Critical Essay – Blood Brothers

1. Critical Essay – Blood Brothers The MARE Approach

2. Breaking Down the Question • Mrs Johnstone and Mrs Lyons • Scene where Mrs Lyons attacks Mrs Johnstone with a knife. • Characterisation and Plot. • Choose a scene in a play in which a conflict between two characters reaches a climax. Explain the origins of the conflict and show how the outcome influences the rest of the play. In your answer you must refer to the text and at least two of; structure, characterisation, plot or and other appropriate feature.

3. Planning Essay T E C M H A N R I E Q U E S • Intro – Use Question • 1 – Meeting Characters – Mrs J, Mrs L -Characterisation/Plot – Origins of Conflict • 2 – Bargain and Fall Out – Characterisation/Plot – Origins of Conflict • 3 – Conflict – Characterisation/Plot • 4 – Aftermath – Characterisation/Plot • Conclusion - Summary

4. Intro – Use Question A play where the conflict between two characters reaches a climax is ‘Blood Brothers’ by Willy Russell. By closely referring to the text and specifically plot and characterisation I intend to explore the origins of the conflict between Mrs Lyons and Johnstone and the aftermath of the scene where their conflict reaches its climax.

5. 1 – Meeting Characters – Mrs J, Mrs L -Characterisation/Plot – Origins of Conflict • Topic Sentence • Willy Russell lays the foundations for the conflict between Mrs Johnstone and Mrs Lyons by characterising them as two very different women who represent different rungs of the class system. • Example MARE • Mrs Johnstone is portrayed as being a typical working class woman (M). In the first act she is struggling to afford household bills and she pleas to the Milkman “Next week I’ll pay y’… (AR)” The Milkman replies by remarking that “Next week never arrives around here (R).” The reply from the Milkman implies that many others in the same area are in the same situation and struggling with similar problems (E). This characterises Mrs Johnstone as a character that very much represents an average working class woman in this area (E). • Mrs Lyons in contrast is… • Concluding/Linking Sentence • The characters of Mrs Johnstone and Mrs Lyons are in stark contrast to each other and when the latter character employs the former the seeds of conflict are sown.

6. 2 – Bargain and Fall Out – Characterisation/Plot – Origins of Conflict • Topic Sentence • Mrs Lyons employs Mrs Johnstone as the cleaner of her large but empty house and these circumstances directly result in them making a bargain which leads to their central conflict. • Example MARE • Mrs Lyons is shown to be a shrewd character as she is quick to suggest to Mrs Johnstone the deadly bargain that causes their conflict (M). Mrs Johnstone is pregnant but is informed in the gynaecologists office that she is expecting twins which she fears she cannot afford to support (A). She feels that “With one more baby we could have managed. But not with two (R).” Upon learning this Mrs Lyons who is characterised as someone missing something in their life - a child - demands that Mrs Johnstone gives “one child” to her (R). The very quickness that the “Idea, planted, can take root and grow into a plan” shows how ruthless and quick witted Mrs Lyons is. • Mrs Johnstone on the other hand finds herself bullied into agreeing with the idea because of Mrs Lyons’ persuasive reasoning (M). • Eventually the bargain caused conflict between the two characters… • Concluding/Linking Sentence • The conflict between the two characters reaches a stage where Mrs Lyons feels unsafe and persuades her husband that they need to move to a different area.

7. 3 – Conflict – Characterisation/Plot • Topic Sentence • Even after the Lyons moving to a new area so that Mrs Lyons and Mrs Johnstone (and the twins) are apart, fate brings them together again and their conflict reaches its climax. • Example MARE • Pendant – Character of Mrs Lyons / Mrs Johnstone – Plot – Knife Attack - • Concluding/Linking Sentence • Bring it all together and try to link to what is coming next.

8. 4 – Aftermath – Characterisation/Plot • Topic Sentence • MARES • Concluding Sentence

9. Conclusion • Summarise what you have written about • Characters – Mrs Lyons and Mrs Johnstone • Origins of Conflict • Climax • Aftermath