Educating Rita By Willy Russell Example Essay Example

seeks Frank's opinion on whether she is capable of doing so. Rita feels like an outsider in her class and family. In a conversation on page 24, Rita tells Frank that if she had taken school seriously, she wouldn't have felt the need to be different from her peers, which was unacceptable.

During the play, Frank asks Rita who made her believe that school was useless. Rita responds that her mates, family, and everyone else led her to believe that. However, Rita also tells Frank that attending university has given her more life than ever before. This portrays how important obtaining an education was for Rita. Even though Rita and Frank have a good relationship and her work has improved, she still feels insecure. When invited to dinner at Frank's house, Rita hesitates to enter upon seeing Frank's posh family and friends, as she feels like she does not fit in due to her cheap wine and lack of a posh dress-code.

Frank was disappointed that Rita didn't attend his invited dinner. However, Rita later reveals her reason for not coming to Frank. She confesses, "I'm alright with you, here in this room, but when I saw those people who you were with I couldn't come in. I would have seized up because I'm a freak." At this point in the play, Rita feels like she doesn't belong with Frank and the people he spends time with. Even when Rita returns from OU Summer School, she feels like she's different from the other students at the university. However, upon interacting with them, Rita realizes that she can communicate comfortably without hesitation and without feeling like she's an

outsider.

During a discussion with Rita, Frank reveals that their next lesson will cover Blake. However, he discovers that Rita has already studied it during OU Summer School, which makes him envious and feel as though he is no longer needed by her. Even though full-time students reported complaints about Frank's drinking, it was only Rita who needed him. However, situations like this where Rita has advanced past him make Frank feel excluded. One day, during a play, Rita enters Frank's office acting strangely and imitating her flatmate Trish, causing Frank to question her behavior. Rita admires Trish and believes that she has it all.

Both Rita and Frank acknowledge that Trish appears to be well-educated, but Rita is unaware that Trish is simply acting a part. Rita wants to fit in with Trish and also feels insecure about herself. Frank, on the other hand, is aware of the facade that both Trish and Rita are putting on. In a conversation about literature, Trish remarks that there's no point in discussing it in an ugly voice. Frank counters by telling Rita she has a lovely voice but should speak properly.

In essence, Frank is saying that prior to Rita's imitation of Trish, her voice did not sound unappealing. However, because she is now imitating Trish, it is causing her voice to become unpleasant. Rita ultimately decides to revert back to her original name "Susan" because it was her true identity, whereas her prior name was just a facade. She ends up working at a bistro alongside Trish while Frank struggles with his teaching career due to excessive complaints. Rita no longer attends Frank's tutorials because she has become

proficient and no longer requires his assistance. This has caused Frank to become envious as he notices that Rita has integrated well with her classmates and appears to have overcome her prior reluctance and distrust towards them.

During the play, the roles of Frank and Rita change towards the end. Frank starts to drink and becomes incapable, while Rita gains confidence and becomes able to write university level essays. She passes her exams, which sets her free and allows her to make decisions. As a result, she begins telling Frank what needs to be done. Rita says to Frank "Don't keep treatin' me as though I'm the same as when I first walked in here", indicating that she has matured and changed. Frank needs Rita now, whereas before it was the other way around. She is no longer desperate for his help and he now relies on her. This is an example of role reversal. Despite this change, Frank likes Rita and they are still able to work together.

In Act 1, Rita confided in Frank that she felt like an outsider in her own family, and shared that her husband disapproved of her pursuit of education. As a result, Rita lied to her husband about no longer taking birth control pills. When her husband Danny discovered the truth, he was deeply hurt and angered, burning Rita's books and threatening to kick her out unless she gave up both her education and the pills. Despite Danny packing her suitcase and pressuring her to make the choice to give up her education, Rita ultimately chose to continue her studies. Her decision was motivated by her mother's lack

of education due to having a child at a young age, causing Rita to prioritize finishing her studies before starting a family.

Rita's pursuit of education brought about significant transformations in her life. Initially, she lacked self-assurance and considered herself as a misfit among the "real students," labeling herself a "freak." However, as the play progressed, Rita's confidence grew, she forged amicable relationships with her peers, and excelled at essay writing, rendering her independent of Frank's guidance. Unfortunately, Rita's marriage failed because she aspired to continue her education, causing her to leave her husband who later remarried and had a child - something he had longed for.