bbsampleexamresponses[1].doc

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Imagine you are Mrs Johnstone. Write about your thoughts and feelings after

the events of the play.

An example response:

Even now, months after my two sons were killed, I still cant believe its true. I sit

with Mickeys little lass and Linda, trying to get them through. Thats the only thing

that keeps me going. I think back over everything that happened and blame myself

over and over again. What mother wouldnt? And I can never forget what our Mickey

said as he stood there with the gun in his hand. Why didnt you give me away,

mam? It was like he was willing to swap me and our memories for Eddies council

job, education and money. The Lyons family had all that but they werent happy.

Eddie had more happiness playing in the street and going around with Mickey and

Linda than he ever had with his posh friends. I know I was happy to think my son,

yes, a son of mine, would go to a posh school and get his uniform from George Henry

Lees, might get a decent white collar job and not have to be a wage slave, but I

would have kept him if I could.

I couldnt believe it when he turned up after seven years, nearly eight, looking like

such a clever, rich kid. Theres our Mickey dressed in rags and covered in dirt and

scratches, and a bit scrawny as I couldnt afford many treats, and Eddie turns up,

socks pulled up, shirt tucked in and talking like hes swallowed a silver spoon. When

Mickey introduced him as me brother, I thought it had all come out and theyd both

drop dead. Thats what she said, Mrs Lyons, if I told anyone theyd both die. She was

right, as well, but I still blame her. Why did she have to go and tell Mickey that

Edward and Linda were having an affair? Im not even sure that they were, anyway.

Linda says she was just so lonely, with Mick on those pills; he wasnt much company

for a young girl. Eddie knew how to charm the girls; hed read all that Shakespeare at

his fancy school, while our Mick was busy bunking off. I dont blame Linda. But I

can see how Mickey must have thought Eddie had everything and he had nothing. It

doesnt seem fair that one twin had it all and one didnt, when they were just the same

inside. Identical twins! It just goes to show that all the rich have got over us is the

chance to succeed. I wouldnt swap with Mrs Lyons, even if she did have a lovely

house and all the clothes she wanted, and never had to do a days work for any of it.

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But she couldnt have kids and she never made my lad hers, not really. He knew

somehow that there was a special bond between us. I laughed when he told me what

hed said to the teacher at school who tried to take his locket away, even if I never

wanted him to start effing and blinding!

When we first moved out to this estate, I thought it was the beginning of a whole new

life. But now, I hate it here. This estate has too many memories. The neighbours talk

about me behind my back and I know they think I was evil to give away one of my

babies. But no-one lifted a finger to help me, you know. I told the welfare I couldnt

feed two more mouths, but they didnt give me any more money. Mrs Lyons pushed

me into it as well; she made me swear on the bible. Being a Catholic, that meant a lot

to me. She pushed the book into my hand before I had time to think, and she made

me believe I was doing the right thing. But I didnt tell her Id had them. I hoped she

might have changed her mind, but no. She turned up just as I arrived back from the

hospital to find the bailiffs taking our stuff away again! I know I shouldnt buy things

on the never never but its such a temptation. I couldnt even bear to see which one

she took. It was hard explaining it to the others as well. I had to tell them one twin

had gone to Heaven and the poor little mites were jealous. Thats how bad times were.

I was alright when I had the little cleaning job, and I would never had let her have my

boy if I thought I wasnt going to see him everyday, but I wasnt to know shed sack

me just because he looked at me the way he never looked at her.

Every time I think of that terrible day my sons died, I relive it all over again. Mrs

Lyons, she told Mickey about Linda and Eddie. I dont understand why she did that.

She had gone increasingly strange, and I remember one time she turned up at the

house and threatened me with a knife. She said Id never really let Edward go. It was

her that couldnt let him go. You have to let your children free, we dont own them.

Id always known that. She wanted a doll to dress up, not a living child that laughs in

your face as they find their own way in the world. She thought I was following her!

She was the one that was running. I should have realised then that she was dangerous.

She was always too cunning for me. I used to believe in all that stuff about seeing one

magpie meaning sorrow and it being bad luck to put new shoes on the table, but she

came to believe it more than I did. She said if I told anyone the truth, both boys would

die instantly. Well, that came true, didnt it? But I know now she made that up, to



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frighten me. In the end, it was her truth that killed them, her truth about Linda. Poor

Linda, she just wanted her Mickey back the way he was, the way he could have been

if he hadnt lost his job, if he hadnt been jealous of Eddies success, if he hadnt had

our Sammy for a big brother. I blame myself for that. Sammy had a plate in his head

because Id had to leave him with Donna-Marie and she was too young. Thank God

our Donna-Maries got a decent husband, not like her own dad. I suppose the welfare

were right in some ways I couldnt control my kids. They missed their fathers

discipline. I was too soft on them. Sammy got in with the wrong crowd and I just

couldnt see it. When he burnt the school down, I even blamed the teachers for letting

him do chemistry. Im older and wiser now. I have given up dancing and even poor

Marilyn Monroe is long dead, al her dreams turned to ashes too.

The whole story just goes to show, though, doesnt it? If Mickey had had all the

chances Eddie had, they could have both had good jobs and money. But there was

only one Linda. She loved Mickey. Our little Sarahs all thats left now of my two

bonny boys. And I tell her, her dad was a good man and he loved her, and so did her

uncle Edward. But I am old before my time and I will never be able to accept whats

happened.

Tips for good empathy responses:

1) Write in the characters voice

2) Include close reference to the text remember the point is to show how much you

know

3) Refer to themes

4) Include events the character was involved in

5) Be specific and show the examiner you know what you are talking about. I.e. dont

talk about what happened, say when____________ happened.

6) Dont think of an empathy response as an easy option always consider which

question suits you the best

7) Quick plan think of 6 main paragraphs worth of ideas, or events you want to

include and add a concluding paragraph (no more than 5 minutes to plan, if that)

8) Spend at least 35 minutes writing it

9) Dont invent too much its not a creative writing exercise

10) Remember it is QUALITY, NOT QUANTITY!



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Example of a response to an extract question: pp50-54 (exit of narrator)

Task: How does this extract show similarities and differences between Edward and

Mickey and hint that the past is not buried?

This extract shows parallel scenes of both Edward and Mickey at school and

comes from Act 2. Russell cleverly cuts between them so that the audience can

see how the boys lives seem to be running parallel, as both get into trouble at

school. There is also strong dramatic irony present as Mrs Lyons questions her

son about his locket. The scene also moves the plot along, as it is because of

both boys being suspended that they meet up again. Themes of education, class

differences, love and the past all feature, and Russell also uses humour to keep

us entertained.

Edwards school scene shows how well he is doing: talk of Oxbridge,

however the teacher shows him no respect and taunts him for wearing a locket.

Edward is threatened with a flogging, which reminds us of the harsh regime in

schools then. He values the locket so much that he commits a very funny act of

impertinence to distract the teacher. He says: You can take a flying fuck at a

rolling doughnut. This outrageous rudeness causes a laugh in the theatre

because it is impossible and incongruous. The falliteration and the assonance

of the o sound heighten the humour by drawing attention to the words.

The contrast with Mickeys school is stark. Here we see a teacher trying to

control a bored and inattentive class. The teacher does not want to hear the

answer, as he calls Perkins, who knows the answer a boring little turd.

Mickey wasnt listening and cannot see how the topic on the Boro Indians

diet, will help him get a job. He has a point, especially as unemployment was

rising at the time, but the teacher suspends both Mickey and Linda, who

supports him. Mickeys education is not going to get him to Oxbridge like

Edwards. He is at a less prestigious secondary modern school. Russell is

making the point that class differences are unfair and although the twins are

identical, Edward is having all the opportunities and Mickey none.



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However, Mickey does have the chance of a girlfriend, although he is more

embarrassed than grateful as Linda loses no opportunity of telling him, in

assembly, in class and in front of his friends. Edward, however, does not have

an opportunity to meet girls, so potentially Mickey is happier in his personal

life. The scene with Mrs Lyons links to both themes as Mrs Lyons is

convinced that Edwards locket holds a picture of a girlfriend. The dramatic

irony is strong here as she mistakes the child Mickey with her son: When

were you photographed with that woman?. We can see that she too is haunted

by the past and that Edward is unaware of her secret. Edward also shows that

she is unstable: youre not ill again, like you used to be. It is ironic that he

says he never looked a bit like Mickey, as we know they started out as twins

and Mrs Lyons can see the resemblance, yet Edward does not pick up on it.

The locket also acts as a visible reminder of the past and a link with the

previous act. Just as before when Edward risked worse trouble rather than give

up the locket, it shows how important Mickey is to him.

The narrator helps to bring out these points clearly for the audience. He enters

when Mrs Lyons is alone on stage and the tune and words take us back to

Shoes on the Table, which brings in the themes of superstition and guilt. The

narrators use of rhyme, metaphor and rhetorical question serve to separate his

points from the episodic scenes, and draw them together for the audience. The

recurrent motifs of the broken mirror, the knocking on the door and the devil

pursuing the guilty all combine to show how haunted Mrs Lyons feels.

Russell effectively shows in this extract that Edward has a more privileged

schooling and more prospects in life, but he is denied the chance to meet girls

easily and his relationship with his mother is awkward as she is far too

protective. The past is still making its presence felt and the scenes about the

boys are carefully matched so that they seem to be doing similar things at

similar times. Both rebel against school and Edward is learning to keep secrets

from his mother to protect her. Dramatic irony is used to show that the past

will keep on coming to the surface and once again the narrator, through a

familiar song, reminds us of key themes.


Read the essay. Use the margin to make notes on what you think the candidate

is showing knowledge of. Decide what grade you think this should be

awarded. A useful rule of thumb is

D- just telling the story

C- making points which show understanding and selecting quotations to back

them up

B- C skills plus ability to explore, or have several ideas about the same point

A some discussion of HOW as well as WHAT i.e. looking at style etcA* - all of the above but with a WOW factor which makes the reader realise

the playwrights skill.

How could this essay be improved?

Then try writing aplan to reduce this essay into.NB this is probably too long for an extract question, but it aims to be

com rehensive.


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Use this space to explain your grade for this piece:

_______________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________


Read the essay. Use the margin to make notes on what you think the candidate

is showing knowledge of. Decide what grade you think this should be

awarded. A useful rule of thumb is

D- just telling the storyC- making points which show understanding and selecting quotations to back

them up

B- C skills plus ability to explore, or have several ideas about the same point

A some discussion of HOW as well as WHAT i.e. looking at style etc

A* - all of the above but with a WOW factor which makes the reader realise

the playwrights skill.

How could this essay be improved?

Then try writing aplan to reduce this essay into.NB this is probably too long for an extract question, but it aims to be

com rehensive.

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