Blood brothers for Edexcel

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,

Mrs JohnstonAct 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.44Act 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 LyonsAct 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.35Act 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

Youtube ClipsPart 1 Beginning P12 end of ‘My Child’ songPart 2 P12 Mothers prep for false preg. P21 Mickey told off for playing at posh endPart 3 P21 Mickey + Edward meet P31 ‘Cross your fingers’ kids playPart 4 P32 Mickey says the F word P40 Eddy says goodbye to Mrs JPart 5 P40 M + E say goodbye P45 J’s move housePart 6 (A2) P46 New house P54 M + L trying to get it onPart 7 P55 M + E compare each other P63 Just 15Part 8 P63 Just 17,18 P71 I’ve got lots of moneyPart 9 P71 Grow up Eddie P77 The girl inside Linda (drugs)Part 10 P78 Eddie and Linda romanceP83 Superstition or class (End)

Characterisation - The InspectorIn An Inspector Calls the main character is Inspector Goole. He is a mysteriouscharacter who comes to ask about a girls death. The Inspector arrives when MrBirling is talking to Eric and Gerald about business and the country and howeverybody has ‘to look after himself’ and not worry about everybody else. Goolealso sounds like ghoul which is a ghost. At the end of the play he disappears like aghost.The Inspector is described in the play as an older man ‘man in his fifties’ it alsoquotes 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 apoliceman ‘It’s my duty to ask questions’ but he does not always speak like apoliceman, ‘There are millions and millions and millions of Eva Smiths and JohnSmiths’. Mrs Birling does not trust him and gets very angry with him. he has EvaSmiths 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 ormaking her pregnent.Firstly he questions Mr Birling about firing Eva from his factory because she wantedmore money and went on strike. Mr Birling did not feel responsible for her death ina quote he says ‘I can’t accept any responsibility’. The Inspector tells him he hasto.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 Inspectormakes her feel guilty about what she did. The Inspector is the voice of authoritygetting the other characters to think about what they have done. He knows thehistory of Eva Smith and the Birlings involvement in it, even though she died onlyhours ago.The next person he speaks to is Gerald who had an affair with Daisy and let herstay in a friends house. He saved her from ‘Alderman Megarty’ who was trying topick her up in a bar. Gerald tells the Inspector that he felt sorry for her. It says inthe text ‘I was sorry for her.’ The Inspector is not so tough on Gerald becauseGerald is more honest.

The Inspector then interviews Mrs Birling. In the play she is a ‘cold woman’ andshe is a snob. She is rude to the Inspector and does not want to speak to him as shethinks she is to important. When he asks her questions she says in the play ‘whatbusiness is it of yours?’ and says the girl was to blame for killing herself ‘had onlyherself to blame.’ She is always on about responsibility. The Inspector challengesMrs Birling, ‘Remember what you did Mrs Birling.’The last person the Inspector talks to is Eric the son of Mr and Mrs Birling who metDaisy in a bar and went back to her flat where he raped her. The way theInspector asks eric questions is not as aggressive as the questions he asks MrsBirling. Eric is more sorry for what he has done because he tried to help her bystealing money from his dad.His final speech is like a politician. This is when Priestly uses the Inspector to givehis 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 andanguish’ this shows what they will get if they do not listen to what he has said tothem.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 silencebecause they are shocked.At the end of the play The Inspector has managed to change the way Eric andSheila think but not Mr and Mrs Birling who are still selfish and worried aboutthemselves.The Inspector is an important character as he tries to teach people a lesson abouthow we should behave. We must consider other people we meet and not treatthem badly and be selfish. As an inspector he inspects the way the family havebehaved to Eva. After he leaves like a ghost the Birlings find out a real inspector issoon arriving.CommentaryThe candidate has shown sound understanding of the character of Inspector Gooleand selected textual details that are relevant.Although the essay follows a chronological account of the Inspector’s encounterswith other characters, there are valid comments made on what impact he has onparticular characters.The essay concludes with a neat summary of how the Inspector has managed tochange Eric and Sheila, but not Mr and Mrs Birling, and why he is an importantcharacter.AO1 : A mark of 10 in the middle of Band 3 is appropriate.QWC is appropriate to the given Band.

Sound

Characterisation‘An Inspector Calls’ by J.B.Priestley is set in 1912 and focuses around the Birlingfamily. It is based in the fictional industrial city of Brumley. Mr Birling is a wealthyand successful business man, who has made a name for himself in the localcommunity. His wife is also a prominent figure, who is a ‘prominent member – ofthe Brumley Women’s Charity Organization.’ Suggesting she is a respected womanwho has a caring side, however the audience later find out that her position is tomake her look good and have control within the local community.In the stage directions, Mrs Birling is initially described as a ‘rather cold womanand her husband’s social superior’ and Priestley conveys her as an unsympatheticcharacter and out of touch with reality. She is portrayed as a snob and evencorrects her husband when he complements the cook ‘(reproachfully) Arthur,you’re not supposed to say such things.’ Her attitude to hearing the news of thedeath was that, because Eva/daisy was not from their class, she should not deservehelp, ‘A girl in her position.’ The irony used by Priestley to illustrate how MrsBirling is influenced by social status is conveyed by her refusing to help DaisyRenton 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 herdaughter as a ‘child’ and refuses to accept that Eric is a heavy drinker ‘no ofcourse not. He’s only a boy.’ When the truth is revealed she cannot believe it andis ‘staggered’ asking Gerald ‘you know him, Gerald – and you’re a man – you mustknow 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 doesnot like to be dominated or challenged by the Inspector. She continually tries tostand up to him, refusing to answer questions or even look at the photograph, ‘Idon’t see any particular reason why I should.’She tries to control the Inspector and bring his investigation to an end ‘I thinkwe’ve just about come to an end of this wretched business.’ Even though she is thewife and socially subservient to her husband during this time period, she comesacross as the more controlling character.Mrs Birling was the last person to see Eva Smith alive: Eva went in desperation tothe charitable committee that she chaired, having nowhere else to turn. MrsBirling admits that she ‘prejudiced’ the committee to turn down her application forhelp, leaving Eva Smith no real option but to commit suicide. Mrs Birling feels noguilt for what she did, telling the Inspector, ‘In the circumstances I think I wasjustified.’ Yet she cannot be held solely responsible for Eva’s death, because of thewhole ‘chain of events’ that led to her meeting with Eva. As the Inspectorforcefully 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 itwasn’t I who had her turned out of her employment – which probably began it.’ Sherefuses to see how her actions had anything to do with Eva’s death as ‘she had onlyherself to blame.’ She also suggests that it is the father of the child that isresponsible ‘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 ofdistress ‘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 defensivemanner, blaming everyone except herself. When it is mentioned that Eva waspregnant, she claims that the father ‘ should be made an example of…he ought tobe dealt with very severely’ and she defensively adds that ‘It wasn’t I who had herturned out of her employment.’Mr and Mrs Birling usually maintained a united front, however she must feel undera lot of pressure to speak to her husband so bitterly. Mrs Birling is right when sheaccuses her husband of starting the whole ‘sorry business’ as the sacking of Evawas the first step on the road to her death. When he first fired her, for asking fora modest rise, Eva, according to the Inspector, ‘was feeling desperate.’ She hadlittle money, no work and few friends; had she kept her job, all would have beenwell. Mr Birling, though, like his wife, feels no remorse and states ‘I was quitejustified.'In Act 3, after the Inspector has left, she returns to her domineering self and isproud that she ‘was the only one of you who didn’t give in to him’ straight awayshe takes the control and her husband agrees with her ‘You’re absolutely right, mydear.’ Her reaction following Gerald’s news that the Inspector did not exist is oneof triumph ‘Didn’t I tell you… I couldn’t imagine a real police Inspector talking likethat’ immediately she forgets the death of Daisy and is happy to go back to theway things were before. She even thinks the whole affair is a joke ‘in the morningthey’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, wholike her husband is more concerned with how it will affect them, not how it hasaffected others, despite the Inspector’s comments that ‘we are all responsible’ foreach other, Mrs Birling remains unaffected at the end of the play.

CommentaryThe student has produced a secure and confidently written essay. The writingillustrates a thorough knowledge of the entire play and the student has madereference to the characters from all 3 Acts. Mention is also made to stagedirections to show an awareness of writer’s craft.

Although the textual references made throughout the essay support the perceptivepoints 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.

Thorough and sustained

Lesson 1

DO IT NOW…Write down 3 superstitions you know of

Example – Don’t walk under a ladder

Introducing the playLO: 1 – To understand layers of meaning in the title

2 – To understand the learning objectives

Blood Brothers

Layers of meaning – if we look under the surface, what do we associate with these words?

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

What happens when we put the words together?

What do we understand from the image?

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

We will be studying a play by Willy Russell calledBlood Brothers

We will be looking at PlotCharactersSetting ThemesWriter

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.

The Aos: Respond to texts critically and imaginatively; select and evaluate relevant textual detail toillustrate and support interpretations

Use the dictionaries and the thesauri to prepare a presentation on your given word from above

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

Lesson 2

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?

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

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.

TASKExplore the ways in which an important character is developed in the drama Use evidence to support your answer.

Copy the question into your books:

Stick in the mark scheme

Explore the ‘ways’…

Remembering that Blood Brothers is a play, what does it mean by ‘ways’?

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 effectLanguage – look for metaphors etc.

Read to page 12 My Child song.

Pairs/Groups1 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 pointWhy 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?

IndependentChoose a mother and write a paragraph from paired discussion

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

Lesson 3

Photocopy model PEE

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

evaluate tragedy

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

• 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

• 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

1 - What band are these two students working at?2 - What was the question that generated these answers?

TASKExplore the ways in which an important character is developed in the dramaUse 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 devicesExplain/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

• 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

*Enigma – mysterious/difficult to understand

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 effectLanguage – look for metaphors etc.

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.

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

Lesson 4

Add 3 words, to describe each of the mothers, to the tables in your books. And descriptions they share?

Mrs Johnston Mrs Lyons

Prepare to support with evidence from the play

Both

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?

When reading P19 – 34:

Record quotes from the meeting between Mrs L and MAnd, from the meeting between Mrs J and E

To hit ‘Band 5 – Perceptive…’ you will need to show you are!

P: Mrs Johnston seems shocked and then scared when she finds out Mickey and Eddie have been playing togetherEv: 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.

P 26-27 - PEE – How does Mrs J react to meeting Eddie?

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.

1 - Use your own evidence (and/or evidence from P 28-29) 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?

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

Lesson 5

Photocopy word bank

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

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

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

How many of these words can you use in a single, accurate sentence about the mothers in Blood Brothers?

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.

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

Now, make a point about the writer’s ideas using words from table. Back them up with evidence and explain your evidence.

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?

Lesson 5

DO IT NOW…

Write one short sentence for each of the 5 key points of the narrative structure1 – 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.

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

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

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 victimMrs Johnston is a victim

Mrs Lyons is jealousMrs Johnston is jealous

Mrs Lyons behaves appallingly Mrs Johnston behaves appallingly

Mrs Lyons is the cause of conflictMrs Johnston is the cause of conflict

Mrs Lyons is braveMrs Johnston is brave

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)?

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

Lesson 6

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

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

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

The ingredients for the end of the play areA narratorA questionA mother (only one)A songAn old movie

1 - What was the writer’s intention(s)?2 - What is your personal response to the narrator’s question?

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

Lesson 7

Photocopy model answer

Characterisation‘An Inspector Calls’ by J.B.Priestley is set in 1912 and focuses around the Birlingfamily. It is based in the fictional industrial city of Brumley. Mr Birling is a wealthyand successful business man, who has made a name for himself in the localcommunity. His wife is also a prominent figure, who is a ‘prominent member – ofthe Brumley Women’s Charity Organization.’ Suggesting she is a respected womanwho has a caring side, however the audience later find out that her position is tomake her look good and have control within the local community.In the stage directions, Mrs Birling is initially described as a ‘rather cold womanand her husband’s social superior’ and Priestley conveys her as an unsympatheticcharacter and out of touch with reality. She is portrayed as a snob and evencorrects her husband when he complements the cook ‘(reproachfully) Arthur,you’re not supposed to say such things.’ Her attitude to hearing the news of thedeath was that, because Eva/daisy was not from their class, she should not deservehelp, ‘A girl in her position.’ The irony used by Priestley to illustrate how MrsBirling is influenced by social status is conveyed by her refusing to help DaisyRenton 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 herdaughter as a ‘child’ and refuses to accept that Eric is a heavy drinker ‘no ofcourse not. He’s only a boy.’ When the truth is revealed she cannot believe it andis ‘staggered’ asking Gerald ‘you know him, Gerald – and you’re a man – you mustknow 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 doesnot like to be dominated or challenged by the Inspector. She continually tries tostand up to him, refusing to answer questions or even look at the photograph, ‘Idon’t see any particular reason why I should.’She tries to control the Inspector and bring his investigation to an end ‘I thinkwe’ve just about come to an end of this wretched business.’ Even though she is thewife and socially subservient to her husband during this time period, she comesacross as the more controlling character.Mrs Birling was the last person to see Eva Smith alive: Eva went in desperation tothe charitable committee that she chaired, having nowhere else to turn. MrsBirling admits that she ‘prejudiced’ the committee to turn down her application forhelp, leaving Eva Smith no real option but to commit suicide. Mrs Birling feels noguilt for what she did, telling the Inspector, ‘In the circumstances I think I wasjustified.’ Yet she cannot be held solely responsible for Eva’s death, because of thewhole ‘chain of events’ that led to her meeting with Eva. As the Inspectorforcefully 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 itwasn’t I who had her turned out of her employment – which probably began it.’ Sherefuses to see how her actions had anything to do with Eva’s death as ‘she had onlyherself to blame.’ She also suggests that it is the father of the child that isresponsible ‘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 ofdistress ‘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 defensivemanner, blaming everyone except herself. When it is mentioned that Eva waspregnant, she claims that the father ‘ should be made an example of…he ought tobe dealt with very severely’ and she defensively adds that ‘It wasn’t I who had herturned out of her employment.’Mr and Mrs Birling usually maintained a united front, however she must feel undera lot of pressure to speak to her husband so bitterly. Mrs Birling is right when sheaccuses her husband of starting the whole ‘sorry business’ as the sacking of Evawas the first step on the road to her death. When he first fired her, for asking fora modest rise, Eva, according to the Inspector, ‘was feeling desperate.’ She hadlittle money, no work and few friends; had she kept her job, all would have beenwell. Mr Birling, though, like his wife, feels no remorse and states ‘I was quitejustified.'In Act 3, after the Inspector has left, she returns to her domineering self and isproud that she ‘was the only one of you who didn’t give in to him’ straight awayshe takes the control and her husband agrees with her ‘You’re absolutely right, mydear.’ Her reaction following Gerald’s news that the Inspector did not exist is oneof triumph ‘Didn’t I tell you… I couldn’t imagine a real police Inspector talking likethat’ immediately she forgets the death of Daisy and is happy to go back to theway things were before. She even thinks the whole affair is a joke ‘in the morningthey’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, wholike her husband is more concerned with how it will affect them, not how it hasaffected others, despite the Inspector’s comments that ‘we are all responsible’ foreach other, Mrs Birling remains unaffected at the end of the play.

CommentaryThe student has produced a secure and confidently written essay. The writingillustrates a thorough knowledge of the entire play and the student has madereference to the characters from all 3 Acts. Mention is also made to stagedirections to show an awareness of writer’s craft.

Although the textual references made throughout the essay support the perceptivepoints 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.

DO IT NOW… Skim read this model answer… Same question, different novel

LO: To understand how to structure my answer

Find evidence to justify the model answer being Band 4

Using 3 highlighters, identify where the student

1. Makes a point

2. Uses evidence and/or identifies a device

3. Analyses the evidence

How does this student structure his answer?

Write one or two bullet points to explain what he does in each paragraph

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:

TASKExplore the ways in which an important character is developed in the drama. Use evidence to support your answer.

LO: To understand how to structure my answer

Lesson 8

Photocopy model answer

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

LO: To understand how to write a strong opening

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

Move this opening – from mediocre to marvellous…

LO: To understand how to write a strong opening

Lesson 9

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?

LO: To develop my response using the assessment criteria

TASKExplore the ways in which an important character is developed in the drama. Use evidence to support your answer.