Education & Work

Education and Work in 20th century England

Opportunities children had in education were not equal. Russell uses his play to comment on the injustices of the education system.

Education Act 1944

Following the Education Act of 1944, the secondary school system in England was reformed so that children either went to a ‘grammar school’ or a ‘secondary modern’ school.
Which school a child would go to was decided on the results of an exam at the end of primary school.

Grammar schools

The students with scores in the top 20% would typically go to grammar school, where they would study a very traditional and academically challenging curriculum which was designed to prepare them for university.

Secondary modern schools

The other 80% of students went to ‘secondary modern’ schools.
These schools taught a curriculum which was less focused on preparing students for university, and more focused on preparing them to enter the world of administrative, practical or manual work.
Mickey and Linda go to a secondary modern school.

Private schools

Edward goes to neither a grammar school nor a secondary modern, and is instead one of the 7% of children who goes to private school.
This means that his parents would pay a considerable amount of money so that he could be educated at a school with other children from similarly wealthy backgrounds.

Inequality

While many people supported grammar school system because it was supposed to give equal opportunities to all students, regardless of their backgrounds, the reality was that more money was given to the grammar schools.
This meant that the secondary moderns were often badly equipped and, in some cases, failed to provide students with a good education.

Injustice of the education system

It is important to recognise that Russell uses the characters of Mickey and Edward to highlight what he considers to be the injustice of the education system.
Simply because his parents are wealthy, Edward gets to go to a school which is able to adequately prepare him for university and a good career after he graduates.
Meanwhile, Mickey and Linda have to go to a school that is not able to adequately prepare them for the world of work, therefore putting them at a disadvantage.

1Context & Author

1.1Context

1.1.1Setting

1.1.2Political Background

1.1.3Education & Work

1.1.4Marilyn Monroe & Pop Culture

1.1.5Family

1.2Author

1.2.1Willy Russell

1.2.2End of Topic Test - Context & Author

2Plot

2.1Act One

2.1.1Overview: Introduction to Mrs Johnstone & Lyons

2.1.2Analysis: Introduction to Mrs. Johnston and Lyons

2.1.3Overview: The Birth of Mickey & Edward

2.1.4Analysis: The Birth of Mickey & Edward

2.1.5Overview: Mickey Playing at Home

2.1.6Overview: Mickey & Edward as Seven-year-olds

2.1.7Analysis: Mickey & Edward as Seven-year-olds

2.1.8Overview: Mickey & Edward as Seven-year-olds 2

2.1.9Analysis: Mickey & Edward as Seven-year-olds 2

2.1.10End of Topic Test - Act One

2.1.11End of Topic Test - Act One 2

2.2Act Two

2.2.1Overview: Mickey & Edward as Teenagers

2.2.2Analysis: Mickey & Edward as Teenagers

2.2.3Overview: Mickey & Edward as Teenagers 2

2.2.4Analysis: Mickey & Edward as Teenagers 2

2.2.5Overview: Mickey & Edward as Teenagers 3

2.2.6Analysis: Mickey & Edward as Teenagers 3

2.2.7Overview: Mickey & Edward as Adults

2.2.8Analysis: Mickey & Edward as Adults

2.2.9End of Topic Test - Act Two

2.2.10End of Topic Test - Act Two 2

3Characters

3.1Mickey

3.1.1Mickey

3.1.2Mickey as a Damaged Adult

3.2Edward

3.2.1Edward

3.2.2Edward 2

3.2.3End of Topic Test - Mickey & Edward

3.3Linda

3.3.1Linda

3.3.2Linda 2

3.4Mrs Johnstone

3.4.1Mrs Johnstone

3.4.2Mrs Johnstone 2

3.5Mrs Lyons

3.5.1Mrs Lyons

3.5.2Mrs Lyons 2

3.5.3End of Topic Test - Linda & Mothers

3.6Mr Lyons

3.6.1Mr Lyons

3.7Sammy

3.7.1Sammy

3.8The Narrator

3.8.1The Narrator

3.9Minor

3.9.1Minor Characters

3.9.2End of Topic Test - Other Characters

3.10End of Topic Sessions

3.10.1Grade 9 - Key Characters

4Themes

4.1Parents & Children

4.1.1Parents & Children

4.2Growing Up

4.2.1Growing Up

4.3Friendship & Brotherhood

4.3.1Friendship & Brotherhood

4.3.2End of Topic Test - Parents, Growing Up, Friends

4.4Fate & Superstition

4.4.1Fate & Superstition

4.5Nature vs. Nurture

4.5.1Nature vs. Nurture

4.6Social Class

4.6.1Social Class

4.6.2End of Topic Test - Fate, Upbringing & Class

5Literary Techniques

5.1Structure

5.1.1Structure

5.2Tragedy

5.2.1Tragedy

5.3Dramatic Irony

5.3.1Dramatic Irony

5.4Imagery

5.4.1Imagery

5.5Character & Voice

5.5.1Character

5.6Music & Lyrics

5.6.1Music & Lyrics

5.7Accent & Dialect

5.7.1Accent & Dialect

5.7.2End of Topic Test - Literary Techniques

5.7.3End of Topic Test - Literary Techniques 2

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