Blood Brothers key quotes

"Never knowing that they shared one name,
till the day they died" -Narrator

Theme: Destiny
The Brothers' fate already set out for them

"The mother, so cruel, there's a stone in place of her heart" -Narrator

Theme: Parenting

"Mum, I can't sleep, I'm hungry, I'm starvin' " -Kid

Theme: Class
Bad quality of life, can't get out of it

"Never put new shoes on a table" -Mrs Johnstone

Theme: Superstition

"They say I'm incapable of controllin' the kids I've already got" -Mrs Johnstone

Theme: Parenting
The Welfare want to take her kids

"I love the bones of every one of them" -Mrs Johnstone

Theme: Parenting
Although Mrs Johnstone cannot support her kids and does not have the money to because of her class, she still loves them

"In the name of Jesus, the thing was done, now there's no going back for anyone" -Narrator

Theme: Destiny
LINK TO CONTEXT: People were very religious, God-Fearing
Maybe the mothers' lie made it their sons' destiny to meet

"They say that if either twin learns that he was once a pair, they shall both immediately die" -Mrs Lyons

Theme: Destiny, superstition

"Shoes upon the table, an' a spider's been killed" -Narrator

Theme: Superstition

"Mam, our Sammy's robbed me other gun [...] why does he rob all me things off me?"

Theme: Destiny, Parenting
Mickey being allowed to play with guns could be considered bad parenting -- he shoots Eddie later in the play
Sammy 'robbing' all of Mickey's things could represent how he caused Mickey to go to jail, 'robbing' him of his life

"it's just another sign of the times" - Mrs Lyons

Theme: Money, class

"When I bring home the dough we'll live like Kings" -Mrs Johnstone

Theme: Money

"You bought me off once before" -Mrs Johnstone to Mrs Lyons

Theme: Money

"The devil's got your number"-Narrator

Theme: Superstition, destiny

"A dictionary? What's that?" -Mickey

Theme: Education

"I'm going to University" -Edward to Mickey

Theme: Education, class
Edward has a lot more opportunities

"Talk of Oxbridge" -Teacher to Edward

Theme: Education, class
Edward has a future ahead of him

"He's a friggin' poshy" -Sammy about Edward

Theme: Class, money
Lower class was brought up to despise higher class due to unequal distribution of wealth

"Make sure he keeps with his own kind" -Policeman to Mrs Lyons

Theme: Class, destiny
Different classes not allowed to associate with each other - never allowed to break out of class trap

"Jennifer, he's not a baby" -Mr Lyons to Mrs Lyons

Theme: Parenting
Edward mothered and treated like a special child

"it doesn't matter, the whole thing's just a game" -the children

Theme: Childhood
Their view on life as children influences their future
Playing with guns

"Mrs Lyons hits Edward hard and instinctively" -stage directions

Theme: Parenting

"A debt is a debt, and must be paid" -Narrator

Theme: Money
foreshadowing issues
owing something - extended meaning

"I curse you! Witch!" -Mrs Lyons

Theme: superstition, destiny