3.3.1

Linda

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Linda: Kindness and Confidence

Russell presents Linda as a kind and compassionate character. She often supports Mickey. She is also portrayed as more confident than Mickey.

Kindness in childhood

Kindness in childhood

  • Linda is mostly presented as a kind and compassionate character.
  • Even as a seven year old, she stands up for Mickey when Sammy and the other children are taunting and teasing him. This shows she has a strong sense of loyalty to her friends:
    • “Leave him alone!” (Act One).
  • As teenagers, Linda again shows her loyalty as a friend when she defends Mickey in an argument with their teacher, resulting in both Mickey and Linda getting suspended:
    • “Oh, leave him alone you. Y’ big worm!” (Act Two).
Kindness in adulthood

Kindness in adulthood

  • Later on in life, Linda continues to be supportive of Mickey when he is imprisoned and develops a drug addiction, proving that she is willing to stand by him and keep working hard to give them a settled family life.
Funny

Funny

  • In her youth, Linda is loud and funny.
  • While Mickey is unable to pluck up the courage to tell Linda how he really feels about her, she confidently and openly professes her love for him:
    • “I don’t care who knows. I just love you. I love you!” (Act Two).
Confidence

Confidence

  • There are also several occasions where Linda shows she is not afraid of getting into trouble, often leading Mickey and Edward in their games as children.
  • At one point she shows her confidence by tricking a policeman so that the trio can escape:
    • “Oh my god, look…” (Act Two).

Linda: Working Class Background

Like Mickey, Linda comes from a working class background. This limits her opportunities.

Connection with Mickey

Connection with Mickey

  • Linda comes from a similar working class background to Mickey and they have been friends since before Mickey meets Edward.
Dialect

Dialect

  • Russell uses dialect and abbreviation to show how Linda talks, and her patterns of speech are very similar to Mickey’s.
  • This reveals that she is from the same background as he is:
    • “An’ listen, Mickey, if y’ dead, there’s no school, is there?” (Act One).
Prospects in life

Prospects in life

  • Ultimately, because of her class, Linda finds herself trapped in the same cycle of poverty that Mrs. Johnstone has been stuck in for her whole life.
  • Poorly educated and with few prospects, Linda seems doomed to end up unhappy.
  • The Narrator even appears at one point to remind the audience that Linda’s pregnancy and marriage are doomed to end badly:
    • “Narrator: … the bogey man was seen around the town” (Act Two).
Jump to other topics
1

Context & Author

1.1

Context

1.1.1Setting1.1.2Political Background1.1.3Education & Work1.1.4Marilyn Monroe & Pop Culture1.1.5Family
1.2

Author

1.2.1Willy Russell1.2.2End of Topic Test - Context & Author
2

Plot

2.1

Act One

2.1.1Overview: Introduction to Mrs Johnstone & Lyons2.1.2Analysis: Introduction to Mrs. Johnston and Lyons2.1.3Overview: The Birth of Mickey & Edward2.1.4Analysis: The Birth of Mickey & Edward2.1.5Overview: Mickey Playing at Home2.1.6Overview: Mickey & Edward as Seven-year-olds2.1.7Analysis: Mickey & Edward as Seven-year-olds2.1.8Overview: Mickey & Edward as Seven-year-olds 22.1.9Analysis: Mickey & Edward as Seven-year-olds 22.1.10End of Topic Test - Act One2.1.11End of Topic Test - Act One 2
2.2

Act Two

2.2.1Overview: Mickey & Edward as Teenagers2.2.2Analysis: Mickey & Edward as Teenagers2.2.3Overview: Mickey & Edward as Teenagers 22.2.4Analysis: Mickey & Edward as Teenagers 22.2.5Overview: Mickey & Edward as Teenagers 32.2.6Analysis: Mickey & Edward as Teenagers 32.2.7Overview: Mickey & Edward as Adults2.2.8Analysis: Mickey & Edward as Adults2.2.9End of Topic Test - Act Two2.2.10End of Topic Test - Act Two 2
3

Characters

3.1

Mickey

3.1.1Mickey3.1.2Mickey as a Damaged Adult
3.2

Edward

3.2.1Edward3.2.2Edward 23.2.3End of Topic Test - Mickey & Edward
3.3

Linda

3.3.1Linda3.3.2Linda 2
3.4

Mrs Johnstone

3.4.1Mrs Johnstone3.4.2Mrs Johnstone 2
3.5

Mrs Lyons

3.5.1Mrs Lyons3.5.2Mrs Lyons 23.5.3End of Topic Test - Linda & Mothers
3.6

Mr Lyons

3.6.1Mr Lyons
3.7

Sammy

3.7.1Sammy
3.8

The Narrator

3.8.1The Narrator
3.9

Minor

3.9.1Minor Characters3.9.2End of Topic Test - Other Characters
3.10

End of Topic Sessions

3.10.1Grade 9 - Key Characters
4

Themes

4.1

Parents & Children

4.1.1Parents & Children
4.2

Growing Up

4.2.1Growing Up
4.3

Friendship & Brotherhood

4.3.1Friendship & Brotherhood4.3.2End of Topic Test - Parents, Growing Up, Friends
4.4

Fate & Superstition

4.4.1Fate & Superstition
4.5

Nature vs. Nurture

4.5.1Nature vs. Nurture
4.6

Social Class

4.6.1Social Class4.6.2End of Topic Test - Fate, Upbringing & Class
5

Literary Techniques

5.1

Structure

5.1.1Structure
5.2

Tragedy

5.2.1Tragedy
5.3

Dramatic Irony

5.3.1Dramatic Irony
5.4

Imagery

5.4.1Imagery
5.5

Character & Voice

5.5.1Character
5.6

Music & Lyrics

5.6.1Music & Lyrics
5.7

Accent & Dialect

5.7.1Accent & Dialect5.7.2End of Topic Test - Literary Techniques5.7.3End of Topic Test - Literary Techniques 2

Practice questions on Linda

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    Who does Linda have a similar background to?Multiple choice
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End of Topic Test - Mickey & Edward

Linda 2