Blood Brothers Key Character Quotes: Mrs Johnstone and Mrs Lyons

Alternative transcript:

has become paranoid. We see the positive development of Mrs Johnstone's character here as she empowers Mrs Lyons which challenges social class stereotypes. "Say it isn't true, say it's just a story"- Here we witness the ultimate breakdown of Mrs Johnstone, just as she thought she managed to get her life back together fate hit her hard. The pact that she made was destined for death, and she lost both of her children due to this. This leads her to a similar state that we saw at the start of the play, an unhappy person exhausted by life. She no longer sees her life as a life, instead its "just a story" revealing how unrealistic her life difficulties are. Alternatively, her hoping "its just a story" may suggest that she wishes her life was a story as most stories have a happy ending which is a direct contrast to the ending of this paly. Mrs Lyons: (laughing) "Oh... you mean you're superstitious" - from the start of the play we learn that Mrs Lyons is well educated which she later uses to her advantage in order to manipulate Mrs Johnstone. Here we see her mocking Mrs Johnstone for being superstitious, clearly revealing she does not believe in such things. Yet, she later uses a superstition in order to keep the twins separated else "they shall both immediately die". This reveals Mrs Lyons sly and cunning character as she exploits Mrs Johnstone lack of education and naivety in order to benefit her. The mocking of Mrs Johnstone also reveals Mrs Lyons to be arrogant as she may see herself to be better than Mrs Johnstone, possibly due to class. "I don't want you mixing with boys like that!" - Here we see Mrs Lyons revealing her true perspective on the working class as well as showing her paranoia. She feels that everyone is a threat to Edward and she cannot afford to lose him. Her paranoia makes her want to have Edward only to herself that way the pair of them will never grow apart. "Boys like that", reveals Mrs Lyons class prejudice, as she essentially sees the working class as worse than herself and Edward. She uses the "that" to indicate a stereotype that all the working class are the same, as well as revealing disgust towards the working class (like they are not worthy of being named). "Frightened off...." (she rushes at the table and sweeps the shoes off"- Here we see the development of Mrs Lyons, at the start of the play she was mocking Mrs Johnstone for her superstition; now she is superstitious just like Mrs Johnstone. This signalises the theme of fate and superstition that has got to Mrs Lyons through her paranoia. She made a devils pact, which was destined to ruin her life. She is going crazy as she is further consumed by her paranoia. Later in the play she is referred to a "mad woman" and even attacks Mrs Johnstone with a knife. We see the downfall of Mrs Lyons as her delusions occupy her whole life.