The document discusses how class shapes the characters and events in the play "Blood Brothers". It examines the social classes of working class, represented by the Johnstone family, and middle class, represented by the Lyons family. The working class faced poverty, unemployment, and lower opportunities compared to the comfortably off middle class families. This contrast in social circumstances between the two families, and how it influences the characters of Mickey and Eddie who are separated at birth, is a central theme explored in the play.

2. CLASS
• Shapes many of the characters and events in the play.
• In this country, class effects how people are able to live their lives and the situations
they are in.
• In ‘Blood Brothers' Mrs Johnstone lives in a poor end of Liverpool, struggling to bring
up eight children on her own; she was forced to give one away to keep the others
clothed and fed.
• Mrs Lyons, whom she works for, lives in a large house, very comfortably in a nice part
of Liverpool. She wants children but is unable to have any, even though she is rich.

3. WORKING CLASS
•The Johnstone family and Linda represent the working classes.
•Typically these people would hold low paid unskilled jobs such as working in
factories.
•Silting of the river in Liverpool throughout the 20th century had a negative
impact on industry and led to unemployment.
•With the recession of the late 1970s and 80s came a further reduction in this
type of work and many link this period to the death of the traditional working
class.

4. MIDDLE CLASS
•Represented by the Lyons family
•Managers and professionals.
•Comfortably off, the middle classes were less effected by the recession.
•Often these families could afford to send their children to public schools
and so offer them far better opportunities for their future lives.
•The middle classes are those holding the power within society, factory
owners, businessmen and significantly those in government.

5. PLANNING TASK
•Work together to address the points for your section – Remember you need
to be exploring the characters and themes (AO1); finding quotations to back
up your points (AO2) and linking your ideas to context (AO3)
20 minutes

6. GROUP ONE
•Mrs Johnstone
•‘Marilyn Monroe’ – the first version of the song where she describes her
problems.
•‘My child’ and the pact with Mrs Lyons – what do we learn about the contrast
between the classes here?
•‘Easy terms’ what this song tells us about life for working class mothers.

7. GROUP TWO
•Mickey and Eddie being reunited at 7 – how they have already been shaped
into very different people by their nurture in different social classes.
•The policeman’s treatment of the pair and their parents and how this
highlights the injustices within the class system.
•‘My friend’: dramatic irony in this song and the things they admire about each
other.

8. GROUP THREE
•‘Bright new day’ and ‘Marilyn Monroe 2’– how the families rehousing by the
council changes life for the Johnstone family. Does it get better or are they
still trapped in poverty?
•Contrasts in the educational experiences of the two boys – how does this
highlight the different futures already mapped out for the two boys.

9. GROUP FOUR
•Reunited aged 14: how Mickey and Eddie have been changed by a further 7
years apart living in different social classes.
•‘That Guy’
•‘Summer sequence’
•‘I’m not saying a word’
•The parting – why does Russell separate the boys at 18 – how does this link to
their social class?

10. GROUP FIVE
•‘One day in October’ In what way is history repeating itself with Linda and
Mickey? What does this suggest about class?
•Take a letter Miss Jones’ How does this song portray the middle classes? How
does the audience feel about Mr Lyons?
•The robbery and ‘Marilyn Monroe 3’ How does class influence the events in
this part of the play?

11. GROUP SIX
•‘Light romance’ how is the relationship between Eddie and Linda doomed by
their social class? What is the significance between the links between Mrs
Johnstone and Linda here? What is Russell suggesting about life for working
class women?
•The narrator’s final address to the audience: Why does he use direct address
and interrogative sentence moods? What is the significance of the rhyming
of ‘pass’ and ‘class’ why is Russell highlighting these words?

12. CONSOLIDATE
•Each group to feedback their findings – Take notes to help
you plan your assessment response.