Themes

Question 1

Superstition

Answer 1

• ‘No, but you never put new shoes on the table.’
• ‘ There’s shoes upon the table an’ a joker in the pack. The salt’s been spilled and a looking glass cracked. There’s one lone magpie overhead.’
• ‘They … they say that if either twin learns that he once was a pair, they shall both immediately die.’
• ‘An’ a spider’s been killed. Someone broke the lookin’ glass. A full moon shinin’ An’ the salt’s been spilled.
• You’re walkin’ on the pavement cracks’
• ‘You know the devil’s got your number,’
• ‘Who’d tell the girl in the middle of the pair/the price she’ll pay for just being there’
• ‘No one gets off without the price bein’ paid’

Question 2

Growing Up

Answer 2

• ‘Did you think it was the rent man?’
• ‘I wish I was our Sammy’
• ‘Our Mickey’s just turned fourteen
• ‘Y’know he’s at that age.’
• ‘Gis a ciggie?’
• ‘While no one was looking I grew up. An’ you didn’t, because you didn’t need to’
• ‘That was all just kids’ stuff’

Question 3

Class

Answer 3

‘I’ll be forced to cut off your deliveries.’
‘It’s such a lovely house it’s a pleasure to clean it.’
‘It’s a pretty house, isn’t it? It’s a pity it’s so big.’
‘How are we gonna live without my job?’
‘Yes, of course. Take as many as you want.’
‘The ‘F’ word.’
‘The dictionary. Don’t you know what a dictionary is?’
‘He’s a friggin’ poshy’
‘But you are not like them.’
‘And he was about to commit a serious crime’
‘An’, er, as I say, it was more of a prank’
‘Oh, shut up, Perkins, y’ borin’ little turd.’
‘Is it money you want? ’

Question 4

Friendship

Answer 4

‘Do you wanna be my blood brother’
‘Will you be my best friend?’
‘we always have to stand by each other.’
‘Well, my mummy doesn’t allow me to play down here actually’
‘Would you like a picture of Mickey,’
‘A blood brother.’
‘I wish I could still believe in all that blood brother stuff. But I can’t’

Question 5

Nature vs Nurture

Answer 5

‘Don't you know what a dictionary is?’
‘You're ... you're a fuckoff!’
‘But you are not like them.’
‘It's a magpie, never look at one magpie. It's one for sorrow’
‘You can do exactly as you choose, sir. You can take a flying fuck at a rolling doughnut! But you shall not take my locket! ’
‘Mickey? Well, shag the vicar.’
‘As like each other as two new pins’
‘You are my son, mine’

Question 6

Violence

Answer 6

‘Sammy’s robbed me other gun’
‘[fire the air pistol.]’
‘I know our Sammy burnt the school down’
‘[He produces a knife. To the Conductor.] Now move, you. Move! Give me the bag.’

Question 7

Motherhood

Answer 7

‘When I bring home the dough, We’ll live like kings, like bright young things,’
‘You’re expecting twins. Congratulations.’
‘Oh, my son … my beautiful, beautiful son.’
‘They’re … drawing him away from me.’
‘Yes. We’re safe here, aren’t we?’
‘I started … just for a while I came to believe that he was actually mine.’
‘No. I took him. But I never made him mine.’
‘I didn’t sort anything out Linda. Not a job, not a house, nothin’.’