Here are some of the key ways that Russell develops characters in Blood Brothers: - Through song - Songs often reveal a character's inner thoughts and feelings. Both Mrs Johnstone and Mrs Lyons have signature songs that develop their characters. - Use of a narrator - The narrator provides crucial background on the characters' lives and circumstances, helping the audience understand their motivations and perspectives. - Dialogue between characters - What the characters say to each other, and how they interact, reveals aspects of their personalities and relationships. - Physical description and stage directions - Details about a character's appearance, body language, actions etc. help the audience visualize them and interpret their character. - Character's relationships and interactions

1. Moderators rep
explore character in 3 specific scenes, explore language in detail, no long cultural
social intro, allow ‘up to’ 4 hours, justify teacher marks with annotations,

3. Mrs Johnston
Act 1
• Mrs Johnstone’s life/background up to the start of the narrative (‘Marilyn Monroe 1’), pp.5–7
• Mrs Johnstone tells Mrs Lyons she’s having another baby, p.8
• Her reaction to finding creditors removing goods from the house (‘Living on the Never Never’), p.14
• Mrs Lyons ‘buys off’ Mrs Johnstone, pp.18–19
• Mrs Johnstone’s attitude to other ‘rough’ families, p.20
• Eddie tells Mrs J his family are moving away, pp.39–40
• Her feelings about moving to the country, p.44
Act 2
• Mrs J ‘hustles’ Mickey to the bus stop, pp.48–9
• Mickey and Eddie go to the cinema, pp.57–9
• Mrs Lyons visits Mrs J and threatens her, pp.59–60
• Mickey tells Mrs J that Linda’s pregnant and they are getting married, p.67
• Mrs J’s singing of ‘Marilyn Monroe 3’ (is she part of, or observing, the action?), pp.74–5 and ‘A Light Romance’,
pp.77–8
• The council chamber (‘Tell Me It’s Not True’), pp.81–2
Mrs Lyons
Act 1
• Mrs Lyons asks Mrs Johnstone to give her one of the twins, pp.10–13
• Mrs Lyons ‘buys off’ Mrs Johnstone, pp.18–19
• She tries to control who Edward is friends with, pp.28–9
• She panics when she thinks Edward has gone missing, p.35
Act 2
• Mrs Lyons teaches ‘Edward’ to ballroom-dance, p.47
• She sees Eddie’s locket, pp.52–3
• She threatens Mrs Johnstone, pp.59–60
• She shows Mickey Eddie and Linda together, p.79
http://web.brimsham.com/page_viewer.asp?page=Blood+Brothers&pid=409

4. Youtube Clips
Part 1
Beginning
Part 2
P12 Mothers prep for false preg.
Part 3
P21 Mickey + Edward meet
Part 4
P32 Mickey says the F word
Part 5
P40 M + E say goodbye
Part 6
(A2) P46 New house
Part 7
P55 M + E compare each other
Part 8
P63 Just 17,18
Part 9
P71 Grow up Eddie
Part 10 P78 Eddie and Linda romance
P12 end of ‘My Child’ song
P21 Mickey told off for playing at posh end
P31 ‘Cross your fingers’ kids play
P40 Eddy says goodbye to Mrs J
P45 J’s move house
P54 M + L trying to get it on
P63 Just 15
P71 I’ve got lots of money
P77 The girl inside Linda (drugs)
P83 Superstition or class (End)

5. Sound
Characterisation - The Inspector
In An Inspector Calls the main character is Inspector Goole. He is a mysterious
character who comes to ask about a girls death. The Inspector arrives when Mr
Birling is talking to Eric and Gerald about business and the country and how
everybody has ‘to look after himself’ and not worry about everybody else. Goole
also sounds like ghoul which is a ghost. At the end of the play he disappears like a
ghost.
The Inspector is described in the play as an older man ‘man in his fifties’ it also
quotes that ‘he creates an impression of massiveness, solidity and purposefulness.’
This shows that he is an important character.
The Inspector pretends to be a policeman and sometimes he speaks like a
policeman ‘It’s my duty to ask questions’ but he does not always speak like a
policeman, ‘There are millions and millions and millions of Eva Smiths and John
Smiths’. Mrs Birling does not trust him and gets very angry with him. he has Eva
Smiths diary which helps him ask the questions.
The Inspector explains that Eva Smith/Daisy Renton killed herself with
‘disinfectant’ because of the way people had treated her getting her fired or
making her pregnent.
Firstly he questions Mr Birling about firing Eva from his factory because she wanted
more money and went on strike. Mr Birling did not feel responsible for her death in
a quote he says ‘I can’t accept any responsibility’. The Inspector tells him he has
to.
The Inspector then moves on to Sheila, who got her sacked from ‘Milwards’
because Sheila thought Eva was laughing at her. Unlike Mr Birling the Inspector
makes her feel guilty about what she did. The Inspector is the voice of authority
getting the other characters to think about what they have done. He knows the
history of Eva Smith and the Birlings involvement in it, even though she died only
hours ago.
The next person he speaks to is Gerald who had an affair with Daisy and let her
stay in a friends house. He saved her from ‘Alderman Megarty’ who was trying to
pick her up in a bar. Gerald tells the Inspector that he felt sorry for her. It says in
the text ‘I was sorry for her.’ The Inspector is not so tough on Gerald because
Gerald is more honest.
The Inspector then interviews Mrs Birling. In the play she is a ‘cold woman’ and
she is a snob. She is rude to the Inspector and does not want to speak to him as she
thinks she is to important. When he asks her questions she says in the play ‘what
business is it of yours?’ and says the girl was to blame for killing herself ‘had only
herself to blame.’ She is always on about responsibility. The Inspector challenges
Mrs Birling, ‘Remember what you did Mrs Birling.’
The last person the Inspector talks to is Eric the son of Mr and Mrs Birling who met
Daisy in a bar and went back to her flat where he raped her. The way the
Inspector asks eric questions is not as aggressive as the questions he asks Mrs
Birling. Eric is more sorry for what he has done because he tried to help her by
stealing money from his dad.
His final speech is like a politician. This is when Priestly uses the Inspector to give
his message. He leaves the family with a message. A quotation that shows this is
‘We are responsible for each other’ and warns them of the ‘fire and blood and
anguish’ this shows what they will get if they do not listen to what he has said to
them.
The Inspector is obviously in a great hurry at the end of the play it says in the text
‘I haven't much time.’ He leaves the other characters standing or sitting in silence
because they are shocked.
At the end of the play The Inspector has managed to change the way Eric and
Sheila think but not Mr and Mrs Birling who are still selfish and worried about
themselves.
The Inspector is an important character as he tries to teach people a lesson about
how we should behave. We must consider other people we meet and not treat
them badly and be selfish. As an inspector he inspects the way the family have
behaved to Eva. After he leaves like a ghost the Birlings find out a real inspector is
soon arriving.
Commentary
The candidate has shown sound understanding of the character of Inspector Goole
and selected textual details that are relevant.
Although the essay follows a chronological account of the Inspector’s encounters
with other characters, there are valid comments made on what impact he has on
particular characters.
The essay concludes with a neat summary of how the Inspector has managed to
change Eric and Sheila, but not Mr and Mrs Birling, and why he is an important
character.
AO1 : A mark of 10 in the middle of Band 3 is appropriate.
QWC is appropriate to the given Band.

6. Thorough and sustained
Characterisation
‘An Inspector Calls’ by J.B.Priestley is set in 1912 and focuses around the Birling
family. It is based in the fictional industrial city of Brumley. Mr Birling is a wealthy
and successful business man, who has made a name for himself in the local
community. His wife is also a prominent figure, who is a ‘prominent member – of
the Brumley Women’s Charity Organization.’ Suggesting she is a respected woman
who has a caring side, however the audience later find out that her position is to
make her look good and have control within the local community.
In the stage directions, Mrs Birling is initially described as a ‘rather cold woman
and her husband’s social superior’ and Priestley conveys her as an unsympathetic
character and out of touch with reality. She is portrayed as a snob and even
corrects her husband when he complements the cook ‘(reproachfully) Arthur,
you’re not supposed to say such things.’ Her attitude to hearing the news of the
death was that, because Eva/daisy was not from their class, she should not deserve
help, ‘A girl in her position.’ The irony used by Priestley to illustrate how Mrs
Birling is influenced by social status is conveyed by her refusing to help Daisy
Renton as she ‘didn’t like her manner.’ A charity should be caring for everyone,
not judge people.
Her lack of understanding is also shown towards her family, she still addresses her
daughter as a ‘child’ and refuses to accept that Eric is a heavy drinker ‘no of
course not. He’s only a boy.’ When the truth is revealed she cannot believe it and
is ‘staggered’ asking Gerald ‘you know him, Gerald – and you’re a man – you must
know it isn’t true.’ She tries to control her children by telling them to ‘be quiet.’
The overall impression you get of Mrs Birling is of a domineering woman, who does
not like to be dominated or challenged by the Inspector. She continually tries to
stand up to him, refusing to answer questions or even look at the photograph, ‘I
don’t see any particular reason why I should.’
She tries to control the Inspector and bring his investigation to an end ‘I think
we’ve just about come to an end of this wretched business.’ Even though she is the
wife and socially subservient to her husband during this time period, she comes
across as the more controlling character.
Mrs Birling was the last person to see Eva Smith alive: Eva went in desperation to
the charitable committee that she chaired, having nowhere else to turn. Mrs
Birling admits that she ‘prejudiced’ the committee to turn down her application for
help, leaving Eva Smith no real option but to commit suicide. Mrs Birling feels no
guilt for what she did, telling the Inspector, ‘In the circumstances I think I was
justified.’ Yet she cannot be held solely responsible for Eva’s death, because of the
whole ‘chain of events’ that led to her meeting with Eva. As the Inspector
forcefully tells the family just before he leaves ‘Each of you helped kill her.’
Mrs Birling herself reminds Mr Birling of his role in the tragedy:
‘Please remember that before you start accusing me of anything again that it
wasn’t I who had her turned out of her employment – which probably began it.’ She
refuses to see how her actions had anything to do with Eva’s death as ‘she had only
herself to blame.’ She also suggests that it is the father of the child that is
responsible ‘Go look for the father of the child. It’s his responsibility.’
Throughout the whole play she remains untouched by the Inspector’s questioning.
It is only when she realises Eric was the father of the baby and that her actions
have caused the death of her grandchild that she begins to show any signs of
distress ‘But surely… I mean… it’s ridiculous…’ and she becomes ‘agitated’.
Every time Mrs Birling is challenged by the Inspector she reacts in a very defensive
manner, blaming everyone except herself. When it is mentioned that Eva was
pregnant, she claims that the father ‘ should be made an example of…he ought to
be dealt with very severely’ and she defensively adds that ‘It wasn’t I who had her
turned out of her employment.’
Mr and Mrs Birling usually maintained a united front, however she must feel under
a lot of pressure to speak to her husband so bitterly. Mrs Birling is right when she
accuses her husband of starting the whole ‘sorry business’ as the sacking of Eva
was the first step on the road to her death. When he first fired her, for asking for
a modest rise, Eva, according to the Inspector, ‘was feeling desperate.’ She had
little money, no work and few friends; had she kept her job, all would have been
well. Mr Birling, though, like his wife, feels no remorse and states ‘I was quite
justified.'
In Act 3, after the Inspector has left, she returns to her domineering self and is
proud that she ‘was the only one of you who didn’t give in to him’ straight away
she takes the control and her husband agrees with her ‘You’re absolutely right, my
dear.’ Her reaction following Gerald’s news that the Inspector did not exist is one
of triumph ‘Didn’t I tell you… I couldn’t imagine a real police Inspector talking like
that’ immediately she forgets the death of Daisy and is happy to go back to the
way things were before. She even thinks the whole affair is a joke ‘in the morning
they’ll be as amused as we are.’
Mrs Birling tries to remain untouched by the tragedy that occurs within the play.
She wants to maintain the respectable and wealthy woman in society image, who
like her husband is more concerned with how it will affect them, not how it has
affected others, despite the Inspector’s comments that ‘we are all responsible’ for
each other, Mrs Birling remains unaffected at the end of the play.
Commentary
The student has produced a secure and confidently written essay. The writing
illustrates a thorough knowledge of the entire play and the student has made
reference to the characters from all 3 Acts. Mention is also made to stage
directions to show an awareness of writer’s craft.
Although the textual references made throughout the essay support the perceptive
points being made, more succinct textual referencing would improve the response
.
AO1 : A mark of 18 in the middle of Band 5 is appropriate.
QWC is appropriate to the given Band.

7. Lesson 1

8. DO IT NOW…
Write down 3 superstitions you know of
Example – Don’t walk under a ladder

9. Introducing the play
LO: 1 – To understand layers of meaning in the title
2 – To understand the learning objectives
Layers of meaning – if we look under the surface,
what do we associate with these words?
Blood
Brothers

10. LO:
1 – To understand layers of meaning in the title

11. What happens when we put the words together?

12. What do we understand from the image?

13. LO:
1 – To understand layers of meaning in the title

14. We will be studying a play by Willy Russell called
Blood Brothers
We will be looking at
Plot
Characters
Setting
Themes
Writer
In your planners, write down the name of the play and
the elements we will be exploring.
Homework – include all the above elements and create
a fact file on the play.

15. The Aos: Respond to texts critically and imaginatively;
select and evaluate relevant textual detail to
illustrate and support interpretations
Use the dictionaries and
the thesauri to prepare a
presentation on your given
word from above

16. LO:
1 – To understand layers of meaning in the title

17. Lesson 2

18. DO IT NOW…
List 5 superstitions
- What types of people might believe in
superstition?
- Why might they believe in them?
- Which of the two mothers do you think will
be superstitious?

19. LO: to understand how Russell uses song and the
narrator to shape our response

20. Reserve a page in your books to collect information on
the two mothers. As you learn something new, record
it. Record page numbers where you picked up info from.

21. Copy the question into your books:
TASK
Explore the ways in which an
important character is developed
in the drama
Use evidence to support your
answer.
Stick in the mark scheme

22. Explore the ‘ways’…
Remembering that Blood Brothers is a play, what does
it mean by ‘ways’?

23. Dramatic Devices
Motif - any recurring element in a story that has symbolic significance (Marilyn Monroe,
guns, dancing...)
Prologue – the introduction to a play (sets the scene)
Narrator – tells the story and often comments on characters and events, knows how it will
end
Songs – often reflect a character’s thoughts – which character sings?
Stage directions – setting, where a character is, what they are doing
Dialogue – what they say
Monologue – when a character talks to himself (reveals their thoughts)
Contrasts – opposites
Parallels – characters, events are similar
Juxtaposition – placing of scenes next to each other (look for ones for effect- change from
one house to the next...)
Setting – the class divide
Pace – the speed things happen (the play quickens near the end as if speeding through the
story)
Use of rhyme – in songs, prologue, the narrator – used for effect
Language – look for metaphors etc.

24. Read to page 12 My Child song.
Pairs/Groups
1
Look at the first song Mrs J sings
How does this song shape our response to her?
2
Describe the relationship between the mothers
at this point
Why do the mothers share the song?
3
What is the role of the narrator?
How does Russell use the narrator to present
the mothers to the audience in the opening?

25. Independent
Choose a mother and write a paragraph from paired
discussion
LO: to understand how Russell uses song and the narrator to shape our response

26. Lesson 3
Photocopy model PEE

27. DO IT NOW…
What words/ideas do you associate with ‘evaluate’
and ‘tragedy’?
evaluate
tragedy

28. LO: to know how to use inference to evaluate our
evidence

29. • She’s got a lot on her plate • She’s going to do something wicked
• From Narrator we learn ‘so cruel… stone in place of her
• From stage directions we
heart’
learn ‘back to the
• Wonder if she realises because she is preoccupied.
audience’
Furthermore, the narrator has presented this information
• She’s preoccupied with
as rhetorical question which makes the reader suspicious
something, attention
that he isn’t stating facts. Finally, he asks us to ‘judge for
elsewhere and misses
yourselves’ and the audience might understand/be
important events
hooked by the enigma; thinking that she may not be as
wicked as we are led to believe
1 - What band are these two students working at?
2 - What was the question that generated these answers?

30. TASK
Explore the ways in which an important character is developed in the drama
Use evidence to support your answer.
What impression do we get of Mrs Johnston at this point in the play?
Point: Give your opinion (Answer the question in one sentence)
Evidence: Use words and short phrases to support your opinion + identify devices
Explain/Evaluate: Explain how your evidence supports your point
• She’s got a lot on her plate
• From stage directions we learn
‘back to the audience’
• She’s preoccupied with
something, attention elsewhere
and misses important events
*Enigma – mysterious/difficult to understand
• She’s going to do something wicked
• From Narrator we learn ‘so cruel… stone in place
of her heart’
• Wonder if she realises because she is preoccupied.
Furthermore, the narrator has presented this
information as rhetorical question which makes
the reader suspicious that he isn’t stating facts.
Finally, he asks us to ‘judge for yourselves’ and the
audience might understand/be hooked by the
*enigma; thinking that she may not be as wicked
as we are led to believe

31. Motif - any recurring element in a story that has symbolic significance (Marilyn Monroe,
guns, dancing...)
Prologue – the introduction to a play (sets the scene)
Narrator – tells the story and often comments on characters and events, knows how it will
end
Songs – often reflect a character’s thoughts – which character sings?
Stage directions – setting, where a character is, what they are doing
Dialogue – what they say
Monologue – when a character talks to himself (reveals their thoughts)
Contrasts – opposites
Parallels – characters, events are similar
Juxtaposition – placing of scenes next to each other (look for ones for effect- change from
one house to the next...)
Setting – the class divide
Pace – the speed things happen (the play quickens near the end as if speeding through the
story)
Use of rhyme – in songs, prologue, the narrator – used for effect
Language – look for metaphors etc.

32. Read play to pg 19 up to Narrator’s song Shoes upon the Table
How do we feel about Mrs Johnston when she explains the missing twin to her family?
P: State your opinion – How do we feel about her?
Ev: Support with relevant evidence (device and quote)
Ex: Evaluate your evidence – Why do we feel this way about her now?
What motivates Mrs Lyons to sack the mother? What is she thinking but what does she
say?
P: State your opinion - What is motivating her?
Ev: Support with relevant evidence (device and quote)
Ex: Evaluate the evidence – How do we feel about her actions?
How does Mrs Lyons manipulate Mrs Johnston into not telling anyone what has
happened?
P: State your opinion – How does she manipulate Mrs J.
Ev: Support with relevant evidence (device and quote)
Ex: Evaluate the evidence – How is this an effective way to manipulate Mrs J.

33. In what ways are the mothers’ lives shaped by events
outside their control?

34. Lesson 4

35. Add 3 words, to describe each of the mothers, to the
tables in your books. And descriptions they share?
Mrs Johnston
Both
Mrs Lyons
Prepare to support with evidence from the play

36. LO: To write PEE paragraphs, that meet the assessment
objectives, to explore the mothers’ reactions to the
others’ son.
Prediction – In pairs, discuss:
How will Mrs Lyons react to Mickey?
How will Mrs Johnston react to Eddie?

37. When reading P19 – 34:
Record quotes from the meeting between Mrs L and M
And, from the meeting between Mrs J and E
To hit ‘Band 5 – Perceptive…’
you will need to show you are!

38. P 26-27 - PEE – How does
Mrs J react to meeting
Eddie?
P: Mrs Johnston seems shocked
and then scared when she finds
out Mickey and Eddie have been
playing together
Ev: The writer exaggerates her
shock by Mickey’s dialogue; he
innocently introduces Eddie as
‘my brother’
Ex: The irony is that, although
Mickey doesn’t know it, they are
brothers and Mrs Johnston might
have feared for a moment that
the secret was out.
EV: When she says ‘Does your
mother know..’,
Ex: She is showing she understands
Mrs Lyons would not be happy; the
threat of upsetting her raises the
fear of superstition and the pact
they made when she swore on the
bible.

39. 1 - Use your own evidence
(and/or evidence from P 2829) to explore how Mrs
Lyons reacts when she
meets Mickey (PEE)
2 – On P34, through the use of
narrator and song, what does
the writer suggest about Mrs
Lyons’ state of mind; She’s well
educated so why would she be
affected by superstition?

40. LO: To write PEE paragraphs, that meet the assessment
objectives, to explore the mothers’ reactions to the
others’ son.
H/W - Watch Youtube! Blood Brothers Part 1 to Part 10

41. Lesson 5
Photocopy word bank

42. DO IT NOW…
Put into order, from ‘strongly agree’ to ‘strongly disagree’
Blood Brothers is about:
• How hard life was in 1980s Liverpool
• The contrasts between a working-class and a rich
woman
• How the class system affects people’s life chances
• How superstition governs our lives
• Raising children
• The role of women in society

43. LO: To understand how the writer creates characters
to reflect his own ideas

44. How many of these words can you use in a single,
accurate sentence about the mothers in Blood Brothers?
Common bond
Vicious
Distraught
Secret
Weakness
Burden
Tragedy
Love of children Beyond reason
Grief
Class
Strength
Crave
Disappointmen
t
Makes mistakes
Madness
Pain
Status
Balance
Resilient
Fear
Desperate
Equaliser
Sanity
Superstition
Equality
Education
Ignorance
Jealousy
Protecting
Corrupting
Grinding
poverty
Wealth
Opportunity
Contrasts
Guilt
Truth
Betrayal
Trapped
Honesty
Optimistic
Inevitable

45. Take notes on the mothers when reading P34 – 45
How does the writer contrast the experiences of the two
mothers?
• What are the parallels that happen in this section?
• How do they happen differently?
• What is the writer saying about the effects of class/superstitious
belief?
•
•
The policeman’s attitude towards the two families
The mothers’ reactions to their new homes.

46. Now, make a point about the writer’s ideas using words
from table. Back them up with evidence and explain your
evidence.
Common
bond
Vicious
Distraught
Secret
Weakness
Burden
Tragedy
Love of
children
Beyond
reason
Grief
Class
Strength
Crave
Disappointme
nt
Makes
mistakes
Madness
Pain
Status
Balance
Resilient
Fear
Desperate
Equaliser
Sanity
Superstition
Equality
Education
Ignorance
Jealousy
Protecting
Corrupting
Grinding
poverty
Wealth
Opportunity
Contrasts
Guilt
Truth
Betrayal
Trapped
Honesty
Optimistic
Inevitable

47. LO: To understand how the writer creates characters
to reflect his own ideas
How many of the 10 Youtube clips have you watched so far?

48. Lesson 5

49. DO IT NOW…
Write one short sentence for each of the 5 key points of
the narrative structure
1 – Equilibrium (what life is like at the opening of the play)
2 – Development (what we learn about characters/setting)
3 – Complication(s) (tension/problems that build up)
4 – Climax (the height of tension)
5 – New equilibrium (what life is like at the end of the play)
You may have to predict if you haven’t finished watching.

50. LO: To understand how the structure of the play
shapes our response to the mothers

51. When reading P45-67, take notes on the
relationships Mrs J and Mrs L have with their own
sons.

52. In pairs, give a rating of 1 to 10 where 10 is high and explain at
which point in the play you are linking it to:
Mrs Lyons is a victim
Mrs Johnston is a victim
Mrs Lyons is jealous
Mrs Johnston is jealous
Mrs Lyons behaves appallingly
Mrs Johnston behaves appallingly
Mrs Lyons is the cause of conflict
Mrs Johnston is the cause of conflict
Mrs Lyons is brave
Mrs Johnston is brave

53. With evidence, bullet point/mind map the changing
impressions of ONE of the mothers throughout the
play. How do the audience react at different points?
1 – What is happening at that point?
2 – What is the impression of the mother?
3 – How do the audience react (thoughts/feelings)?

54. LO: To understand how the structure of the play
shapes our response to the mothers

55. Lesson 6

56. DO IT NOW…
List 3 things, for each mother, that get ‘taken away’.
How do they react in each circumstance?

57. LO: To understand the writer’s intentions at the
end of the play

58. When reading P68 – end, record what roles the mothers
play in the conclusion of the play

59. The ingredients for the end of the play are
A narrator
A question
A mother (only one)
A song
An old movie
1 - What was the writer’s intention(s)?
2 - What is your personal response to the
narrator’s question?

60. LO: To understand the writer’s intentions at the
end of the play

61. Lesson 7
Photocopy model answer

62. DO IT NOW…
Skim read this model answer… Same question, different novel
Characterisation
‘An Inspector Calls’ by J.B.Priestley is set in 1912 and focuses around the Birling
family. It is based in the fictional industrial city of Brumley. Mr Birling is a wealthy
and successful business man, who has made a name for himself in the local
community. His wife is also a prominent figure, who is a ‘prominent member – of
the Brumley Women’s Charity Organization.’ Suggesting she is a respected woman
who has a caring side, however the audience later find out that her position is to
make her look good and have control within the local community.
In the stage directions, Mrs Birling is initially described as a ‘rather cold woman
and her husband’s social superior’ and Priestley conveys her as an unsympathetic
character and out of touch with reality. She is portrayed as a snob and even
corrects her husband when he complements the cook ‘(reproachfully) Arthur,
you’re not supposed to say such things.’ Her attitude to hearing the news of the
death was that, because Eva/daisy was not from their class, she should not deserve
help, ‘A girl in her position.’ The irony used by Priestley to illustrate how Mrs
Birling is influenced by social status is conveyed by her refusing to help Daisy
Renton as she ‘didn’t like her manner.’ A charity should be caring for everyone,
not judge people.
Her lack of understanding is also shown towards her family, she still addresses her
daughter as a ‘child’ and refuses to accept that Eric is a heavy drinker ‘no of
course not. He’s only a boy.’ When the truth is revealed she cannot believe it and
is ‘staggered’ asking Gerald ‘you know him, Gerald – and you’re a man – you must
know it isn’t true.’ She tries to control her children by telling them to ‘be quiet.’
The overall impression you get of Mrs Birling is of a domineering woman, who does
not like to be dominated or challenged by the Inspector. She continually tries to
stand up to him, refusing to answer questions or even look at the photograph, ‘I
don’t see any particular reason why I should.’
She tries to control the Inspector and bring his investigation to an end ‘I think
we’ve just about come to an end of this wretched business.’ Even though she is the
wife and socially subservient to her husband during this time period, she comes
across as the more controlling character.
Mrs Birling was the last person to see Eva Smith alive: Eva went in desperation to
the charitable committee that she chaired, having nowhere else to turn. Mrs
Birling admits that she ‘prejudiced’ the committee to turn down her application for
help, leaving Eva Smith no real option but to commit suicide. Mrs Birling feels no
guilt for what she did, telling the Inspector, ‘In the circumstances I think I was
justified.’ Yet she cannot be held solely responsible for Eva’s death, because of the
whole ‘chain of events’ that led to her meeting with Eva. As the Inspector
forcefully tells the family just before he leaves ‘Each of you helped kill her.’
Mrs Birling herself reminds Mr Birling of his role in the tragedy:
‘Please remember that before you start accusing me of anything again that it
wasn’t I who had her turned out of her employment – which probably began it.’ She
refuses to see how her actions had anything to do with Eva’s death as ‘she had only
herself to blame.’ She also suggests that it is the father of the child that is
responsible ‘Go look for the father of the child. It’s his responsibility.’
Throughout the whole play she remains untouched by the Inspector’s questioning.
It is only when she realises Eric was the father of the baby and that her actions
have caused the death of her grandchild that she begins to show any signs of
distress ‘But surely… I mean… it’s ridiculous…’ and she becomes ‘agitated’.
Every time Mrs Birling is challenged by the Inspector she reacts in a very defensive
manner, blaming everyone except herself. When it is mentioned that Eva was
pregnant, she claims that the father ‘ should be made an example of…he ought to
be dealt with very severely’ and she defensively adds that ‘It wasn’t I who had her
turned out of her employment.’
Mr and Mrs Birling usually maintained a united front, however she must feel under
a lot of pressure to speak to her husband so bitterly. Mrs Birling is right when she
accuses her husband of starting the whole ‘sorry business’ as the sacking of Eva
was the first step on the road to her death. When he first fired her, for asking for
a modest rise, Eva, according to the Inspector, ‘was feeling desperate.’ She had
little money, no work and few friends; had she kept her job, all would have been
well. Mr Birling, though, like his wife, feels no remorse and states ‘I was quite
justified.'
In Act 3, after the Inspector has left, she returns to her domineering self and is
proud that she ‘was the only one of you who didn’t give in to him’ straight away
she takes the control and her husband agrees with her ‘You’re absolutely right, my
dear.’ Her reaction following Gerald’s news that the Inspector did not exist is one
of triumph ‘Didn’t I tell you… I couldn’t imagine a real police Inspector talking like
that’ immediately she forgets the death of Daisy and is happy to go back to the
way things were before. She even thinks the whole affair is a joke ‘in the morning
they’ll be as amused as we are.’
Mrs Birling tries to remain untouched by the tragedy that occurs within the play.
She wants to maintain the respectable and wealthy woman in society image, who
like her husband is more concerned with how it will affect them, not how it has
affected others, despite the Inspector’s comments that ‘we are all responsible’ for
each other, Mrs Birling remains unaffected at the end of the play.
Commentary
The student has produced a secure and confidently written essay. The writing
illustrates a thorough knowledge of the entire play and the student has made
reference to the characters from all 3 Acts. Mention is also made to stage
directions to show an awareness of writer’s craft.
Although the textual references made throughout the essay support the perceptive
points being made, more succinct textual referencing would improve the response
.
AO1 : A mark of 18 in the middle of Band 5 is appropriate.
QWC is appropriate to the given Band.

63. LO: To understand how to structure my answer
Find evidence to justify the model answer being Band 4

64. Using 3 highlighters, identify where the student
1. Makes a point
2. Uses evidence and/or identifies a device
3. Analyses the evidence

65. How does this student structure his answer?
Write one or two bullet points to explain what he
does in each paragraph

66. Look at the notes you have in your book from the
last 6 lessons.
Using bullet points/a spider diagram, plan an
answer to the task for Blood Brothers:
TASK
Explore the ways in which an important character
is developed in the drama.
Use evidence to support your answer.

67. LO: To understand how to structure my answer

68. Lesson 8
Photocopy model answer

69. DO IT NOW… Read and grade this student opening.
(Compare it to the model you were given last lesson)
Blood Brothers is a musical about twins who were separated at
birth. One stays with his birth mother and struggles in a working
class family. The other is given to a rich woman and he has the
privileges of a wealthy upbringing. The twins dies at the end when
they find out they were separated at birth. This makes a superstition
made up by the rich mother, Mrs Lyons, come true.
I will be writing about the ways Mrs Johnston is presented to the
audience.
Willy Russell introduces the character of Mrs Johnstone in the
production note at the start of the play. Although she is not
described, her house . . .
This creates the impression that . . and suggests . . .
When

70. LO: To understand how to write a strong opening

71. Move this opening – from mediocre to marvellous…
Blood Brothers is a musical about twins who were separated at
birth. One stays with his birth mother and struggles in a working
class family. The other is given to a rich woman and he has the
privileges of a wealthy upbringing. The twins dies at the end when
they find out they were separated at birth. This makes a superstition
made up by the rich mother, Mrs Lyons, come true.
I will be writing about the ways Mrs Johnston/Lyons is presented to
the audience.
Willy Russell introduces the character of Mrs Johnston/Lyons in the
production note at the start of the play. Although she is not
described, her house . . .
This creates the impression that . . and suggests . . .
When

72. LO: To understand how to write a strong opening

73. Lesson 9

74. DO IT NOW…
Check the content of your opening. Have you used PEE?
• Made some points?
• Used detailed textual evidence?
• Identified effective playwright’s devices?
• Thoroughly evaluated textual evidence and devices?

75. LO: To develop my response using the
assessment criteria
TASK
Explore the ways in which an important character is developed in
the drama. Use evidence to support your answer.