coming of age (bildungsroman novel) Flashcards
“you know the most smashing things. will you be my best friend”
Edward
When they are children, Mickey and Edward’s relationship is uncomplicated and instant. They immediately become best friends and declare themselves blood brothers after discovering they share the same birthday.
“You can get up off the ground again, // It doesn’t matter // The whole thing’s just a game.”
All children
When Mickey, Edward, Linda and Sammy are children, there are no real consequences for their actions. They are able to bypass death in their game by crossing their fingers and counting to ten. This highlights their childish innocence and creates dramatic irony because the audience are aware that Mickey and Edward will die at the end of the play.
“You’re innocent, immortal, you’re just fifteen.”
Narrator
As Mickey, Edward and Linda grow up, they feel ‘immortal’ because of their close friendship and the future they have ahead of them. The Narrator speaks these lines with a sense of irony as the whole song is focused around the fact that their fate has already been mapped out for them.
“I thought, I thought we always stuck together. I thought we were… were blood brothers.”
Edward
Edward still views Mickey as his blood brother even after growing up and starting university. Edward’s repetition of ‘i thought’ and ‘we were’ suggests he is genuinely shocked that Mickey no longer feels that way about their friendship. He has not yet grown up because his innocence and sense of hope has not been challenged.
“That was kids’ stuff, Eddie. Didn’t anyone tell y’? But I suppose you are still a kid, aren’t ye?”
Mickey
Mickey dismisses the idea of the blood brothers pact as childish nonsense and criticises Edward for not growing up. Mickey’s ill-feeling towards Edward stems from the fact he is jealous because Edward has not faced any of the hardships that Mickey has and therefore has not been forced to grow up.
“But I can’t, because while no one was looking I grew up. An’ you didn’t, because you didn’t need to; an’ I don’t blame y’ for it, Eddie.”
Mickey
Mickey resents Edward because his life has been much easier than Mickey’s. Edward has been able to leave school with qualifications and job prospects, attend university and party with his friends. Whereas, Mickey has left school without qualifications and moved on to an unskilled job which he then lost and is now unable to support his family.
