Blood Brothers: Linda Character Analysis (AQA GCSE English Literature): Revision Note

Linda is a working-class girl who is a loyal friend and, eventually, a supportive wife to Mickey. As Mickey falls into crime and depression, Linda becomes a victim of societal pressures, and only finds a sense of hope through her relationship with Edward.

Linda character summary

Why is Linda important?

Linda represents loyalty and love, but also the impact of societal constraints. Her relationships with Mickey and Edward highlight the challenges of working-class life and show how issues of class can undermine romantic relationships and friendships:

• Loyalty and courage: As a child, Linda defends Mickey against bullies and later against authority figures, showcasing her loyalty and bravery. This trait continues into adulthood as she supports Mickey during his struggles.

• The love triangle: Linda’s relationships with Mickey and Edward highlight the complexities of love and loyalty. Her affection for Mickey turns into a strained marriage, while her bond with Edward offers her a glimpse of stability and escape from her difficult life.

• The limitations of social class: Linda’s actions and decisions are shaped by the pressures of her working-class environment. Her affair with Edward can be seen as a result of her desperation to find comfort and support amid the challenges of her life with Mickey.

Linda language analysis

Linda’s dialogue and actions make her a sympathetic and relatable character, while also exploring themes of love, class, and emotional turmoil:

• Colloquial speech: Linda’s dialogue reflects her working-class background, using informal phrases — even calling a teacher “Y’ big worm” to showcase her straightforward nature. This aligns her with Mickey and contrasts with Edward’s refined speech.

• Emotional vulnerability: As Linda’s life becomes more challenging, her language reveals her growing frustration and sadness. The use of short sentences and emotive language in lines such as, “I need you. I love you. But, Mickey, not when you’ve got them inside you”, conveys her emotional turmoil and desperation.

• Symbolism of fate: Linda’s involvement in the love triangle and its tragic consequences is foreshadowed by the Narrator, who sings in Act 1 about the “price she’ll pay just for being there”. This suggests that, like Mickey’s and Edward’s, Linda’s fate is inevitable from the very beginning.

Linda key quotes

Linda character development

Linda character interpretation

Social class and gender

Linda acts as both a catalyst for conflict between the two brothers and as a representation of the limitations imposed by social class and gender. Russell uses Linda’s situation to offer a critique of the rigid social structures that trap working-class women in specific roles and limit their opportunities.

Like Mickey, Linda comes from a working-class background and her prospects are limited by the socio-economic constraints of her environment. Her dreams and ambitions are restricted by the realities of working-class life and as she matures, she is also forced to conform to the expectations placed on her as a woman and mother. Her background aligns her more closely with Mickey initially, yet her interactions with Edward reveal a curiosity about a different way of life and she is drawn to the stability and opportunities that Edward represents. 

Describing Linda, the Narrator refers to “a girl inside the woman… waiting to break free” — a phrase that reflects her frustration with her life, domestic duties and unchanging routine, and also suggests that her fate was dictated from childhood by her social position. As the traditional roles of wife and mother are thrust upon her (while she is forced to support Mickey), she has little room for personal fulfilment or independence. This, perhaps, is what leads her to the affair with Edward.