In the story of 'Blood Brothers', I am going to introduce the situation between two boys, which are twins, but are separated at birth and both of the boys grow up in different environments.

Natasha Parmar 10KD

Introduction

It is a widely held belief that we are born innocent and our environment largely governs our path through life. The environment may be described as physical location, cultural influence and the society around you. However, there are those who would argue that genetics plays an equally, if not more important role.

Essay

In the story of ‘Blood Brothers’, I am going to introduce the situation between two boys, which are twins, but are separated at birth and both of the boys grow up in different environments.

Mickey lives with his biological mother, Mrs Johnstone, and his seven siblings. His father had walked out and left his wife and children, while his wife was pregnant with Edward and Mickey. We know this when Mrs Johnstone tells the reader at the beginning of the story, she says:

“Me husband, he’d walked out on me

A month or two ago

For a girl they say who looks a bit like Marilyn Monroe.”

Mrs Johnstone’s husband found her attractive, since she looked like Marilyn Monroe, knowing this when Mrs Johnstone says:

“He told me I was sexier than Marilyn Monroe”

Mickey came from a poor background, his mother was always in debt, and she needed money for the children’s meals, toys and clothes. Mickey’s idol is Sammy, his older brother. Sammy influences Mickey, for example when Mickey explains to the reader how he wants to be just like Sammy:

“I wish I was out Sammy

Our Sammy’s nearly ten

He’s got two worms and a catapult

An he’s built a underground den

But I’m not allowed to go in there

Cos me mam says I’m only seven

But I’m not, I’m nearly eight.”

I think that Mickey’s idol is Sammy since mickey doesn’t have a father to guide him in life, so mickey follows Sammy’s footsteps.

The type of language that mickey uses, is slang and he has a Liverpudlian dialect. For instance when he talks to his mother, he calls her “mam.” Mickey uses slang as his type of language because it is the way he was brought by his mother and his mother, brothers and sisters does use slang and this is how he was influenced, example:

“Ey mother, I’m starvin’ an there’s nothin’ in.”

“Mam, mam the baby’s cryin’.”

Mickey knows the bad language for instance swearing words and mickey most probably learnt that kind of words from Sammy, example when Sammy said to Mickey “fuck off” mickey doesn’t really have a good education, he didn’t know what a dictionary is:

“Don’t you know what a dictionary is?”

Mickey replied

“Course I do…….it is a, it’s a thingy innit?”

Mickey is the type of person who doesn’t enjoy school or value education. This may be due to his personality or it may be because his mother ...

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“Ey mother, I’m starvin’ an there’s nothin’ in.”

“Mam, mam the baby’s cryin’.”

“Don’t you know what a dictionary is?”

Mickey replied

“Course I do…….it is a, it’s a thingy innit?”

Mickey is the type of person who doesn’t enjoy school or value education. This may be due to his personality or it may be because his mother does not encourage him to value education.

Other people treat mickey unfairly since people say that the Johnstone family are not pleasant family to be with. Parents tell their children to stay away from Mrs Johnstone’s children, which people say that they are troublemakers. This is demonstrated by the policeman’s visit to see mickey and Mrs Johnstone. The policeman went to Mrs Johnstone house and was telling her off because Mickey was firing air pistols. They way the policeman was treating Mrs Johnstone was very awful, for example:

“He was about to commit a serious crime, love.

Now, do you understand that?

You don’t wanna end up in court again, do y’? ”

“Well, that’s what’s gonna happen if I have nay trouble from one of yours.

I warned you last time, didn’t I,

Mrs Johnstone, about you Sammy? ”

(Mrs johnstone nods)

“Well, there’ll be no more bloody warnings from now on.

Either you keep them in order.

Missis, or it’ll be the courts for you, or worse, won’t it? ”

They way that the policeman speaks to Mrs Johnstone is quite different to the tone he uses when he speaks to Mrs Lyons. He speaks to Mrs Lyons is more respectful.

Edward was brought up in very different circumstances. The Lyons family brought him up. This reason is because Mr and Mrs Lyons are unable to have a child of their own. So Mrs Lyons then wanted to adopt a child, but Mr Lyons disagrees in adoption because he wants a child of his own, not some else’s. This evidence is told when Mrs Lyons telling Mrs Johnstone.

“We’ve been trying for such a long time now…I wanted to adopt but…Mr Lyons is… Well he says he wanted his own son, not someone else’s. Myself, I believe that an adopted child can become one’s own”

So when Mr Lyons went away on his business trip, Mrs Lyons persuaded her cleaner which is Mrs Johnstone to give one of he children to Mrs Lyons, since Mrs Johnstone was having twins. Mr and Mrs Lyons are very rich and they live in a big house, so Edward grows up in a privileged and comfortable environment.

Mrs Lyons makes Mrs Johnstone promise on the bible that Mrs Johnstone will give one of her child to Mrs Lyons, the narrator says:

“In the name of Jesus, the thing was done, now there’s no going back, for anyone. It’s too late now, for feeling torn. There’s a pact been sealed, there’s a deal been born.”

In return of the favour that Mrs Johnstone gave to Mrs Lyons, that Mrs Lyons would let Mrs Johnstone see Edward everyday. Mrs Johnstone says:

“I would still be able to see him everyday, wouldn’t I? ”

Mrs Lyons replies:

“Of course.”

During Edward’s childhood, his father didn’t spend much time with him; he was always busy with his work. For instance when Edward said to his father:

“Daddy…we haven’t finished the story yet.”

Mr Lyons replies:

“Mummy will read the story, Edward. I’ve got to go to work for an hour”

Also Mr Lyons was not spending much time with Mrs Lyons as well.

After Mrs Johnstone has delivered the twins and given one of them to Mrs Lyons, Mrs Lyons became very nasty, she tried to keep Mrs Johnstone away from Edward, for example when Mrs Johnstone says:

“Ah… he’s lovely. Ah look, he wants to be picked up, I’ll just….”

Mrs Lyons answers

“ He’s fine. He doesn’t want to be picked up.”

Although Mrs Lyons said that Mrs Johnstone could see Edward everyday, but she did not let her. After Mrs Lyons dismissed Mrs Johnstone.

Edward has a very good education, his parents sends him to boarding school, since they have the money for it. He is a very intelligent boy, but that’s because he is encourage by his parents to learn. The type of language that Edward uses is Standard English, he calls his mother: “Mummy” Edward Standard English because that is how he was brought up by the Lyons. His parents influence the language he uses, since his parents uses Standard English.

Other people treat Edward with respect, because he is in a high standard of living and comes from a rich family. Again when there was a situation with the policeman, but with Edward. When the policeman was telling Mrs Lyons what had happened, he didn’t make it as a major concern unlike with Mrs Johnstone. The police was very polite. This is how he treated this problem. Policeman says:

“Ah er, as I say, it was more of a prank, really, Mr Lyons. I’d just dock his pocket money if I was you. But, one thing I would say if y’ don’t mind me sayin; is well, I’m not sure I’d let him mix with the likes of them in the future. Make sure he keeps with his own kind, Mr Lyons. Well er, thanks for the drink, sir. All the best now. He’s a good lad.”

The policeman was saying that it was just only a prank, but that he said to Mrs Johnstone was totally different. Also the policeman had told Mr Lyons to keep Edward away from children like mickey. The way that this situation was handle was normal, wasn’t serious like Mrs Johnstone.

Mickey has a slight influence on Edward. For instance, when Edward asks his mother

“Are you feeling better now, mummy?”

Mrs Lyons replies

“Much better now, darling. Oh Edward, look, look at those birds…. Look at the lovely black and white one….”

Edward immediately says

“Don’t mummy, don’t look. It’s a magpie, never look at one magpie. It’s one for sorrow…”

Mrs Lyons said

“Edward…. That’s just stupid superstition”

Edward replies

“It’s not, mickey told me”

Therefore Edward believes in superstition, also like Mrs Johnstone, for example when Mrs Lyons put new shoes on the table, Mrs Johnstone immediately said:

“Never put new shoes on the table…. You never know what’ll happen”

Edward likes Mickey’s company because they are very different from each other although they are blood brothers, for example when Mickey is talking to Edward, Edward admires the way that Mickey talks and Edward admires mickey very much. Edward says:

“Pissed off. You say smashing things don’t you? Do you know anymore words like that?”

When Linda needed help she had Edward by her side. For instance when Mickey couldn’t find a job Linda turn to Mickey.

Conclusion

I think that the environment around us determines our lives because it depends where we are, whom we are with. The way we become around other people everyday, the way we are brought up by our parents and the habits and dislikes we have. Like for instance Mickey and Edward are “Blood Brothers,” but grew up in differently in different environments.