character analysis

Question 1

mrs johnstone

Answer 1

loving - cares for all children, even eddie despite not raising him. tries to give all children the best she can.
unfairly subjected to misfortune, husband leaves her for a younger woman. mrs l betrays her trust and takes her son away. constantly being judged by society due to having many children, being lower class and in debt

Question 2

mrs lyons

Answer 2

at the beginning she is sophisticated and cunning, but her plans turn on her and she ends up shunned by the towns kids (the mad lady up on the hill) and drives herself insane with her paranoia. she is lonely as eddie distances himself from her prefering to spend time with his brother and his real mother, mr lyons is often away for work and is emotionally distant while present

Question 3

mr lyons

Answer 3

emotionally distant to both eddie and mrs lyons, “ask your mother” while hurrying away to work, and claiming mrs lyons paranoia is just post pregnancy blues

Question 4

eddie

Answer 4

sophisticated but naive and gullible when mickey and linda boast about being rude to the police he takes it seriously and attempts to do the same. always wanted to be mickey, he prefers mickeys mom and attempts to take his wife. may be subconscious reaction to jealousy

Question 5

mickey

Answer 5

originally content with his lot, only wishing to be equal to his siblings but as he gets older he envies eddie, wanting his easy life style not having to work but coasting through life on his reputation. dislikes eddie as is ashamed of being reliant on him

Question 6

linda

Answer 6

intelligent, confident and honest. openly expresses love of mickey many times not bothered when he gets embarrassed or doesn’t hit on her

Question 7

narrator

Answer 7

used to indicate the near occurrence of something bad and also to remind the audience and keep focus on past tragic events. often used to foreshadow/ induce dramatic irony( by telling the audience info characters don’t know)