brian

• thesis

  throughout his play, DNA, dennis kelly skillfully exposes the distuthing trusyh of gang nature through the vulnerable and exploited charecter of brian. in the microcosm, brian is relentlessly victimised and oppressed by the more powerful members of the heirarchy. this is skilfully done in effort to portray the extreme dangers of a hierarchy society which relies on violence.
• act 1 - “crying little piece of filth“

  • the adjective “little” diminishes brian making him submissive and meaningless due to his vunerable nature
  • metaphor “piece of filth” further diminishes him but also highlight my he is unwanted just like a piece of dirt
• act 1 and 2- “brian crying”


  • exposes his true weakness
  • shows his moral compass and feels extreme remource and guilt over his involvement in the gangs henious activities
  • separates him from the immoral, sadistic attitudes of the others
• act 2- phil “lays a hand on brian’s shoulder”


  • brian is a pawn in phil’s game of manipulation
  • is taken advantage of as a weaker member of the group
  • kelly describes the friend group as a “concentric circle” and brian is on the outside
  • he is constantly ignored and dismissed
• act 3- “brilliant at doing what people say”


  • notice the degeneration of the lonely, manipulated and victimised charecter
  • identifies how brian has never had enough of a sadistic personality to be a leader
  • is used to being submissive, pushed around and under control
• act 3- “eat the earth?”


  • see his hallucinations and deteriorating psychological state when he repetitively asks if they should ”eat the earth?”
  • the repetition of the interrogatives utilised proves brian is in constant need of validation and permission
  • emphasises how meaningless he is in the microcosm
• act 4- brian and cathy

  • brian constantly clings to and seeks validation from cathy
  • in act 4 we see “cathy doesn’t care” about him even though he is obviously unwell
  • he is described to be on “stronger and stronger medication”
  • the harsh truth of the microcosm is exposed
  • if you aren’t in the inner circle you are marginalised and forgotten
  • evident when “cathy slaps” brian and tells him to “shut up”
  • john tate threatens him
  • phil wants to take him off the grille