Linda

• Linda is an allegorical representation of the mistreatment of working class women, as she eventually succumbs to societal expectations after subverting them continuously her whole life – this juxtaposition foreshadows a constant conflict between her problematic rebellious nature and conformation to society, leading to her eventual difficulty within her inner self. Russell uses Linda to show the exploitation of women in poverty and the injustice that permeates their lives.
• ‘Linda moves in to protect Mickey who is visibly shaken’ emphasizes her maternal presence and ability to stabilize Mickey providing him with the support and morality society doesn’t offer. It shows her great understanding of Mickey juxtaposing ‘when you take those things Mickey I can't recognise you shows’ society has created an undeniable distance showing poverty causes their loss of childhood and creates emotional distance between people who grew up together
• ‘Let's throw some stones at these windows‘ showing the clear contrast between the upbringing of the middle and working class as later on ‘Eddie is‘ dancing a waltz’, showing the exposure and desensitisation of violence for the working class. This quote shows Linda’s attraction to criminal tendencies and how when in control she recognises the power of her own actions foreshadowing Linda’s downfall
• ’Oh leave him alone y' big worm’ again showing her recklessness and desire to rebel against society. Linda values her love over Mickey as she knows her opportunities are limited. She also doesn’t have a parent at home encouraging and reinforcing the importance of education. Linda expresses her care for Mickey and her ability to go to extremes to protect him from harm, she also sees the futility of being civil as the working class are set to fail and do not have the same opportunities as the middle class
• ‘Take no notice Mickey I love you’ shows her constant need to rebel against social norms and her fight aganst her environment as she has the power in their relationship foreshadowing her great potential to detriorate.
• ‘Linda misses all three shots’ shows Linda’s inevitable deterioration as Linda always used to hit the target. Linda is a physical representation of all the working-class woman, her life is already set up for failure as it mirrors the concept of how all fairgrounds are rigged- this shows society’s desired set path
• ‘Who'd tell the girl in the middle of the pair the price she'll pay for just being there‘ shows how Linda has fallen victim to a patriarchal society and is a product of the people around her showing her gradual inability of keeping her control she once had in childhood and how deep-rooted fate is
• ‘Winter broke the promise summer had just made made‘ is a metaphor for how society let down Linda as all her promises of love and happiness of her false reality vanished as society broke those promises
• ‘If I was a guy if i was in his shoes‘ shows how she is doomed to misfortune because of the actions of men all around her in her life. Edward makes Linda emotionally unavailable to Mickey and now the power dynamics have flipped from their childhood as the harsh reality is finally becoming present within Linda’s life
• ‘Mickey, Mickey listen to me....’ this is a quote of two halves, Linda express her desperation to engage Mickey as he is addicted to anti-depressants yet the ellipsis show how she trails off as she notices the futility of her efforts and becomes resigned. This quote shows how truly Linda loves and cares for Mickey after all they have gone through but is ignored
• ‘What about what I need?‘ she feels betrayed by her husband as she was always there for him throughout their childhood and the one time she pleads for his help and forces him to realise she is also suffering he can’t see reason. This shows how Linda is becoming overlooked as a working class woman and society has forced Linda to loose everyone close giving her feelings of utter isolation
• ‘She's washed a million dishes’ shows she is at parallel with Mrs Johnstone and by the power of society has become trapped in the life of a working-class mother stuck in the vicious cycle of poverty. Linda’s lack of understanding of Mickey left her volatile and desperate for connection
• ‘When you take those things Mickey I can't see you you’ Linda’s frustration at her situation and life becomes noticeable as she cherishes how in their childhood she had the connection and understanding of Mickey but now she has been forced away from him
• ‘Linda approaches Edward who is waiting for her at the park fence’ Linda has been consumed by a patriarchal society which has forced her to cross her moral boundaries as ‘fence’ is a physical representation of that. It also shows the constant distance she will have with Edward as he is middle class and been forced away from her. ‘Park’ indicates the inevitability of loss of youth and freedom and Linda’s major deterioration because other influences around her
• ‘Linda is the one thing I had left’ shows Linda’s objectification and her being treated as Mickey’s possession which is usually overlooked as the audiences’ attention is focusing on sympathy for Mickey. Linda has been treated as worthless her whole life even sub-consciously by her true love showing the world is against working-class women as a whole.
• Subverts traditional gender roles
• Desensitised to violence and addictive to criminal tendencies
• Moral compass for Mickey
• Stabilises Mickey with support and morality society doesn’t offer
• Constant obsession to subvert societal expectations
• Rendered voiceless ‘When’s the wedding?’
• Maternal, comforting presence to Mickey
• Dominant ‘Approaches Sammy undaunted‘
• Impulsive and reckless and avoids the consequences of her actions ‘Let’s throw some stones at this window’
• Victim of the patriarchy around her
• Trapped by society results to dependencies on more dominant figures around her.
• Looks for comfort in Mickey. Power imbalance. Roles reversed. Depends on Mickey for her happiness. Succumbs to stereotypical gender roles
• Craves physical connection
• Doesn’t have a parental figure encouraging her at school so sees it as futile as she is destined to fail
• Stands up to societal figures in the face of her love. ‘Oh leave him alone u’ big worm‘
• Becomes trapped in the vicious cycle of poverty ‘She’s washed a million dishes’
• ‘Mickey…Mickey listen to me….’ Quote of two halves. Compassion and love causing her to beg her husband to see reason and yearns comfort she always offered yet realises futility as he is too unstable to see reason
• ‘What about what I need’ Shows WC women are majorly overlooked and burdened with responsibility and are a product of their environment and patriarchal figures
• Linda became consumed by society and her emotional dependency on Mickey fuelled her happiness, she highlights natural human weakness in a difficult situation as she still craves attention from a figure who understands her, as Mickey is emotionally unstable, she turns to Edward resulting in their affair.
• Paragraph 1

  Point - subverts traditional gender roles, refusing to conform to societal expectation

  Quote - ‘Linda moves in to protect Mickey who is visibly shaken’ juxtp. ‘When you take those things Mickey I cant recognise you’

  ‘ Let’s throw some stones at these windows’ juxtp. 'Eddie is dancing a waltz’

  ‘She produces the air pistol’
• Paragraph 2

  Point - shows her protective nature and disregard for rules

  Quotes - ‘Oh leave him alone y' big worm’

  ‘Take no notice Mickey I love you’
• Paragraph 3

  Point - Finally starts to recognise the disadvantages of her life and develops into a product of her environment

  Quotes - 'Linda misses all three shots'

  'Who'd tell the girl in the middle of the pair the price she'll pay for just being there'

  'Winter broke the promise summer had just made'

  'If i was a guy if I was in his shoes'
• Paragraph 4

  Point - A pivotal moment in the play is Linda’s marriage to Mickey as she becomes burdened with responsibility. Linda is forced into marriage by society

  Quotes - 'When's the wedding'

  'Mickey, Mickey listen to me......'

  'What about what I need?'

  'When you take those things Mickey I can't see you'

  'She's washed a million dishes'

  'Linda approaches Edward who is waiting at the park fence'

  'Linda is the one thing I had left'