Themes Flashcards
1
Q
How is the theme of social class shown?
A
- People from different classes becoming friends is the heart of the play
2
Q
What does social class bring with it?
A
- Wealth brings privilege even down to the way the different families are treated differently by the law
- Eddie gets more opportunity in life because he has more money and a better education
3
Q
How does the portrayal of characters assist the emphasis of the theme of social class?
A
- The four main characters are social stereotypes
- Presented dramatically in order to emphasise important differences in class
- Russell does this to show the unfairness that it results in.
4
Q
How does Russell illustrate the influence society has on individual lives?
A
- Through education, behaviour and the opportunities they have
- Mickey says at the end of the play ‘I could have been him’
- Which shows how differently life could have been for Mickey if he was bought into a different class
5
Q
How is the Nature vs. Nurture debate used to show that upbringing in a social class is responsible for people’s viewpoints and actions?
A
- The boys are identical twins, so the difference in the way they act must be because of their upbringings in different social positions.
- This aims to persuade that ATTITUDES in society influence peoples lives more than individual efforts at wanting to do well
6
Q
What context is there behind the Nature, Nurture argument?
A
- Play is deliberately objecting to view that was popular in the UK at the time
- Margaret Thatcher’s right wing conservative government claimed that everyone who wanted to work hard could be successful.
7
Q
How are fate and superstition shown?
A
- Each of the major characters is presented as being trapped by misfortune
- Devil’s got your number
- Shoes on the table
- Swearing by the bible
- Mrs Lyons uses superstition to manipulate Mrs J by telling them the twins will die if they know they are twins
- When the twins die, it makes the audience question whether the made up superstition or simply class and emotion were to blame
8
Q
What viewpoint is Russell attempting to put across here?
A
- Asking us to consider whether there really is such a thing as fate, or whether life pans out because of the way we are educated and live.
- Although fate and superstition is a recurring idea, everything in the play leads to question whether these things really exist
9
Q
How is FRIENDSHIP portrayed in childhood?
A
- Friendship between Eddie and Mickey is strong in childhood despite different social backgrounds.
- Russell is saying that children can make friends easily even if their parents don’t approve
- Because they are not aware of attitudes towards class, and are less directly affected by it.
10
Q
How is FRIENDSHIP portrayed in adulthood?
A
- Unemployment and poverty hits Mickey. Edward seems to him to be from a different world.
- Friendship is dependent upon shared experiences.
- Once shaped and moulded by education, wealth and social status, tensions develop between them
- They are also more mature and more aware of attitudes towards social class
11
Q
How are MEN and WOMEN presented differently?
A
- All female characters in the play suffer at the hands of the men in their lives
- They are either let down by their husbands or receive no affection from them.
- A world where the roles of women and men are sharply separate, as a result of the roles given to men and women in their social classes.
- The female characters tend to be more passive, the male characters are shown as being active
12
Q
How is MONEY shown to be
A
- Mrs. Johnstone’s life in debt, buying things on the ‘never-never’, leads to problems.
- Mrs Lyons’ wealthy existence fails to bring her contentment and happiness
- Problematic at two extremes
13
Q
How does MONEY affect Mickey and Eddie’s relationship?
A
- Edward returns from university as a wealthy man
- His friendship with Mickey can no longer be the same
- He cannot appreciate Mickey’s reaction to being jobless. - - - Mickey’s pride cannot allow him to accept financial help from Edward.
14
Q
How is LIFE different in childhood?
GROWING UP THEME
A
- Life for children is a carefree game in Act One.
- Social attitudes are non-existent, and the children have not lived long enough to be affected by any differences in class
15
Q
How does GROWING UP change the relationship between Mickey and Eddie?
A
- There is a different experience of growing up that ends the friendship
- After Mickey loses his job, Edward tries to be positive about his situation.
- Mickey tells Edward that he cannot understand living on the dole. He says that Edward hasn’t had to grow up like him, to face the difficulties of the adult world. He says that they don’t have anything in common any more.
- Eddie hasn’t had to grow up as much because he’s had a lot more laid out for him
