Your life is the sum result of all the choices you make, both consciously and unconsciously. Choices made, whether good or bad, follow you forever and affect everyone in their path one way or another. As you venture into new phases of life or worlds or ‘grow up’, you are commonly faced with having to make difficult choices and decisions, which may change your life forever. Each choice throughout this transition can be either rewarding or challenging, depending on the individual and the obstacles that they must overcome. However, through successfully moving into the world, it can consequently bring new experiences and opportunities, growth, change, self-fulfilment, greater freedom and choice, and other consequences, may they be positive or negative. The play, ‘Educating Rita’ by Willy Russell, and the music video ‘Fast Car’ by Tracy Chapman both explore this concept of ‘Into the World’ through the use of language, visual and dramatic techniques, as they portray the beneficial and negative relatable outcomes of personal choices and transitions into a new phase of life or world.
Rita makes the personal choice to change her life and acquire an education, as she colloquially considers there is “no meanin’ to life” in her current working-class lifestyle, her life is consequently altered. “But if you want change you have to do it from the inside…know like I’m doin…See I wanna discover myself first’”. Aspiring for greater freedom of choice, self-improvement and self-fulfilment, she metaphorically conveys that this will be achieved through obtaining and education. As Frank and the Open University both symbolise Rita’s pathway into the educated world, what Rita doesn’t realise is Frank’s contempt for himself and his job. Through using a co...
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...ially and impoverished marriage with Denny who disapproves and objects to her studies and education. It highlights that her husband has a more limited view on life as all he wants out of life is a baby, whereas Rita desires an education and to discover herself. The cumulative listing again conveys the working class ideology as Denny epitomises a working class man, as he believes they have choice because the pub down the road “sells eight different kinds of lager “, and ”choices between Liverpool and Everton”, whereas Rita wants choices only education can bring. As Rita’s growing confidence makes her “stronger”, and Denny is content with his place in the world, he gets frightened as he sees Rita choose to move on and them growing further apart, and as he lacks her desire of change and mobility, it is inevitable that he will consequently be left behind in the future.
When Denny’s late wife Eve dies, his whole world is changed. Trish and Maxwell - the evil Twins - plot against Denny by pulling him into a major court battle. As a result, Denny is forced to sacrifice major opportunities in order to win custody of his daughter, Zoë. “ “I appreciate your generous offer,” he [Denny] said. “But I’m afraid certain things prevent me from leaving this country – or even this state – at the moment. So I have to decline.” (Stein 276) Luca Pantoni – a man that worked at Ferrari – asked Denny if he wanted to move out to Italy with his family where he could test cars for a living. With the major court battle going on Denny had to politely refuse the offer. Knowing Denny’s personality it would have been difficult for him to decline such a great offer, but at that moment he had to think about his family first. Next to Eve, Zoë is the most important person in Denny’s life. The death of Eve was unexpected for both Denny and Zoë, but Denny could not let his sadness and frustration show...
Tingle begins his article by refuting David Bartholomae’s, “Inventing the University”, effectively based on his own social tragedy with the working and middle class. Tingle
During my analysis of the article “The Vexation of Class”, it quickly became evident that the author, Nick Tingle, investigates his vexation by making numerous comparisons to David Bartholomae’s “Inventing the University”. Tingle analyzes Bartholomae’s article in terms of its assumptions made in reference to class, such as how the student writer must become someone whom they are not. Within the clear conversation of his vexation experienced growing up in a working-class household, as well as the effects and struggles that students endure when being a member of a working-class school, Tingle’s use of pathos holds effective throughout the article.
Tingle begins his article by refuting David Bartholomae’s “Inventing the University”, effectively based on his own social tragedy with the working and middle class. Tingle instantly increases his credibility on the subject as he has experience in both the working and middle class,
...’ family is in deep alcoholism, depriving children the benefits of a proper upbringing. The Johnsons are also chaotic and tyrannical. Jimmie and his ilk of brawling youths epitomize the violence that rocked the society. In the middle of this violence is pursuit of vanity. Children are fighting viciously to establish the superior one. Adults are watching on indifferently. Maggie gets into prostitution because of pursuing an elegant life. She lacks appreciation of her beauty and persona. In the end, the question to ponder is whether human beings have the capacity to make personal choices in midst of immense social circumstances. Regrettably, Johnsons share the blame for the kind of person that their children turned out. The society too has remained passive in the midst of great social trepidation. Maggie and Jimmie share the blame for pursuit of vainglorious vanity.
Remember the days when life was easy and our biggest worry was what mum had packed us for lunch, or whether we would get up early enough to catch the morning cartoons? No? Or have those days been drowned out by the endless nagging of parents to study and get a good job…Now don’t get me wrong-I know education is important, but sometimes I feel we have too much pressure placed on us to live a ‘perfect life’ that when one mistake comes along, everyone, including ourselves, ends up upside down. Instead, as presented in the novel ‘Maestro’, by Peter Goldsworthy, we find the importance of not losing ourselves, but rather, taking these adversaries as opportunities. . I don’t know about you but I plan on living a life with no regrets-
The pointedness of the play is created through a distinct plot path. The observer is lead through the story, seeing first how greatly Amanda Wingfield influences her children. Secondly, the play-goer notes how Tom Wingfield desperately struggles and writhes emotionally in his role of provider- he wants more than just to be at home, taking care of his all-too-reminiscent mother and emotionally stunted sister. Tom wants to get out from under his mother’s wing; his distinct ambitions prevent him from being comfortable with his station in life. Lastly, Laura struggles inside herself; doing battle against her shyness, Laura begins to unfurl a bit with Jim, but collapses once again after Jim announces his engagement and leaves her, again. Each character struggles and thrashes against their places in life, but none of them achieve true freedom. This plot attests to the fact that true change and freedom can only come through the saving power of God Almighty and Jesus Christ, and by letting go of the past.
"Educating Rita" By Willy Russell and The Social, Historical And Cultural Context Of Britain In The Late 1970's
Maggie, the protagonist, lives in a slum on the lower East side of the Bowery in NYC. She lives in the tenement housing with her mother, Mary and her brother, Jimmie. It’s the turn of the 18th century and this Irish immigrant family is poor. Mary is a drunk and her brother, Jimmie drinks and fights with everyone. Maggie doesn’t go to school because everybody has to work. She works in the sweatshop, sewing clothes. Her life is filled with poverty and gloom. Maggie meets Pete and she is impressed that Pete wears nice outfits. Pete likes her too. He takes her to the live theater plenty of times. She’s sees his clothing as a symbol of wealth and that he takes her out to places where she never been before. She sees Pete and the money he spends on her as a way out of her dreary life. She leaves her home and goes to live with Pete to have a better life. She thinks he loves her, but she has gone to devil. Soon after Pete meets Nellie and he dumps Maggie. She has nowhere to go and so she goes home. Her family doesn’t allow her to come back. Mary tells her she is a disgrace and they ridicule her in front of all the neighbors. Even the little children are warned to stay away from her. Maggie leaves with nowhere to go. Pete tells her not to bother him; he doesn’t love her, now he’s in love with Nellie. No one is kind to her and so she begins to walk the streets. She turns to...
According to scholar Jane Thompson, the “practice of freedom” allows an individual to discover his or her own ways in this world. This is certainly a case with Rita as she goes through the Open University and establishes her own hidden potentials. With the help of Frank, Rita is able to conquer through the struggles opposed to her during her studies, and come out victorious. Without the help of Frank, Rita would not have been enrolled into the Open University, and her life would not have made this dramatic change for the better. The final product of their combined hard work comes to be a new Rita, an educated woman who is confident, independent and free-willed. It did not come easy for her, but for Rita, the efforts were certainly worth it.
The education system has heavily relied on students socioeconomic factors to dictate their education style ultimately preparing them for skills necessary to fit in their social class. The American dream is dead, it is no longer to strive and work hard to become successful, rather as Bambara shows it, work hard to barely survive day to day. Bambara portrays this division by the inference that the characters have little to no knowledge or respect for a higher education or for a matter of factor a education at all. Silvia, the main character, features all three minority factors, low income and an African American female. Moreover, the expectancy of success is nevertheless little to nothing greater than her parents. Due to her socioeconomic background, higher education is viewed as a joke, referred to a “goddamn college degree” (254). Silvia is then subjected to live a lifestyle common to her parents, to not strive to be able to buy a toy boat for a thousand dollars, but to frown upon the possibility.
In order to become educated, the have to make sacrifices: Eliza has to give up her accent and Rita loses her spontaneity and originality. They also become alienated from their working class backgrounds, for they advance socially through acquiring education. Unlike Rita, Eliza didn't want to change her character. Rita, on the other hand, had dreamed of becoming a completely different person. Consequently, when Rita is happy after passing her exam, whereas Eliza is feels lost between two worlds, neither belonging to the working class nor the middle class.
The movies of “The Blind Side” and the “Freedom Writers,” are two different genre films, they follow different itineraries and ideas. Movies can be seemly different, but can have the same message. “The Blind Side” and “Freedom Writers,” are the perfect example of demonstrating how stories can follow different plotlines, but can hold the same meaning. Furthermore, both movies share similarities of people dealing with huge obstacles and overcoming life-changing events that impacted their lives every day. In both films the characters met someone who motivated them and encouraged them to pursue a proper education. After all these radical changes the characters from both movies had a more serious understanding that education is really important for their future.
Furthermore, Charlotte Lucas who has no fortune settles for marriage with Mr. Collins, the arrogant, self important, materialistic and boring man. She thinks that it is better to be married than not, even if she doesn’t like him and he is not likely to make her happy.
Cathy Linton, daughter of Edgar Linton and Catherine Earnshaw, demonstrates traits from her parents. In fact, these very traits can explain a lot about her and her actions. Her mother, Catherine Earnshaw, was born to a more “hot” and strong family, the Earnshaw family. As a child, Catherine was a more masculine girl, asking a whip from her father going into town, and she was always strong and powerful, having strong actions and opinions. Cathy’s father, Edgar Linton, grew up in a fancier house with manners. His family, the Linton family, could be described as “cool” and generally weaker than the Earnshaw family. Together, he and Catherine married to create a marriage of opposite personalities. One side, Catherine, was much stronger and more dominant in the relationship. The other side, Edgar, was much weaker in the relationship, and he ge...