Educating Rita :: Free Essay Writer

Educating RitaAlthough Rita knows that noetic enlightenment is important, to Rita, bringing up provides much more to her in Willy Russells Educating Rita. Ritas culture is non restricted to scholastic learning alone, her transformation from the uneducated Rita to the educated Susan is any encompassing. Rita sees and understands the importance of being well educated, but for Rita, education helps her to overcome her circumstance and break away from the traditional role expected of a adult female in the seventies. Rita has set herself on a course of self-discovery, she has a finding to control her own action and make her own choices. Rita believes it is education that bequeath give her these choices. Rita knows that the value of education goes far beyond simple intellectual enlightenment. Education entirely changes Rita which, though she is prepared for a change, effects her brio enormously. Ritas background has held her back and put her at a disadvantage. on that point was a great deal of research done in the 1970s to show that middle class children were far more uniformly to do well at school and to go on to university than working-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 skilful in the staffroom. Nah, they tried 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 seriously I would down had to become different from me mates, an thats not allowed. (Act 1, Scene 2, p17) Rita tangle 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 terminology misunderstandings between heart-to-heart and Rita Frank You are? Rita What am I? Frank Pardon? Rita What? Frank Now you are? Rita Im a what? (A ct 1, Scene 2, pp2-3) Education is the only way Rita can fulfil her need 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 broadly speaking from her family, in particular her husband. I told him Id only have a baby when I had choice.