Mrs Johnstone

Question 1

What does her age and amount of children suggest?

Answer 1

• 25 years old at start of play
• already had seven children
• Suggests that she has a naturally maternal character embraces new life and care
• Might also be a hint at religious rulings against contraception.

Question 2

Does she do anything rash?

Answer 2

• Makes rash decisions on impulse rather than thinking carefully over consequences of her actions
• She buys lots of items from catalogue on credit knowing she won’t be able to pay for them later

Question 3

What good values and qualities does she show?

Answer 3

• Strong, generous character & knows almost instinctively what’s right and wrong, although her circumstances make it hard for her to be a straightforwardly ‘good’ person
• She refuses Mrs Lyons’ attempts to bribe her: she values people above money
• She agrees under extreme pressure to give Mrs Lyons one of her children
• This suggests she is largely unselfish because she is shown only to have concern for the child, foreseeing a more comfortable life for him.

Question 4

What is she like as a mother?

Answer 4

• Naturally kind and loving
• Finds it hard to discipline her children and keep them under control.
• When Sammy burns the school down she casually jokes that it was the school’s fault for letting ‘the silly gets play with magnesium’.

Question 5

Is she superstitious? What evidence is there of this?

Answer 5

• She is uneducated and does not value intellectual or academic pursuits
• This is probably why she is superstitious,
• Mrs Lyons uses this to her advantage so she doesn’t tell anyone about the twins.
• She lacks concern for the education of her children, takes little interest when either Mickey or Sammy are suspended
• Shoes on the table!
• Sworn on the Bible

Question 6

How is she fatalistic?

Answer 6

• She has a fatalistic attitude: ‘what will be will be’.
• She does not really concern herself with causes or explanations of the events in her life
• She rejoices in her relocation of homes, but does not wonder how this occurred – to her, it is merely the work of fate’s lucky hand.

Question 7

How does her poverty make her old before her time?

Answer 7

• She is poor and trapped by poverty.
• Makes it very difficult for her to care for her children and is the reason that she gives Edward away to Mrs Lyons. - - - Russell suggests that she is old before her time and has had to sacrifice any youthful enjoyment