Educating Rita :: Free Essay Writer

Educating RitaAlthough Rita knows that intellectual enlightenment is important, to Rita, discipline provides much more to her in Willy Russells Educating Rita. Ritas education is not restricted to scholastic learning alone, her transformation from the uneducated Rita to the educated Susan is all encompassing. Rita sees and understands the importance of being well educated, but for Rita, education helps her to overcome her emphasize and break away from the traditional role expected of a charwoman in the 1970s. Rita has set herself on a course of self-discovery, she has a determination to harbor her own life and make her own choices. Rita believes it is education that will give her these choices. Rita knows that the value of education goes far beyond simple intellectual enlightenment. Education just changes Rita which, though she is prepared for a change, effects her life enormously. Ritas background has held her back and put her at a disadvantage. There was a great partake of re search done in the 1970s to show that middle class children were far more likely to do well at school and to go on to university than on the job(p)-class children like Rita. Ritas schooling disadvantage is shown in her recollection of school life borin, ripped-up books, broken glass everywhere, knives an fights. An that was just in the staffroom. Nah, they time-tested their best I suppose, always tellin us we stood more of a chance if we studied. But studyin was just for the whimps, wasnt it? See, if Id started takin school staidly I would have had to become different from me mates, an thats not allowed. (Act 1, Scene 2, p17) Rita felt the need to conform to the way everyone around her lived their lives until she realised that there was a way out. The class antagonism that pressures Rita can be seen through language misunderstandings between Frank and Rita Frank You are? Rita What am I? Frank forgiveness? Rita What? Frank Now you are? Rita Im a what? (Act 1, Scene 2, pp2-3) Educ ation is the only way Rita can fulfil her desire to overcome the working class background she has been born into. Rita feels that through education she can break away from the traditional expectations placed on a working class woman in the 70s. Pressures and influences on Rita are mostly from her family, in particular her husband. I told him Id only have a baby when I had choice.