Critical Essay – Blood Brothers
The MARE Approach
Breaking Down the Question
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Choose a scene in a play in which a
conflict between two characters
reaches a climax. Explain the origins
of the conflict and show how the
outcome influences the rest of the
play. In your answer you must refer
to the text and at least two of;
structure, characterisation, plot or
and other appropriate feature.
1. Mrs Johnstone
and Mrs Lyons
2. Scene where
Mrs Lyons
attacks Mrs
Johnstone with
a knife.
3. Characterisation
and Plot.
Planning Essay
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Intro – Use Question
1 – Meeting Characters – Mrs J, Mrs L Characterisation/Plot – Origins of Conflict
2 – Bargain and Fall Out –
Characterisation/Plot – Origins of Conflict
3 – Conflict – Characterisation/Plot
4 – Aftermath – Characterisation/Plot
Conclusion - Summary
Intro – Use Question
A play where the conflict between two
characters reaches a climax is ‘Blood
Brothers’ by Willy Russell. By closely
referring to the text and specifically plot and
characterisation I intend to explore the
origins of the conflict between Mrs Lyons and
Johnstone and the aftermath of the scene
where their conflict reaches its climax.
1 – Meeting Characters – Mrs J, Mrs L Characterisation/Plot – Origins of Conflict
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Topic Sentence
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Example MARE
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Willy Russell lays the foundations for the conflict between Mrs Johnstone
and Mrs Lyons by characterising them as two very different women who
represent different rungs of the class system.
Mrs Johnstone is portrayed as being a typical working class woman (M). In
the first act she is struggling to afford household bills and she pleas to the
Milkman “Next week I’ll pay y’… (AR)” The Milkman replies by remarking
that “Next week never arrives around here (R).” The reply from the
Milkman implies that many others in the same area are in the same
situation and struggling with similar problems (E). This characterises Mrs
Johnstone as a character that very much represents an average working
class woman in this area (E).
Mrs Lyons in contrast is…
Concluding/Linking Sentence
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The characters of Mrs Johnstone and Mrs Lyons are in stark contrast to
each other and when the latter character employs the former the seeds of
conflict are sown.
2 – Bargain and Fall Out –
Characterisation/Plot – Origins of Conflict
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Topic Sentence
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Example MARE
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Mrs Lyons employs Mrs Johnstone as the cleaner of her large but empty house and
these circumstances directly result in them making a bargain which leads to their
central conflict.
Mrs Lyons is shown to be a shrewd character as she is quick to suggest to Mrs
Johnstone the deadly bargain that causes their conflict (M). Mrs Johnstone is
pregnant but is informed in the gynaecologists office that she is expecting twins which
she fears she cannot afford to support (A). She feels that “With one more baby we
could have managed. But not with two (R).” Upon learning this Mrs Lyons who is
characterised as someone missing something in their life - a child - demands that Mrs
Johnstone gives “one child” to her (R). The very quickness that the “Idea, planted, can
take root and grow into a plan” shows how ruthless and quick witted Mrs Lyons is.
Mrs Johnstone on the other hand finds herself bullied into agreeing with the idea
because of Mrs Lyons’ persuasive reasoning (M).
Eventually the bargain caused conflict between the two characters…
Concluding/Linking Sentence
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The conflict between the two characters reaches a stage where Mrs Lyons feels
unsafe and persuades her husband that they need to move to a different area.
3 – Conflict – Characterisation/Plot
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Topic Sentence
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Example MARE
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Even after the Lyons moving to a new area so that Mrs
Lyons and Mrs Johnstone (and the twins) are apart, fate
brings them together again and their conflict reaches its
climax.
Pendant – Character of Mrs Lyons / Mrs Johnstone – Plot –
Knife Attack -
Concluding/Linking Sentence
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Bring it all together and try to link to what is coming next.
4 – Aftermath – Characterisation/Plot
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Topic Sentence
MARES
Concluding Sentence
Conclusion
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Summarise what you have written about
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Characters – Mrs Lyons and Mrs Johnstone
Origins of Conflict
Climax
Aftermath