Portrayal of Two Mothers in Blood Brothers

Portrayal of Two m another(prenominal)s in Blood BrothersCompargon how Willy Russell portrays the cardinal engenders in Blood Brothers.Blood Brothers is a popular roleplay by Willy Russell. It was written and first performed in 1981. The play dictates of twin brothers, separated at birth, with unity kept in a woeful-class family and the other is adopted into a wealthy family. The characters of Mrs Johnston and Mrs Lyons, the mothers, are replete(p) opposites. Mrs Johnston is a struggling, single mother of seven, with another two on the way, w hereas Mrs Lyons is a privileged, yet childless, married woman.When we are first introduced to Mrs Johnston, she is a single mother ever since her husband left her for a younger woman. She is a lowclass Liverpudlian, who is extremely hardworking. Mrs Johnston is described as a woman in her thirties, barely looks sixty, because of the stress of work and her children. Mrs Johnston stutters at times, when shes under pressure, like when Mrs Lyons is persuading her to name external one and only(a) of the twins,Erm, well I think its the entirely, Mrs Lyons, what manage 1 depiction 5.Mrs Johnston is sh protest as unsure and pressured into something she doesnt want to do. The commentator may regard it disturbing, since not many mothers grant away their children to their employers. Mrs Johnston realises what Mrs Lyons is talking some, notwithstanding is nonoperational confused over the whole situation. When she talks, ellipses are used to show that she pauses in her dialogue, because she is uncertain attachedly the consequences to what she is about to do,At er Act 1 delineation 5.She is hesitating because she is in doubt and hasnt really decided. Mrs Johnston is lost for wrangling and cant think of anything to say. Mrs Johnston is a superstitious lady, even though she denies it. The reader can design this in a scene between her and Mrs Lyons,Mrs Lyons Twigging, laughing Oh, you specify its superstition.Yo ure superstitious are you?The Mother No. just now you never honk new shoes on a table. Act 1 Scene 3.When Mrs Lyons laid shoes on the table, Mrs Johnston panicked. Mrs Lyons uses Mrs Johnstons be lyingf of superstition over against her when severe to detainment her word of honor, Edward, one of the twins.Mrs Lyons contrasts really strongly against Mrs Johnston. At first, Mrs Lyons is shown as a sparkly person in her thirties, unlike the stressed Mrs Johnston who is the same age. Mrs Lyons is an upper middle-class woman. She is also a really patronising woman, who is forceful and pressurising. Mrs Lyons uses negative views about extra children so that Mrs Johnston will fall in to give away one of the twins to her. She doesnt do this in an aggressive way, but in a dangerously sweet manner,Mrs Lyons Already youre being threatened by the Welfare. With two to a greater extent how will you avoid some of them being put into share? Surely, surely, Mrs Johnston, its better to give one child to me than to have some of them taken into vex If hes with me youll still be able to probe him each twenty-four hours as you come into work. Act 1 Scene 5.She gives Mrs Johnston reasons to give up a child. Mrs Lyons is shown to be self-centred,My husband is due sand tomorrow I must have my baby now. Act 1 Scene 6.She doesnt care about Mrs Johnstons feelings, Mrs Lyons only wants the baby because if Mr Lyons returns and doesnt see it, he will have that his wife was lying. Mrs Lyons is willing to take a child away from its mother, so that she can save her own skin. Mrs Lyons is a precise sly and indirect woman, as she uses superstition against Mrs Johnston, so that she can keep one of the twins, subsequentlywards Mrs Johnston tries to take him back,Mrs Lyons You have sex what they say about twins secretly start uped, dont you?The Mother Terrified What, what?Mrs Lyons They say they say that if either twin learns he was one of a pair they shall both die immediate ly It means, Mrs Johnston, that these brothers shall grow up incognizant of the others existence. They shall be raised apart, and never, never ever told what was once the truth. You wont tell anyone, Mrs Johnston, because if you do you shall kill them Act 1 Scene 8.Mrs Lyons is being dramatic, but she knows that Mrs Johnston is convinced, because she saw how Mrs Johnston overreacted when she put shoes on the table. Mrs Lyons is truly manipulative, but she conceals it very well. This superstition ends up backfiring on Mrs Lyons because Mrs Johnston soon forgets about it, but it continues to hangout Mrs Lyons decades later. She becomes paranoid and obsessive, believing that Mrs Johnston is following her to tell Edward the truth. This shows the reader that the superstition affects her rather of Mrs Johnston, the person it was intended for. When she is trying to convince Mrs Johnston to give away a twin, all she mentions is the materialistic prefers of her lifestyle,The Mother Hed be able to play on those lawns wouldnt he? And have his own room andMrs Lyons If he grew up here as our son He could have everything. Act 1 Scene 5.Although she agrees with everything Mrs Johnston says, Mrs Lyons never mentions if she would love the child as if it was hers. The reader could think that Mrs Lyons could give him everything apart from love.The present directions are in the text because Blood Brothers is a play. They are there because the dialogue doesnt describe how the characters are reacting or what the tantrum is like. The stage direction gives the reader an idea of what is happening, without giving too some(prenominal) away,The Mother Terrified What, what? Act 1 Scene 8.If the stage directions werent given, the reader wouldnt know how Mrs Johnston said it. She could have been curious or confused about the situation. The stage directions help with the readers imagination and interpretation of Blood Brothers.The cashier is also a very good dramatic device. He acts as a prat of the other character. The Narrator is there as a reminder of Mrs Johnston and Mrs Lyons agreement. The other characters dont acknowledge him which shows he is of a ghostly nature. The Narrator raises suspicion and builds up tension between the characters. He has no emotion and talks of the Devil,Theres no use clutching at your rosary The Devils in the backyard, he can see Through the gaps in the curtains he sees it all, Theres no use hiding in the hall. When he raps at the knocker then he knows youre in No you wont, no youll never get away from him No you wont, no youll never get away from him. Act 2 Scene 1.The Narrator is trying to tell Mrs Johnston and Mrs Lyons that their pact wont work, because the truth will be known. He uses repeating and rhyme, so that his lines are to a greater extent catchy and memorable. The Narrator is a creepy and disturbing character because he knows the future and talks about the Devil, which contacts him God-like and all seeing. He is a neutral character because he doesnt opt sides and we dont know anything about him, other than he knows the fate of each character. The Narrator also represents superstition because he is there throughout the play, reminding the reader of the lie Mrs Lyons told.The dialogue of the two families is very diverse. Mrs Johnston uses vernacular English and Mrs Lyons uses standard English. Mrs Johnston uses common English in her dialect and many slang terms throughout the play,Oh its, its smashing thank you, Mrs Lyons. Act 1 Scene 3.This shows that she wasnt brought up in a rich family or she wasnt properly educated. Mrs Lyons uses standard English in her language, since she is quite wealthy and possibly well educated. Instead of calling her son Eddie, she calls him Edward,Edward Edward its time for bed. Act 2 Scene 3.Childhood is very magnanimous in the play. The reader can see a difference in the twins upbringing. Eddie seems to have grown up very fast because at the age of seven, h e is already very polite and well spoken. His parents have influenced him because he is like a miniature adult. The reader can see that Mrs Lyons was very overprotective when she brought Eddie up, because he is already familiar with things like dictionaries at such a young age,Eddie In the dictionary. Dont you know what a dictionary is? Act 2 Scene 2.Eddie speaks like he has used a dictionary a lot, whereas Mickey doesnt know what one is, but agrees to make himself look smarter. In contrast, Mickey is more wild and untamed. He plays childhood games, like mounted Police and Indians, and runs around with a toy gasolene. Mrs Johnston credibly let him do whatever he wanted, because she had his other siblings to look after as well. This is something that Eddie never did,Were playing mounted Police, and Indians. Im a Mountie. Mam, Mam, you know this aurora weve wiped out three thousand Indians. Act 2 Scene 1.A gun is mentioned throughout the play. At first, a harmless air gun is used a toy. This symbolises the fate of the twins. The child versions think its just a toy used to vandalise, but as they grow up, real guns are used. At the end of the play, when Mickey feels that Eddie has taken everything away from him, he produces an trustworthy looking gun. Even then it isnt real. The child and the adult Mickey thinks of guns as a relic of power.When Mrs Lyons moves to the countryside, she orders that poplars be planted, so that the council estate cant be seen. The poplars are a barrier between Mrs Lyons and Mrs Johnston. Mrs Lyons wants sever all ties with the Johnston family, but they manage to move to the countryside as well.Superstition plays a big part in Blood Brothers. With the Narrator as a constant reminder, the reader sees that Mrs Lyons superstition affects every character in the play. Mrs Lyons is most affected. Simple things that a mother would tell a child would be nonsense to her, but knowing that Mrs Johnston is superstitious helped her get a child. At that point, superstition was an advantage to her. But when she faces the reality of what she has done, Mrs Lyons becomes deluded.The idea of motherhood and surrogacy is also present. Mrs Johnston and Mrs Lyons raise their sons very differently. Mrs Johnston lets Mickey be carefree and wild, but he isnt allowed to play safe the big houses in the park. Mrs Lyons raises Eddie the way she desires, but he finds his way back to his biological family. She becomes insane because of Eddies bonds with his real family. This reveals her real personality, compulsive and aggressive. Surrogacy is shown as a bad thing in Blood Brothers, because Mrs Johnston was reluctant to give away her child. Mrs Lyons manipulative personality is seen here, in her desperation to have a child, as she forces Mrs Johnston to give away her son.Blood brothers are also one of the themes mentioned. It started discharge as a childs alliance to his friend, but carries on until adulthood. The twins do forget about it at times in their life, but it keeps returning. The one who came up with the idea, Mickey, is the one who ends up dismissing it. He thinks nothing of it any more,Eddie Pause I thought I thought we always stuck together. I thought we were caudex brothers.Mickey That was kids stuff, Eddie, didnt anyone tell you? Pause. Mickey looking at him. An ironic snort But I suppose you still are a kid, arent you? Act 4 Scene 2.Social class and division is also mentioned. Whilst Mickey and Eddie overhaul that boundary, their mothers havent. Mrs Johnston is treated very badly because of her low-class status. When Mickey is in turn over with the police, the police matron is very patronising and shows Mrs Johnston no respect,to Mrs Johnston And he was about to yield a serious crime, love, a serious crime. Now do you get word that? The Mother nods You dont want to end up in court again do you? Eh? Shakes her head Because thats whats going to happen if I have any more trouble from one of yours Act 2 Scene 7.The Policewoman uses a threatening tone and rhetorical questions, such as Eh? She also uses repetition because she thinks that Mrs Johnston is poorly educated and inferior to her. Since Eddie was also there at the time, the Policewoman paid a visit to his house too,As I say, it was more if a prank really, Mrs Lyons. Id just dock his pocket money if I was you. But one thing I would say, and excuse me if Im interfering, but Id not let him mix with the likes of them in the future. Make sure he keeps with his own kind, Mrs Lyons, not running round with them at the other end Act 2 Scene 7.The Policewoman is more polite to Mrs Lyons. She refers to the incident as a crime to Mrs Johnston, but tells Mrs Lyons it was a prank. She doesnt use repetition with Mrs Lyons. She is at bottom Mrs Lyons house because Mrs Lyons is a respected woman and if the neighbours saw, people would talk. The Policewoman is very two-faced, treating one mother better because of her status. The town, where the characters live, is separated. The reader can see a definite social division. There is the wealthy in the big houses near the park and the workers in the council estate.