Violence in Blood Brothers
Violence has a presence in the working class characters鈥 lives from a young age. When we first meet Mickey as a seven year old, he has a toy gun and he plays games involving imaginary guns with his friends and neighbours. The violence escalates as the play progresses, culminating in the tragic death of Mickey and Edward. Sammy, Mickey鈥檚 older brother, is a key character linked to this theme and he is connected in some way to most of the violent acts in the play. Violence reflects a lack of control; when characters start to lose power in some way, they become more violent.
The working class children are linked to violence from a young age
How does Russell show this?
When we see Mickey and his friends as young children, they play a variety of games that are all linked to guns and death.
Evidence
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鈥檚 just a game.
Analysis
At this point, the violence is only pretend and after being 鈥榢illed鈥, the children can join the game again. However, the games foreshadow the later violence at the end of the play, and remind the audience of how present this is in the characters鈥 lives.
Sammy gets Mickey involved in an armed robbery
How does Russell show this?
Sammy persuades Mickey to be a lookout when he robs a garage, but the robbery goes wrong and Sammy shoots someone.
Evidence
Look at y鈥, Mickey. What have y鈥 got? Nothin鈥, like me mam.
Analysis
Sammy is able to persuade Mickey to get involved with this violent act because he has such little power over his life after losing his job. It is this event which leads to him going to prison and becoming depressed and then growing apart from Linda, which causes her to find comfort with Edward. Sammy involving Mickey in his plan is the catalyst Something or someone that causes a change (in science, a substance that causes or speeds up a chemical reaction without any effect to itself). for the tragic ending.
Mrs Lyons becomes violent towards Mrs Johnstone
How does Russell show this?
When Mrs Lyons realises that the Johnstones have also moved to the countryside (and Edward has been visiting them) she visits Mrs Johnstone to try to persuade her to leave.
Evidence
Wherever I go you鈥檒l be just behind me. I know that now... always and for ever and ever like, like a shadow.
Analysis
Mrs Lyons becomes irrational and paranoid and accuses Mrs Johnstone of following her. She then lunges at Mrs Johnstone with a kitchen knife. This reflects how violence is linked to feelings of powerlessness and instability. Violence is a reaction by characters to their feelings of weakness and lack of control over what happens to them.
Mickey shoots Edward by accident
How does Russell show this?
When Mickey is full of fury at Edward and Linda鈥檚 betrayal, his first thought is to take a gun to find his 鈥榖lood brother鈥.
Evidence
[Mickey waves at Edward with his gun hand. The gun explodes and blows Edward apart. Mickey turns to the police screaming the word 鈥淣o鈥. They open fire and four guns explode, blowing Mickey away.]
Analysis
Mickey taking the gun and going to find Edward reflects how he has resorted to violence to fight his own lack of control, like Mrs Lyons. However, Mickey shooting Edward is accidental. This demonstrates how violence can take over the characters鈥 lives. The repetition of the word explodes
reflects the devastating impact that violence has on the play and characters.
Question
How does Russell explore the theme of violence in Blood Brothers?
- Violence is present throughout the play, becoming more and more serious as the play develops. Sammy starts off playing with toy guns and pretend games like the other children, but moves on to threatening a bus conductor with a knife and then committing an armed robbery.
- Mickey looks up to Sammy and is drawn into the violence as he gets more desperate due to his unemployment.
- Characters become violent when they feel despairing or feel like they have lost control over their lives. This is clear through the characters of Mrs Lyons and Mickey in particular.