Russell challenges the stereotypical representations of the two classes to show the injustice of the class system by juxtaposing the two mothers: Mrs Lyons is a cold controlling woman. ‘I’ll take the one with…’ Mrs Lyons acts like the baby is an object that can be bought and sold. ‘But I’ve.. How the..’ ‘But, Mrs Lyons, what…?’ the ellipsis show that Mrs Johnston is confused, what's more it shows the control that Mrs Lyons has over Mrs Johnston by cutting of her sentences and not letting Mrs Johnston voice her opinions. In contrast Mrs Johnston is shown as hard-working ‘I’m due back tomorrow’ and loving ‘I love the bones of everyone of them’ the stereotypical representations that Russell brings the audience’s attention is that the middle class don’t deserve that they have and that the working class work really hard for what they have. Even that never seems enough.
Russell uses an episodic structure in the play to move the action forward by seven years so that the audience can see the class divide more clearly between the two young boys. Eddie is clearly educated as he uses standard English and words like ‘Smashing’, whereas Mickey is streetwise and has Liverpoolian dialect and uses expletives, ‘piss off’, another sign that Eddie is educated is that he knows what a dictionary is and how to use one ‘in the dictionary’ whereas Mickey refers to it as a ‘thingy’.
To begin with Mickey and Eddie overcome the class differences. Which is ironically symbolised by them becoming blood brothers. Willy Russell’s use of dramatic irony helps show the audience how close Eddie and Mickey are, although when this is added to the unbalance of power that they have between them due to their different upbringings, it eventually leads to the breakdown of their relationship as friends and the tragic ending of the play.
During the play the narrator not only builds up to tragic ending but he also shows the differences between the two classes and how they are differently affected. The pivotal point in the play when everything starts to go downhill for both Eddie and Mickey is the Christmas when they are both seventeen. As the audience we notice a negative mood begin to enter the play, there is ‘no more dancing’.
This part of play is set in the early years of Thatcherism, early 1980’s. The narration ‘It seems the Devil hasn’t left, he’d only found a different name; they were calling him Inflation and Recession was his Son.’ Russell uses personification to emphasis the destruction that Thatcher had on the working class. ‘All bowed down before them’ is a theatrical metaphor that also shows the affects of her polices. ‘Their work was done’ relates to the high unemployment of three million people. Due to Thatcher’s policies the class divide is even more apparent to the audience.
Another episodic structure moves the play forward, at this point in the play; the class division becomes that bi wider. This then forces Eddie and Mickey’s relationship to breakdown. When Eddie is referred to as a ‘bright young executive’ and Mickey a ‘workhouse donkey’. The privileged lifestyle and job that Eddie has means that he is a stereotypical middle class person. However, Mickey is someone who isn’t very intelligent; someone who looks old before their time; someone who has to do the same job day in, day out for very little pay. It becomes clear to the audience the effects of the class system and how big the gap is becoming between Eddie and Mickey.
As Mickey and Eddie get older a structural parallel becomes apparent between the two mothers and the two children. ‘After three months of nothing’ this shows that Mickey is trying to get a job, to get money and look after his wife and kids, just like Mrs Johnston did. On the other hand Eddie is just like Mrs Lyons, ‘look, money, lots of it, have some’, he tries to give Mickey money like Mrs Lyons had done with Mrs Johnston. Even though Eddie isn’t Mrs Lyons’ son he acts and thinks like her: thinking that if he adds money to a situation the problem will go away.
As Eddie doesn’t have to work or look after a family he doesn’t need to grow up, he can still go out and act like a kid. He doesn’t realise that Mickey needs a job, it shows when he says ‘If I couldn’t get a job…so, your not working. Why is it so important?’ it shows that Eddie is naïve about the effects of Thatcherism, as it hasn’t affected him.
Throughout the play a gun is used as a motif. This symbolises many things; power, control, class war, violence within the working class. ‘Now mover over there. Now over there…’ At the end Mickey attempts to regain some control and power by using a gun. Mickey eventually breaks down and confesses that it’s a fake once he realises that Eddie has still got the power. ‘Even holding this to your head, I’m still not in control of anything, am I?’. The play ends with Mrs Lyons still having the power that she had at the beginning of the play (shown through the gun). This emphasises Russell’s social message of ’you can’t escape the class that you are born into.’
The play ends where it started. ‘So did you hear about the Johnston twins…’ the repeated verse shows the circular structure of the play, the way Russell does it shows that nothing will change. Again, this refers the social comment that we can’t escape the class that we are born into.
Finally, to conclude, I think that Russell’s way of showing the injustice of class system is very effective. Especially through the two main characters, Eddie and Mickey. It shows that life’s success isn’t determined by the innate qualities but by which class you are born into: depending on which class you are born into depends what opportunities you do and don’t get. I think the way in which Russell finished the play leaves the audience thinking whether or not it was the class system that led to the death of Eddie and Mickey or if it was something else.