1. Starter MWBs - Mrs Johnstone:
At the start of the play, how old is Mrs Johnstone?
At the start of the play, how many kids does Mrs Johnstone’s have?
What does the fact she is heavily in debt to the catalogue man suggest about her?
What character trait(s) does Mrs Lyons use against her to make her agree to the deal?
Bullet point anything in the play that suggests Mrs Johnstone is working class?

2. Starter – MWBs Mrs Lyons:
How do we know at the start of the play that she is a relatively lonely housewife?
How does Russell suggest that Mrs Lyons only cared about having a child and not about Mrs Johnstone?
List ways in which Mrs Lyons manipulates Mrs Johnstone into giving away her child.
How does Russell show that Mrs Lyons is snobbish (looks down of people of a lower class)?

3. Starter – MWBs Mickey:
Who does Mickey look up to in his family and why?
What is Mickey think of education as he gets older?
Why is Mickey sent to prison?
Why does Mickey get frustrated with Edward when he returns from university?
List the things that sabotage (ruin) Mickey’s relationship with Linda.

4. Starter – MWBs Edward:
List all the ways in which Russell suggests that Edward is middle class when he is 7 years old.
Why is Edward interested in Mickey when he first meets him?
How does Russell suggest that Edward does not understand Mikey’s struggle when he returns from university?
As a teenager why is Edward envious (jealous) of Mickey?
What does is Edward’s job when he becomes an adult?

5. Starter – MWBs Linda:
When does Linda first protect Mickey?
In what way does Linda support Mickey when he is an adult?
List all the ways in which Russell suggests that Linda is a working class character.
How might Linda be seen to betray Mickey? Why does she do this?

6. Starter – MWBs Minor Characters
Sammy:
List all the ways in which Russell suggests that Sammy is a bad influence on Mickey?
Mr Lyons:
How do we know that Mr Lyons is a middle class character?
How does Mr Lyons decide to lay off (fire) Mickey?
Narrator:
What is the narrator’s purpose in the play?
What phrase does the narrator repeat frequently? Why?