3.6.1

Mr Lyons

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Mr. Lyons: Absent Father

Mr. Lyons is largely absent from Edward's life as he is busy working.

The breadwinner

The breadwinner

  • While Mr. Lyons is a breadwinner and is clearly very successful at providing financial security for his family - enabling Edward to go to an expensive boarding school and allowing the family to live in luxurious houses - he is quite distant from family life:
    • “Mummy will read the story Edward. I’ve got to go to work for an hour.” (Act One).
Missing key moments

Missing key moments

  • Mr. Lyons is also absent at key moments in the story, most notably during his wife’s supposed pregnancy and childbirth.
  • Therefore, Mrs. Lyons is left to rule over their house:
    • “This house is your domain. Look, Jen, I’ve got a board meeting. I really must dash.” (Act One)
Does Edward resent Mr. Lyons' absence?

Does Edward resent Mr. Lyons' absence?

  • However, there is little suggestion of conflict or resentment between Edward and his father.
  • Mr. Lyons’ absence is actually an important part of the plot: the story would not work unless Mr. Lyons was absent while his wife is faking her pregnancy:
    • “Mrs. Lyons: … The company sent him out there for nine months.” (Act One).
Function of Mr. Lyons

Function of Mr. Lyons

  • Mr. Lyons’ relatively minor role in the story could also be an indicator that Russell wants the audience to focus more on the bond between mothers and their sons.

Mr. Lyons: Heartless Capitalist

Russell presents Mr. Lyons as a heartless capitalist who has little empathy for his workers.

Firing employees

Firing employees

  • When Mr. Lyons cheerfully sings about firing his factory employees, including Mickey, he shows no regard for the lives he is destroying and feels no guilt over his actions:
    • “I’m afraid we must fire you, / We no longer require you.” (Act Two).
A capitalist class

A capitalist class

  • Mr. Lyons represents the capitalist class, more concerned with adapting to “the shrinking pound, the global slump and the price of oil” (Act Two) than looking out for those who are less fortunate.
Similarities between Mr. and Mrs. Lyons

Similarities between Mr. and Mrs. Lyons

  • There is a clear similarity between how Mr. Lyons treats his employees and how Mrs. Lyons behaved when she fired Mrs. Johnstone.
  • Both characters act in a cruel and heartless way, painting a picture of a middle class which is happy to abuse and mistreat the poor.

Mr. Lyons: Concerned Husband

Whilst Mr. Lyons is a somewhat coldhearted capitalist, he does display signs of affection and is concerned for his wife's welfare.

Concern for Mrs. Lyons

Concern for Mrs. Lyons

  • As Mrs. Lyons becomes more and more unstable, Mr. Lyons shows some concern for her general wellbeing and mental health, explaining the Edward that “mummy’s not been too well lately” (Act One).
Moving the family to the countryside

Moving the family to the countryside

  • His concern for his wife’s health is substantial enough that he agrees to uproot the family and move to the countryside on her request.
  • He indicates that the move is the cause of significant inconvenience to him:
    • “Jennifer! Jennifer, how many times… the factory is here, my work is here…” (Act One).
Believing his wife is depressed

Believing his wife is depressed

  • Despite his concern, Mr. Lyons wrongly attributes the cause of his wife’s suffering to post-natal depression, which is a type of depression commonly felt by women after they give birth:
    • “It’s this depression thing that happens after a woman’s had a…” (Act One).
The extent of deception

The extent of deception

  • The false explanation for Mrs. Lyons’ increasingly chaotic behaviour serves to highlight just how much Mr. Lyons has been deceived, possibly evoking some sympathy for the character.
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 Mr Lyons

Can you answer these? Test yourself with free interactive practice on Seneca — used by over 10 million students.

  1. 1
    What is Mr. Lyons' role in the family?Multiple choice
  2. 2
    Is Mr. Lyons present for his wife's supposed pregnancy and childbirth?Multiple choice
  3. 3
    According to Russell, who are the middle class happy to abuse and mistreat?Multiple choice
  4. 4
    Mr. Lyons' concern for his wife's health is substantial enough for him to do what?Multiple choice
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End of Topic Test - Linda & Mothers

Sammy