comparing with a dead famous person – can be linked to context
"You'd think he was dead like Marilyn Monroe"
Referring to Mrs.Johnstones conscience and guilt wanting to come to the surface
"You know he's right beside you 
He's screamin' deep inside you"
GOOD LUCK...AND DON'T RUSH!!!

16. The Power of the Past Who’s involved in this theme?
All the characters! In one way or another they all link back to something in the play. Maybe they’ve sung about it or maybe they’re directly involved with an event that has happened or is going to happen.
Sometimes ideas aren’t blatantly obvious.
Why don’t you think about the “Marilyn Monroe” line that comes up in the songs. Do you think this could be foreshadowing Mickey and Edward’s fate?
“In the name of Jesus, the thing was done”
This is said by the narrator just after Mrs Lyons and Mrs Johnstone have sworn on the bible that Mrs J will give on of the twins to Mrs L and the twins will never know that they were actually twins
“Missed”
Linda says this to Edward just before they kiss towards the end of the play. This refers back to when they first met and they were playing with toy guns and they’d laugh at each other when they missed.

17. Coming of age
Coming of age is where a person formally or legally becomes and adult. In England this is the age of 18 but in other countries like America its the age of 21.
In the play ‘Blood Brothers’ the characters aging is shown clearly, there are few ways to tell:
Clothing difference, when the musical starts, Mickey is wearing scruffy hand-me-down clothes, a knitted vest with holes in and some huge shorts, as the play progresses Mickey changes into a shirt and a undone tie with trousers that fit properly. Edward changes too, at the start he is wearing shorts and knee high socks but later in the play we can deduce that he has grown out of the childish clothing he had because he is later seen in a shirt, tie, trousers and a leather jacket.
Language, at the start of the play Mickey uses simply language like ‘and’ a lot, this shows his limited knowledge of words, it also reflects his class because he is not well educated and his mother, Mrs Johnstone, uses similar language to Mickey because she is not well educated either.
Attitude to life, Mickey and Edwards attitude to life are opposites. At the beginning Mickey wants to play and party all the time but Edward is more focused on reading and learning like where he says “I’ll look it up in the dictionary when I get home”, this shows how Edward is willing to learn. When the boys are near reaching adulthood, their attitudes to life swap completely, Edward has changed from wanting to learn to wanting to chill out from education and he wants to party whereas Mickey is trying to get a job to earn money, this also reflects class because working class are forced to mature and move on with their life quicker because of their life situations. Mickey tells Edward that he has grown up and he is forced to move on “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 stuff. But I can’t, because while no on was looking I grew up.” Now Edward wants to party and Mickey wants to learn and become an adult.
Likes and dislikes, Mickey and Edward like similar things which they discover after they meet. Edward has not mixed with people like Mickey and therefore he wouldn’t know what kinds of games they play, ‘cowboys and Indians' is a great example of a game that Mickey plays, Edward would never have thought of such a game until he met Mickey then he really liked it, they both grow out of this game as they mature. Another like/dislike as a way to tell they are maturing is the becoming of blood brothers, at age 7 when they both meet for the first time, they both are very keen on the idea of becoming blood brothers, later Mickey refers to blood brothers as ‘kids stuff’ which tells the audience he has changed form liking he idea to disliking the idea.
Body language, when Mickey is still very young and he is talking to his mum, Mrs Johnstone, he uses his body a lot, he would just be talking to her but he would be moving his arms above his head or swinging his arms in circles around him, this is very common in younger children because they have lots of energy and they use the energy to gain attention, mickey is showing how little children act.
Voice, this is more of a drama aspect of coming of age but despite this it shows how the characters are ‘coming of age’. During the beginning the kids have higher voices compared to later on, this shows how you can create a characters age by acting a certain way.

18. By Billy Walsh Revision Page on The Coming Of Age Party OR Life
Definition:
When a person formally becomes an adult.
Party OR Life
When turning 18/21 people usually think of partying or drinking. But you should think of your next step in life.
To remember this think of Mr. Miller’s assemblies OR
You could link your answer with class, middle class not having to worry about money so they do go out and have fun where as working class need the money so they get a job as soon as possible so they don’t have the time or the money to go out. This answer could then be developed to include context about the class system.
This Links to the play when Edward decides to go out partying but Mickey gets a job and starts a family with Linda.
Key Quotes:
“But you’re still a kid.”
“That was all kids stuff.”
“because when no one was looking I grew up.”
By Billy Walsh

19. life, for the children, is shown to be a carefree game.
coming of age
Many works in drama and literature have a theme of ‘growing up’. Russell’s play is, in part, just this.
In Act One,
life, for the children, is shown to be a carefree game.
In my opinion, it is the different experience of growing up that ends the friendship between Edward and Mickey. One reason why I believe this is when Mickey loses his job Edward tries to be positive about his situation, saying that he should “draw the dole, live like a bohemian” - but Mickey tells Edward that he cannot understand it. One very, very important thing is that Edward used to word “dole,” which, according to the dictionary, is “benefit paid by the [British] state to the unemployed.” this implies that Edward is actively encouraging him to spend money which should be used for essentials (which is why it is given out in the first place). Mickey says that Edward hasn't had to grow up like him, to face the difficulties of the adult world, saying that “I don’t wear a hat that I could tilt at the world”. He says that they don't have anything in common any more. This is also what leads to Linda having an affair with Edward – due to societal standards that mean that the wife of the family words at home, she’s having to experience all the hardships that Mickey is, and Edward is presented to her as an escape.
In Act Two,
the pressures of growing up in different backgrounds and educational systems are shown to bring problems.

20. COMING OF AGE ACT 1 ACT 2 ‘Our Mickey’s just turned fourteen
Most references to the theme ‘Coming of Age’ are made in the second act but to create a structured and interesting argument you should make connections to the first act and why it relates to the actions in act 2.
For Example –
The relationship between the twins and Linda is established and as they are 7-8 years old there is no love interest.
The children played Cowboys and Indians and if one was ‘killed’ then ‘cross your fingers and count from one to ten
You can get up off the ground again
In act 2 the theme of ‘coming of age’ is shown in a variety of ways and examples from act 1 are continued.
For example –
Mickey and Linda end up together but Edwards interest for her leads to a love triangle that ultimately leads to the twins’ deaths.
The Narrator references crossing their fingers and everything being a game just before Mickey and Sammy are arrested.
ACT 2
‘Our Sammy’s older than you’
‘I’m nearly eight’
‘Our Mickey’s just turned fourteen
Y’know he’s at that age’
‘The Christmas party’s gonna be on me’