Blood Brothers - The Narrator

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To what extent do you think the Narrator is presented as a moral guardian or a figure of doom in the play? Give reasons for your opinions.

Throughout the play of Blood Brothers I think that the Narrator is presented as a moral guardian.  It could be argued that he is a figure of doom because of his actions, but I disagree with this statement because I see him in a different light and I feel that Willy Russell wants his audience to look beyond his actions and see the positive reasons why he delivers bad news.  I believe that the Narrator makes his actions obvious and that Willy Russell has made sure that his audience see him as evil straight away because of he says and does.  But I think that Willy Russell is hoping that his audience look deeper and don’t judge him based on his outward thoughts and sayings.  I feel that there is something hidden underneath all the bad forebodings which he gives.  There is something else to him and I think this is why I can see him as a moral guardian.

From the opening of Act one he sets the scene.  ‘He steps forward and starts to recite the prologue to his audience.  In this soliloquy he tells ‘the story of the Johnstone twins…how one was kept and one was given away…never knowing that they shared one name, till the day they died.’  This soliloquy is very effective in the fact that it allows the Narrator to prepare the audience for the morbid tale which will unfold in front of them.  It’s true that what he says is very ominous, but this was the task which he was given, he had to prepare the audience for what was to come, as the Narrator of the play it is his duty to make the audience understand what is happening through out the play.  He goes on to judge Mrs Johnstone, encouraging the audience to do the same; he places the blame upon her shoulders.  This shows just how powerful his role is in the play.  He can blame this woman for killing her two sons, so does this mean he has a further insight into her? I mean is he somehow linked to her conscience? Does he know what thoughts are running through her mind? Because you can’t blame some in front of a large gathering of people without being sure that the blame is rightfully placed on that person, if it’s not then you will face the consequences.  The Narrator takes this risk, but is it a risk? I personally don’t think it is.  I think that he knows what he is doing and he believes that Mrs Johnstone deserves to be blamed.

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 Willy Russell has placed the Narrator in some different roles.  It is significant to notice that in each of these different roles he delivers bad news, which therefore presents him as a figure of doom.  The first role which he takes on is as a Milkman.  He tells Mrs Johnstone he is ‘up to here with hard luck stories…no money, no milk.’  Its interesting to see how he shows no care or concern for Mrs Johnstone or her family, instead he remains impartial and detached.  Next we see him as the Gynaecologist and he delivers the unforeseen news to Mrs ...

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