Rita is a young woman who is looking to extened her education. She has a husband who is looking to start a family but Rita feels she has a gap in her life and is hoping a better education and understanding shall help her move on. She has a need to take control of the situation even though she is not in her normal surroundings; she says, "You wanna get it fixed".Par1Rita first enters frank's room after having some trouble with the door handle, She takes control even though she is not in her normal surroundings, criticizing the handle saying "it's that stupid bleedin' handle, you wanna get it fixed" Frank is surprised by what see has started off saying so is startled and says "erm-yes I surpose I always mean to".
Rita views herself, as
...a young married woman who should have had a baby by now but is would prefer a better education first. Because her family don not have enough money for her to go to a proper college she has gone to a open university, she thinks a open university isn't as good because she says "degrees for dishwashers".She does not think she currently has much of an education because when Frank offers her a drink of scotch she says " It'll proberly have a job findin my brain". Her language is limited and we can see this from when Frank asks's Rita "Do you swear?" and Rita replies, "Never stop".
Rita once again takes control of the situation after Frank telling her he does not want to teach her saying "you're gonna bleedin' well teach me". We can also see
that she wants to be educated so that see can get a proper job when she criticizes her customers saying "they all expect too much. They walk in the hairdressers an' hour later they wanna walk out a different person".Rita also shows her desperation to change having adopted a Rita as her name from Susan showing her class tendency to take measures that can only have a very small effect on there life style.Par 2Because Rita can see Frank is educated she also feels that his room looks educated and we can see this when she say "how d' y' make a room like this" and "That's cos you've got taste.
I'm gonna have a room like this one day". Rita is so determined to be educated she stops herself from buying a new dress and says "I haven't hade a new dress in twelve months. An' I'm not gonna get one either, not till-till I pass my first exam". We can see that Rita by this stage in her education has now gained a great intrest and does not want to miss a class at all, Frank Says "Why don't we give class a miss?" and Rita replies "No.
I wanna know. I've got to do this".Par 3When Rita has returned from summer school she appears much more confidant and knowledgeable but is not happy to be herself still. Rita displays her newfound confidence by staging a fashion twirl for Frank showing off a new set of clothes. There has been a lot of change in Rita's life She has left Denny and has now moved into a new flat.
Before going to summer
school a new friend, Trish, moved into the flat with her. Trish appears to be middle class. Rita describes her as "She's great, y' know she dead classy" and has made a great impression on Rita. She has brought an organization to Rita's life that has previously been missing.
Rita considers Trish to have "taste" and compares her to Frank with, "Y' know like you, Frank".Rita continues to talk about the changes Trish has made to the flat describing them as "unpretentious, just books an' plants everywhere". Rita expresses her improved happiness with they order that Trish has introduced "I'm having the time of my life". Relating her memories of summer school Rita tells Frank of the wonderful time she had "work, we never stopped. Lashin' us with it they were; another easy, lash, do it again, lash", and demonstrates her new found confidence when she stood up in the lecture room, in front of two thousand people and asked questions of lecturer. She say "I don't know what possessed me, I was gonna sit down again, but two thousand people had seen me stand up, so I did it, I asked him a question".
Par 4The changes in Rita continue as she changes her way of talking and her confidence has become so high that she now gets involved in discussions with other full time students at the university. Trish has had a big influence on Rita's manner of speech, "Trish says there is not a lot of point to discussing beautiful literature in an ugly voice. When Frank inquires why she is talking in the manner she is with, "What's wrong with your voice?"
and follows with "you haven't got a ugly voice, at least you didn't have. Talk properly". This latest change by Rita in copying Trish irritates Frank and he let's Rita know by saying "I'm not giving a tutorial to a Dalek".Reflecting on her contacts with students Frank remarks "you used to be quite wary of them" and Rita finds enough courage to remark "They don't half come out with some rubbish y' know".
And we find Frank and Rita discussing Rita's assessment of the students on a more equal basis indicating the extent to which Rita has developed in terms of knowledge. Rita's work has also greatly improved and Frank demonstrates how pleased he is with it and places it on top of the pile of other essays, "It wouldn't look out of place with these". Rita asks "honest?" and Frank adopts Rita's form of reply "Dead honest".We see here the changes have occured in both Rita and Frank. In the next scene we have a drunken Frank who's language is getting worse "Sod them-no fuck them! Fuck them, eh, Rita?" Frank has copied Rita's ability to shock with crude language. Rita having previously been enthusiastic about her meetings with Frank becomes increasingly discouraged attending late and not wanting to be with Frank in complete contrast to the beginning when she could not get enough of Frank's time and opinions.
Frank enquires "You can hardly bare to spend a moment here can you?" and Rita offers a feeble excuse "It's just that I've got to go to the theatre". Frank is aware of the changes he has helped introduce to Rita's character and considers much
of it detrimental.He gives her an assignment to assess the works of a little known English poet and Rita returns with a very enthusiastic opinion of the works "this is brilliant. They're witty. They're profound. Full of style.
" Frank dismisses the remarks saying "It is pretentious, characterless and without style.", showing a lack of confidence in his own writings and also dismisses them as "crap". Further demonstrating how the roles have changed, losing confidence in his own life where as, Rita, his pupil, is demonstrating an abundance of self-confidence, the success of his teaching. Frank however casts doubt on any real and permanent changes in Rita, mockingly saying, "I think that like you, I shall change my name."Par 5Rita's language has completely changed from the beginning of the play, she no longer swears and talks with my more confidence.
She displays a greater knowledge of literary subjects and feels she has achieved her goal of changing her lifestyle. She has lost her family life with Denny, and has reverted to her proper name of Susan. She is more independent, more at ease with the range of choices her new lifestyle gives her and outwardly appears happier with her circumstances. This is in contrast to Frank's opinion that he has destroyed Rita's ability to express herself in a straightforward manner, replacing her with a false character whose talent for honest opinion has been blunted.
Rita has a better slandered of education than previously but her experiences of life now come from the books she reads as opposed to her original character who was full of real life experiences.Par 6At the end of the play we find
Rita more like her original character. On entry to franks office she lights up a cigarette and wishes Frank a merry Christmas in a much friendlier and open manner than the previous meeting. Asking why he is leaving she says "did y' bugger the bursar?" referring to an earlier comment by Frank as being the only way he could be sacked. Rita speaks about her exams and expresses her thanks for what Frank has really given her.
She now thinks of Trish and how she was misled by the Trish's personality. She speaks about Trish's obsession with trying to live longer only to go and take her own life away. Recognizing the old Rita Frank asks her to come away with her to Australia and Rita tells him of the options she already has and like the original Rita shows a lack of decisiveness, "I dunno. I might go to France.
I might go to me mother's. I might even have a baby. I dunno. I'll make a decision. I'll chose.
I dunno." Frank gives Rita a dress which he bought for an "educated friend" and in exchange Rita give him a hair cut which will "take ten years off you"Rita has come full circle and realizes that education is not only about book learning. She has been successful and finished her course but is faced with very similar choices as before. However she can now recognize the true value of the options she has and is able to make a better decision.
As such she appears to be more contented but still has the choices she is unsure of. Education has not changed Rita's life
as she had expected but her view of life has changed irreversibly.
