In this assignment I will explain why the main characters in Willy Russell's "Blood Brothers" are portrayed as victims. In doing this themes such as superstition will be explained. The song themes will be incorporated throughout the assignment.

Authors Avatar

Blood Brothers

In this assignment I will explain why the main characters in Willy Russell’s “Blood Brothers” are portrayed as victims. In doing this themes such as superstition will be explained. The song themes will be incorporated throughout the assignment.

Mickey is undoubted as one of the main characters in the play and is a major victim in the play that can be put down to some of the following causes. He has a twin that he doesn’t know about all through his life until a few seconds before he dies, when he dies he also shoots his twin Edward this could be put down to his mother telling him the truth about Edward and Mickey being twins. He could be portrayed as a victim because of his upbringing in a lower class household in which he had almost know chance of educational success. Mickey is almost peer preshed into a robbery as he had no money in which to treat his girl Linda to a night out of some cloughs, this was because he was unemployed and unable to provide such things, according to the play this was a sign of the economic depression in the country at that time demonstrated in the song “it’s just a sign of the times miss Jones”. When Mickey douse this he gets caught and sent to prison for 7 years, in the mean time Linda has an affair with Edward meaning Mickey was not only a victim of trying to be nice to his girl and failing but to Linda’s disloyalty as well. While in prison he becomes dependant on anti-depressant pills, this makes him a victim because he is dependant on something else and cannot function properly without them.

Edward is another character who plays a major part in the play and is a major victim that can be put down to the following causes. He lives in ignorance of his twin Mickey, he douse find out that he has a twin and who it is just a few seconds before he dies. Edward wasn’t brought up with his natural mother, even though he didn’t know this he was deprived of knowing and having the same qualities that his real mother could have given him. His real mother Mrs Lyons was a bad mother in many respects this was mainly because of the following things, she was overprotective with Edward and this drove him away meaning he didn’t have the best of mother son relationships depriving him of a good secure family upbringing. He was brought up as an only child which can make him seen as a victim or not depending on how you view the matter. The last point on Edward is that he didn’t have a proper fatherly figure in which to depend on when he may have needed him most.

Sammy wasn’t such a major part in the play but still had many times when he was a victim. When he was younger he had an accident due to falling out of a bedroom window under the care of his sister, he had to have a metal plate inserted into his head and is thought as a result is slightly retarded, this obviously makes him a very big victim of his sisters incompetence. He is a victim of his upbringing and his mothers ability to control him, this makes him a victim because if he had had a stable disciplined upbringing maybe he would have made more progress and have become a more normal child. He tends to have violent tendencies that are noticed early on in the play, this could be put down to his mother lack of discipline.

Mrs Lyons doesn’t play the biggest part in the play but still has many victimising moments/qualities starting with her unfortunate medical problem making herself and Mr Lyons unable to have children, this makes them major victims of nature. When she finally fulfils her desire to have a child whom she takes from Mrs Johnston she has to bring him up on his own as she is a victim of Mr Lyons bad fathering. She is a victim of her own possessiveness as she tries to keep Edward under her wing in doing so she drives him away, the preshers of this and her living a lie turns her slightly insane. At the start when Mrs Lyons makes Mrs Johnston swear an oath on the bible that if any of the twins knows of the others existence then they shall both die, when she originally said this it was to exploit Mrs Johnston’s superstition but because she eventually lost out because the prophesy came true, this makes her a victim of unintentionally making the oath which in the end came true. She lives in fear of Edward finding out and as a result lives in constant paranoia of Mrs Johnston saying something. She tries to stab Mrs Johnston because of her insanity and paranoia driving her to getting psychotic tendencies. She turns in to a parody of the bogey monster. In the end she is personally responsible for everyone’s downfall due to her victimising qualities that posses her to do things.

Mrs Johnston plays a big role and also is a victim mainly down to her poverty/class that explain mostly why she is a victim. She is a victim of class because she is a victim of debt because she is to poor to either buy things or pay the instalments necessary, because of poverty she had to give away one twin so as to afford to keep the children, she has to be optimistic as otherwise there wouldn’t be anything to live for and also to keep up her children’s spirits, this optimism is demonstrated in the song “oh bright new day”. She is a victim of superstition which people take advantage of e.g. Mrs Lyons

Linda is big part in the result of Edward and Mickey dieing in the end but she has her fare share of victimising moments. She is a victim of class and as a result has to lead a life of poverty. When Mickey gets sent down she stays as loyal for as long as is possible but in the end is love torn and becomes lonely so she turns to Edward. Because of this she is a victim of guilt as she contributed heavily to the downfall of Edward and Mickey.

My conclusion is that all of the above characters are victims but in different ways, for instance some of the characters have unavoidable ways that make them victims e.g. poverty and some have avoidable one’s e.g. love torn.

At the novel's outset, Steinbeck takes great pains to familiarize us with the setting, using poetic imagery to describe the "golden foothill slopes" (1) of the Salinas River Valley and a particular pool on the banks of which "the leaves lie deep and so crisp that a lizard makes a great skittering if he runs among them" (1). Some rabbits sit in the sand. The novel begins here, in the cool of the sycamores among the golden shadows of a California evening, with a path in the forest leading to the sandy river's edge. One thing is missing: people. Here we are introduced to the landscape in which the novel is to take place, the Salinas Valley in the early 20th century, as well as the author's particular style, which, in Steinbeck's case, tends toward the Romantic.

The idyllic peace of the initial scene is disrupted as the novel's two main characters emerge from the woods. The rabbits scurry into the shrubs (we should pay special attention to rabbits in light of what is to come) and a heron flies from the edge of the still pool before George and Lennie enter the clearing. The pair are physical opposites, George being "small and quick, dark of face, with restless eyes and sharp, strong features" (2) while Lennie is described as "a huge man, with large, pale eyes, with wide, sloping shoulders, and he walked heavily" (2). George orders his larger companion to not drink too much from the river and we immediately learn who is in charge as Lennie carefully imitates George's actions at the riverbank. See the Character Profile section for more details.

The pair have just walked about four miles after being dropped off by a bus. George is irritated at the length of the walk and at Lennie's forgetfulness as to where they are headed. As Lennie re-learns, we come to understand that the two are migrant ranch workers, on their way from one job to another. The next morning they are to work at a ranch in Soledad and George makes it clear that he is to do the talking with the boss when they arrive. In the course of re-explaining their destination, George angrily discovers that Lennie has been concealing a dead mouse in his pocket ("I could pet it with my thumb while we walked along" (6), Lennie innocently argues) and makes him throw it away into the weeds. This curious desire of Lennie's to pet soft things, even if they are soft, dead things, is one to be noted carefully in light of future (and past) events.

After failing at an attempt to retrieve the dead mouse that he threw away (George catches him) while he is supposed to be gathering firewood for dinner, Lennie mentions a lady who once gave him mice to pet and George, annoyed, reminds him that the lady in question was Lennie's own Aunt Clara, through whom we are to guess that the two are somehow tied. George removes three cans of beans for dinner and when Lennie childishly states that he likes ketchup with his beans, George grows angry again and muses on the life he could live if he wasn't with Lennie: "I got you! You can't keep a job and you lose me ever' job I get. Jus' keep me shovin' all over the country all the time. . . You do bad things and I got to get you out" (12). Through George's anger, we learn that one of the "bad things" occurred at their last job, in Weed, when Lennie wanted to pet a woman's dress because he thought it was pretty and held on when she tried to jerk away. The two had to flee the town in the night when the woman raised assault charges and brought the whole town looking for Lennie and George.

Lennie responds to George's anger with self-pity and the use of the guilt trip, sorrowfully saying that if George doesn't want him around, he could just go off and live in the hills by himself. This tactic softens George into saying that he wants Lennie to stay with him, after which Lennie urges George to tell "about the rabbits" (14). And so it is that in the first chapter we are introduced to the dream of the protagonists, the dream of every working rancher in America: one's own piece of land and the money and means by which to live off of it. To Lennie's delight, George delivers a monologue about how him and Lennie are different from other ranchers who drift from town to town, who "don't belong to no place" (15) and "ain't got nothing to look ahead to" (15). Lennie and George are different, according to George, because they have a future and each other. One day they will save enough money to have their own little farm "an' live off the fatta the lan'" (15) and not have to take orders from anyone and reap their own harvest. The most pleasing aspect of this dream in Lennie's estimation is the prospect of having rabbits, the care of which will be put in his charge. Thus, the desired outcome of the novel is presented to us through George. The conflict, of course, lies in this question: how will George succeed with Lennie at his side?

George, whose own eyes have clouded over with dreamy delight at the thought of his future farm, interrupts his monologue impatiently ("Nuts! I ain't got time for no more" (16)) and returns to more practical matters: eating dinner, reminding Lennie not to talk to the boss tomorrow, and getting some rest. His final order to Lennie is one that we sould remember: George tells him to come back to the exact same spot where they are sitting and hide in the brush until George comes for him should anything go wrong at the ranch. Night falls on the end of the first chapter. Steinbeck begins the second chapter in much the same way as the
first-without people. The setting is now at the ranch in Soledad, in the bunk house of the workers. The door opens and an old one-handed caretaker (whose name we later learn is Candy) leads George and Lennie inside. Candy tells the two men that they were expected by the boss last night and he was mad when they weren't at the ranch in time to go out with the morning crew. Candy proves to be talkative and gives George and Lennie a little background of the ranch and the boss, who "gets pretty mad sometimes, but he's pretty nice" (p.22).

Candy is interrupted by the entrance of the boss himself and Candy shuffles past him and out the door. George explains to the stern boss the situation with the bus and the long walk, claiming it as the reason for their tardiness. The boss presses Lennie to answer after noticing that George is doing the talking for the both of them, but George persists, interrupting: "Oh! I ain't saying he's bright. He ain't. But I say he's a God damn good worker" (24). The boss then turns suspiciously to George and voices a concern, what turns out to be one of the primary concerns of the novel, a question that the reader should be considering: Why is George taking so much trouble for Lennie's behalf? What's in it for George? George replies: "He's my. . . cousin. I told his old lady I'd take care of him. He got kicked in the head by a horse when he was a kid" (25). This satisfies the boss, who tells them to go out to work in the evening and leaves them in the bunkhouse, vanishing from the novel forever. We learn form Lennie, who is confused by George's answer to the boss, that George was lying about being Lennie's cousin: "If I was a relative of yours, I'd shoot myself" (26), George admits.

George discovers Candy eavesdropping outside the door and he re-enters with his old sheepdog. George is initially angered by Candy's nosiness, but warms to the old man when Candy responds: "I ain't interested in nothing you was sayin'. A guy on a ranch don't never listen nor he don't ast no questions" (27). The next person to enter the bunk house while the three characters are chatting is the boss's son, Curley, "a thin young man with a brown face, with brown eyes and a head of tightly curled hair" (p.27). Curley is looking for his dad, but upon seeing George and Lennie he tenses as if preparing for a fight and addresses them coldly, confronting George when Lennie won't answer him: "By Christ, he's gotta talk when he's spoke to. What the hell are you gettin' into it for?" (28). After firmly establishing himself as the antagonist, Curley departs. Candy then informs the two that Curley is a boxer who doesn't like big guys because he himself is small and that he is just recently married to a pretty young woman who, according to Candy, has "the eye" (31). George voices his dislike of Curley and warns Lennie to avoid him at all costs.

The next character that Steinbeck places in the doorway of the bunk house for George and Lennie to meet is Curley's wife, young and made up very prettily. She claims to be looking for Curley, and George tells her, without looking at her, that Curley isn't in the bunkhouse. Lennie, however, stares fascinated at the pretty lady in the doorway, which Curley's wife seems to enjoy, "she smiled archly and twitched her body" (35). Curley's wife then leaves and George is more disturbed , realizing that Curley and his wife pose a serious threat to Lennie. He warns him to not even look at Curley's wife and Lennie says that he wants to leave, that "this ain't no good place" (36). George refuses to take heed of Lennie's ominous words, claiming that they need to stay and make a little money before they can leave.

But not everything is stacked against our two heroes. The final two characters to enter through chapter two's bunk house door prove to be friendly. First comes Slim, the wise leader of the workers, whose "authority was so great that his word was taken on any subject, be it politics or love" (37). Slim welcomes George and Lennie and doesn't question their traveling together. The next worker to enter is a powerful but amiable man by the name of Carlson, whom Slim introduces to George and Lennie. Slim and Carlson converse about a litter of puppies to which Slim's dog has just given birth. Carlson suggests that Candy replace his old, blind dog with one of Slim's puppies and the dinner bell rings and everyone scrambles toward its sound, leaving George and Lennie alone again. Lennie is excited at the prospect of perhaps getting one of Slim's puppies for himself and George promises him that he'll ask Slim for one. Before the two leave for dinner, Curley pokes his head in the bunkhouse again in search of his wife, a reminder of the trouble that waits for George and Lennie. Curley hurries off again when George coldly tells him that his wife was looking for him. They leave the bunk house and chapter two, and the final character to enter through the door is Candy's old dog, who wearily lies down on the floor. We again find ourselves inside the bunk house on the same day. George and Slim enter, in the midst of a conversation. We learn that Slim has agreed to let Lennie have one of his pups. Slim comments on what a strong worker Lennie is and George grows proud. Slim again remarks on the rarity of two guys traveling together and how funny it is that a smart guy like George would be with a "cuckoo" (43) like Lennie. George defends Lennie, saying that he isn't cuckoo, that he is dumb but not crazy. George claims that he is the dumb one: "If I was bright, if I was even a little bit smart, I'd have my own little place, an' I'd be bringin' in my own crops, 'stead of doin' all the work and not getting what comes up outta the ground" (43). George tells Slim, who invites confidence, that he knew Lennie's Aunt Clara and when she died, "Lennie just come along with me out workin'. Got kinda used to each other after a little while" (44). George goes on to confess to Slim that he used to be mean and play tricks on Lennie because he was so dumb. After realizing that Lennie would do anything for George, including drown himself, George stopped his malicious ways. George doesn't want to go around on the ranches alone because people who travel alone "don't have no fun. After a long time they get mean" (45). Despite the nuisance that Lennie can be, George admits that "you get used to goin' around with a guy an' you can't get rid of him" (45). George continues to tell Slim of the trouble that Lennie got them into in Weed when he held on to the woman's dress.

After George's private conversation with Slim, Lennie enters the bunk house and George immediately notices that Lennie has smuggled his new puppy in from the barn and is secretly petting it on his bunk. George makes him take it back, warning him that it's not good for the little puppy's health to be away from its nest, and Lennie leaves.

Candy, his old dog and Carlson enter and Carlson presses Candy about shooting his worthless dog and Candy grows defensive: "No, I couldn't do that. I had 'im too long" (49). Carlson offers to shoot the dog for Candy so that he doesn't have to watch his own dog die. Slim agrees with Carlson and offers Candy one of his pups, at which Candy grows helpless and uncomfortable because he knows and respects Slim's unarguable authority. Another young worker, Whit, enters and diverts attention for a while by talking about a former worker whose letter to the editor appeared in a magazine. But Carlson is not to be distracted. He offers to "put the old devil out of his misery right now" (52) and pulls a pistol out from underneath his bunk. Candy looks helplessly at Slim for a change in judgment, but Slim gives him none. Finally Candy, beaten, tells Carlson to take his dog and lies back on his bunk, staring at the ceiling. After anuncomfortable silence in which everyone in the bunk house waits to hear Carlson's gun, the shot sounds. We remember that Lennie has not returned from putting his pup back in the barn. After the gunshot, everyone looks toward Candy, who slowly rolls over and faces the wall.

Crooks, the Negro stable buck, appears in the doorway to tell Slim that he has warmed up some tar for the wounded foot one of Slim's mules. He also tells Slim that Lennie is "messin' around your pups out in the barn" (55). Slim assures him that Lennie is fine and the two of them leave.

This leaves Whit and George and the silent Candy alone together. Whit asks George if he's seen Curley's wife and goes on to tell her, as Candy did before, that she's got the eye: "Seems like she can't keep away from guys. An' Curley's pants is just crawlin' with ants, but they ain't nothing come of it yet" (56-57). Whit then invites George to go out to a brothel with the rest of the guys the next night, and George agrees with some hesitation, stating that him and Lennie are trying to save some money.

Carlson enters with his gun, keeping his eyes averted from Candy, who says nothing. Lennie enters with him. Curley appears immediately after them, looking for his wife. When he notices that Slim isn't in the bunkhouse, he suspects foul play between Slim and his wife, and quickly departs. Whit and Carlson follow shortly after, hoping to see a fight between Curley and Slim. George and Lennie stay, not wanting any trouble.

After some conversation, Lennie coaxes George into telling of the dream of the farm and the rabbits again. George does, and the two become enraptured by George's description of the farm, forgetting about Candy, who rolls over and listens, as fascinated as Lennie. Candy breaks in saying he knows of a place that they could buy and offers to put in some money if he is allowed to become part of George and Lennie's dream: "I ain't much good, but I could cook and tend the chickens and hoe the garden some" (65). George hesitates, but cannot refuse the three hundred and fifty dollars that Candy offers to put toward the place. All three grow confident in the approaching reality of what was once a distant dream. "We'll do her," George says, "We'll fix up that little old place an' we'll go live there" (66). The three men hear voices approaching from outside and George makes them all agree to keep their dream a secret.

Slim, Curley, Carlson, and Whit enter. Curley is apologizing to an angry Slim, who warns him: "If you can't look after your own God damn wife, what you expect me to do about it? You lay offa me" (68). Carlson joins Slim in warning Curley to look after his wife and soon Candy joins in the teasing of Curley. Curley, unable to intimidate the others, frustrated and angry, turns to Lennie, who is still smiling, imagining the ranch and his rabbits. Curley thinks Lennie is laughing at his expense, and begins to attack Lennie, punching him in the face. Lennie backs away, too scared to defend himself, while Curley bloodies his face. Lennie, terrified, begs George to make Curley stop. George tells Lennie to "get" Curley and Lennie reaches for one of Curley's swinging fists and crushes it in his own hand. Curley writhes in agony and Lennie is too scared to let go, despite George urging him to do so. After much yelling and slapping in the face on George's part, Lennie releases Curley's mangled hand. Slim tells the whimpering Curley to tell everyone that he got his hand caught in a machine: "But you jus' tell an' try to get this guy canned and we'll tell ever'body, an' then will you get the laugh" (71). Carlson takes the humiliated Curley to a doctor and Slim and George reassure the frightened Lennie that he did nothing wrong. Lennie is relieved to know that he can still tend the rabbits.

Join now!

Chapter four begins in the novel's third setting-Crooks' room. It is the next night. After a long description of the room and Crooks himself (see the profile section for more details), Lennie enters. Crooks (who is called such because of a crooked spine as a result of being kicked by a mule) is in the process of rubbing liniment on his back and angrily tells him that he has no right coming into his room. Lennie has been left alone by the other men, including George, who have all gone into town. Lennie explains that he was on his way ...

This is a preview of the whole essay