Mrs Lyons

Cards (18)

  • Mrs Lyons’ identity is based on her all consuming need to fulfil societal expectations of a nuclear family. She is a vulnerable yet manipulative middle-class woman who becomes the vindictive antagonist. Russel uses Mrs Lyons as a vessel to show the blatant ignorance that permeates the middle class. He also uses her to show the futility of social class and consequences of pursuing your selfish desires
  • Paragraph 1
    Point- A character who elicits some sympathy yet shows her desire to regulate with the societal expectations of a nuclear family permeates her life
    Quotes - 'Its a pretty house isn't it. Its a shame its so big'
    'oh......you mean your superstitious'
    'Each day I look out from this window and i see him'
  • Paragraph 2
    Point - begins to deteriorate as her obsessive nature and volatility start to progress. She begins to change minor things and becomes inclines to sack Mrs J
    Quotes - 'Edward is my son. Mine'
    'You won't tell anyone about this Mrs Johnstone because if you do both shall immediately die'
    'Hits Edward hard and instinctively'
    'Realises how heavy she has been'
  • Paragraph 3
    Point - All-consuming paranoia is her hamartia and it starts to become apparent when she results to theories she once disbelieved
    Quotes - 'I hate it here. I want to move'
    'I feel something terrible will happen'
  • Paragraph 4
    Point - Paranoic attitude causes her to be the ultimate antagonistic catalyst for the final scene
    Quotes - 'You have ruined me'
    'You'd just follow me again' link to 'slaps Edward'
    'Lethal looking kitchen knife in her hand'
  • ‘It’s a pretty house isn’t it. It’s a shame it’s s big.’This showcases her vulnerability yet shows her blatant middle-class ignorance towards Mrs Johnstone and it also shows the constant dissatisfaction of the middle class as they always crave more. Yet there is a huge void left in her heart because of her absent husband causing her to feel desolate
  • ‘Oh…. you mean your superstitious?’  implies Mrs Lyons is ridiculing and mocking Mrs Johnstones beliefs showcasing her theory that superstition is a working-class concept due to the lack of their education, this ultimately foreshadows Mrs Lyon’s psychological decline. Russell shows class divide creates separation and difference of opinions
  • ‘Each day I look out from this window, and I see him’ suggests a thought of a child is ever-present in her mind. ‘Window’ showcases the physical barrier between her imagination and reality, the possible future she can’t have. ‘Him’ shows her desire to conform with societal expectations and to have a man of the household which will carry on her family name and her selfish desire to be personally fulfilled.
  • . ‘Edward is my son. Mine’ The imperatives show her aggressively increasing attitude which shows how much control ultimately the middle class have over the working class. She reiterates the words trying to convince herself and actively manipulate Mrs Johnstone
  • ‘You won’t tell anyone about this Mrs Johnstone because if you do both shall immediately die.’ Mrs Lyon’s uses Mrs Johnstones’ vulnerabilities and her past knowledge to delude Mrs Johnstone
  • ‘Hits Edward hard and instinctively’ shows Mrs Lyons results to violence when things start to become uncontrollable. It also shows her constant greed is deteriorating her. Mrs Lyon’s acts on instinct
  • 'I hate it here. I want to move’ Indicates her constant dissatisfaction and the imperatives shows her disregard for other opinions insinuating her need for dominance and control. Her pessimism creates a toxic environment for her husband and ‘son’ where she shows no gratitude for her husband’s hard work.
  • ‘ I feel something terrible will happen’ Again is asserting her control over her husband, showcases her paranoia is deteriorating her as she is increasingly letting superstition overrule her.
  • ‘then follows the two boys’ shows how severe her decline is resulting in lost trust and connection with Edward. Her constant tentative nature is showcased in these actions as she feels she has a loss of power, again linking to the concept of middle-class dissatisfaction.
  • You have ruined me’ Mrs Lyons not taking responsibility of her own actions resulting to placing the blame on Mrs Johnstone
  • ‘You’d just follow me again’ insinuates her delusion and separate realisation of the power imbalance and lack of control linking to her lack of control as a parent ‘slaps Eddie’
  • ‘Lethal looking kitchen knife in her hand.’ This is the ultimate climax of Mrs Lyons’ mental spiralling decline where she results to extremist measures when feels threatened. It shows her ability to go to great lengths to hide the truth juxtaposing Mrs Johnstone’s carefree attitude towards life.
  • Mrs Lyons’ then tells Mickey about Edward and Linda’s affair as she insinuates her control which results in the fatal outcome. Russel uses Mrs Lyons as a vessel to show greed can cause you psychological decline ultimately resulting in delusions and extreme measures like violence