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Use of the Narrator as a Dramatic Device
Greek Chorus / Omniscient Narrator - adds tension, delivers moral commentary, heightens dramatic irony.
“There’s a pact been sealed, there’s a deal been born.” - Rhyming couplets + elevated diction make the narrator feel poetic + fateful. The narrator acts like conscience / fate, constantly reminding the audience of the inevitable tragedy. Reinforces the theme of fate + moral consequence.
Fate, Superstition, Morality.
Dramatic Irony
The audience knows more than the characters, especially about the twins’ relationship.
“You say smashing things, don’t you?” - Mickey to Edward - light-hearted but the audience is painfully aware that they’re both twins and doomed. Contrast creates tension + sympathy, especially as the boys grow up unaware. Ironic language builds emotional engagement.
Brotherhood, class, fate.
Juxtaposition of Settings
Cross-cutting between the Johnstones’ + Lyons’ homes.
Children playing :
Mickey (rough, chaotic) vs Edward (polite, imaginative) - staging + characterisation emphasises class divide. Split staging can be used to show simultaneous but contrasting lives. Highlights inequality + missed opportunities.
Class, nature vs nurture.
Symbolic Props - The Gun
Symbolism / Foreshadowing.
The toy gun becomes a real one. - As Mickey grows up, the gun shifts from innocent play to tragic reality. Represents how violence escalates due to environment + social pressure. Foreshadows the climax - Chekhov’s Gun principle - if shown, it must go off.
Violence, tragedy, mental health, class.
Lighting + Sound Effects
Stagecraft - Atmosphere building.
Final scene - police lights + gunshot - Blue/red lighting symbolises death + danger. Sound effects of gunshots + sirens create a climactic, chaotic atmosphere. Enhances the audience’s shock + emotional response.
Death, Fate, Class Conflict.
Repetition of Songs (Musical Motif)
Musical refrains / thematic song structure.
“Tell me it’s not true…” - Recurs throughout, especially at beginning + end, creating a cyclical structure. Builds emotional intensity + connects scenes thematically. The melody haunts the audience w/ inevitability.
Tragedy, Motherhood, Fate.
Foreshadowing through Dialogue & Staging
Stage directions + lines hint at later events.
Mrs Lyons waving a knife “I curse you.” - Mrs Lyons’ mental breakdown is hinted through earlier moments, like paranoia. Visual foreshadowing (knife) + dramatic tension to show her decline. Her desperation parallels Mickey’s.
Mental Health, Guilt, Superstition.
Climax & Tragic Catharsis
Climactic ending typical of tragedy.
Mickey holds Edward at gunpoint. “I could have been him!” - The emotional outburst is a release of jealousy + injustice. Mickey’s line uses short, emphatic phrases expressing pain + class inequality. Tragic catharsis for the audience - making them feel pity and fear.
Class, Fate, Jealousy, Mental Health.