The Development of the Characters of Frank and Rita in the Play “Educating Rita” Essay Example

his frustrations in both his work and personal life. These difficulties are also the underlying cause for his alcohol consumption. Frank communicates in Standard English without any noticeable accent. The play's overall language tone is humorous, as writer Willy Russell depicts the witty and amusing exchange between Frank and Rita. At times, they fail to understand each other's perspectives to such an extent that it seems like they are speaking different languages. In Act 1 Scene 1, both Rita and Frank's attitudes are revealed. Through a one-sided phone conversation between Frank and Julia, we witness Frank's sarcastic yet clever personality, indicating his fondness for spending a significant amount of time at the pub. The symbolic depiction of Frank's stubbornness and resistance to change is exemplified by Rita struggling to open the door handle at the beginning of the play.

In this passage, the theme of revitalization is evident. Rita's failed attempt to open the window reinforces this idea. Frank describes her as a breath of fresh air in both the room and his life. It is clear that Frank despises his job and students, even expressing thoughts of throwing someone out of the admired window. This showcases his sarcastic nature and feeling trapped in his profession. However, Rita brings new energy to Frank and reignites his passion for teaching. Despite societal expectations, being from a working-class background does not define Rita. She mentions that at her age, people anticipate her having a child already.

Rita expresses a desire for a better way of living her life. She seeks to change herself and break free from societal expectations. In her neighborhood, the idea of wanting self-discovery would be

considered abnormal.

Her husband, Denny, strongly opposes her pursuit of education. He desires a better home, stability, and starting a family. However, Rita disagrees with him on these matters. She adores Denny but believes he lacks understanding in the subjects she wants to learn. Thus, she approaches Frank and requests him to teach her "everything". In Act 1 Scene 1, Rita discusses her occupation as a hairdresser.

Rita believes that when women visit the hairdressers, they anticipate a drastic transformation within an hour. However, she emphasizes that as a hairdresser and not a plastic surgeon, her abilities have limitations. Although these women seek change through their visits to the hairdressers, Rita believes that genuine transformation stems from within oneself. This viewpoint succinctly captures Rita's perspective.

Through her work, Rita understands that changing oneself cannot be achieved by simply buying new clothes or getting a makeover. She recognizes the superficiality of such actions and realizes that genuine change needs to come from within. This is where Frank, her mentor, comes into the picture. Rita believes that by acquiring an education from Frank, she can improve her life. Initially, Rita's knowledge of literature is very limited. When asked about resolving staging difficulties in a production of Ibsen's Peer Gint, she suggests doing it on the radio.

Rita's perspective is exemplified in this passage. She encourages a simplistic approach initially, but as the play progresses, she grows and improves significantly. Attending summer school, which takes place between Acts 1 and 2, greatly contributes to her development. In the final scene of Act 1, we learn that Rita has also made the significant decision to leave her husband, Denny. She discusses her insecurities

and the belief that she doesn't fit in, but she now has the ability to choose more tactful responses, even if she initially considers a sarcastic remark.

As a result of her educational progress, she reflects on a specific decision made during her exam. The prompt required her to propose a resolution for the staging obstacles encountered in a production of Ibsen's Peer Gint. Nevertheless, she underscores the fact that she had the autonomy to make her own selection and expresses gratitude towards the person who granted her this chance.

Meeting up in the pub, all of them gather together. Rita, although uneducated, works as a hairdresser and is expected to remain in this setting and start a family. However, unlike her clan, Rita has different aspirations. She does not want to settle down yet and abandon her dreams. Instead, she desires to discover her true identity and views pursuing English Literature at the Open University as a potential solution.

At the end of the play, Rita has successfully undergone a personal transformation and effortlessly integrated into her desired society. She chose to leave her spouse and children, opting instead for cohabitation with a woman of similar age in a trendy London neighborhood. Additionally, she said goodbye to her career as a hairdresser and abandoned the name Rita. As she confides in Frank, "You're the only one who calls me Rita."

I immediately discarded that pretentious nonsense as soon as I realized its true nature. "She has returned to using her real name, Susan, which is much more suitable for the society she now lives in. In Act 2 Scene 5, during a heated argument between Rita and Frank,

where Frank's excessive drinking has become concerning, Rita approaches him to confess that she has read his poetry and believes it is: "More meaningful than - contemporary poetry that only focuses on the present, as it maintains a direct connection to the literary traditions of the nineteenth century - employing wit and classical references." Frank counters by claiming that his poetry is actually: "This pretentiously clever display of self-aware references holds no value, lacks talent, and can be recognized as such by anyone with a shred of common sense." He proceeds to belittle the work that he was once undoubtedly proud of. When Rita debates his viewpoint, he tells her to leave, exclaiming that he 'cannot bear it anymore.

This greatly angers her and she refers to him as a Self-Pitying Piss Artist. In response, she brings up the fact that he can't handle the fact that she is now educated. She declares, "I have a room full of books. I am knowledgeable in fashion, wine selection, theatrical choices, and literary materials. I don't need you."

Physical Changes: The video we watched in class, starring Julie Walters and Michael Caine as Rita and Frank, provides the only indication of any physical changes to the characters. Frank is portrayed with longish curly brown hair, a thick beard, and wearing typical university lecturer attire such as suits. His appearance remains constant throughout the video. On the other hand, Rita's appearance undergoes transformation. Initially, she is seen wearing short skirts and high heels, with cropped hair featuring different color streaks.

Rita's transformation in the play involves adjusting to her new environment and choosing more practical clothing that suits her current lifestyle.

She also allows her hair to grow out and stops dyeing it in vibrant shades, adopting a more mature look. These changes symbolize personal growth for both characters throughout the story.

At the start of the play, Frank is in a relationship with Julia but has previously been divorced. Between Acts 1 and 2, Frank and Julia break up, leaving Frank alone and feeling even more depressed. This leads him into a downward spiral of increased drinking. When his alcohol problem reaches its worst point, Frank is sent to Australia for two years. The choice of Australia as his destination serves as symbolism by author Willy Russell: it represents being geographically farthest from England and reflects the lowest point in Frank's life.

Initially, Rita is married to Denny and lives close to her family.

At the beginning of the play, Rita is married and living with her family. However, towards the end, she gains independence and decides to leave her husband and family behind. She chooses to move to Central London with her flatmate Trish, embracing a single and carefree lifestyle. This change is significant compared to how she lived before seeking Frank as her teacher. The author of 'Educating Rita', Willy Russell, has revealed in his autobiography 'Educating the Author' that he based Rita's character heavily on himself. Both Russell and Rita come from working-class backgrounds and struggled academically. Like Russell who wrote poems, songs, and stories while working as a hairdresser between clients for years, Rita also engages in creative activities alongside her everyday life depicted in the play. They both feel that in order to achieve their dreams they must break away from their families

completely and fully dedicate themselves to pursuing their aspirations – similar to Rita's journey at the end of Act 1. For Russell personally, this meant persistently working in a potentially hazardous job until he saved enough money to attend Childwall College where he believed he could start afresh as a writer.

Similar to Rita, he was pursuing an education in order to achieve his dreams and aspirations. In conclusion, this play revolves around the theme of transforming one's life to become the person they aspire to be. It emphasizes the idea of overcoming one's upbringing, defying societal expectations, and pursuing one's dreams. It appears that Willy Russell is portraying his own experiences and emotions through the character of Rita.

Frank starts off the play as a sarcastic, witty, and unhappy character. However, his drinking problem causes him to hit rock bottom and become completely isolated. As a result, he is sent to Australia for two years. Despite coming from a privileged background, Frank doesn't appreciate its advantages like Rita does. Nevertheless, despite their different backgrounds, audiences will enjoy the clever and engaging conversations between Rita and Frank at the beginning of the play. They will also witness Rita's eventual success. Ultimately, the play delivers a message of hope for individuals like Rita who feel trapped by their circumstances. It shows that with hard work and determination, they can achieve their dreams.

Despite being written in the 1980s, I believe that the play remains relevant in present times.