Analysis Of Educating Rita

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Educating Rita is about a woman who decides that she would like to study at the Open University. Rita’s real name is actually Susan White, but she prefers to go by the name of Rita. Rita is being tutored by a professor named Frank who happens to be an alcoholic who hides his liquor behind his literature. On Rita’s first day with Frank, he arrives late and drunk. They both have a very relaxed attitude towards each other; even exchanging their favorite books with one another. Rita would like to learn about literature and art and Frank would like to use the money she is giving him to pay for his alcohol so they both agree on keeping in touch with each other, despite the fact that Frank insists that she get a different tutor. Rita eventually explains to Frank that she used to have the mentality that education was unimportant and useless and recently her views upon that have changed. This is why she decides to go to Frank in the first place. She wants to receive good scores on her final exams and Frank is supposed to help her better her essay writing skills. She is already the better student because of this. She already has a strong desire to learn and better herself and her exam scores. At the beginning of the play, Rita was very casual in her analysis of novels. Frank had read Rubyfruit Jungle and gives his views on it, telling Rita the proper way to analyze and criticize a novel. Rita had read Howards End and simply stated that her only thoughts on it was that it “was crap.” because the author, Foster, was only concerned with the rich and not the poor. Frank is a bit appalled by Rita’s analysis because she took it too literally and did not think about it analytically. He tells her that she will have to become more disciplined in... ... middle of paper ... ...h it because Rita’s writing style is no longer found in it. This is when Rita becomes jaded with Frank as well. She begins to think that he doesn’t want the best for her, but the best for him and this makes her a good student. She is becoming aware of those around her and is considering her own life choices and making her own decisions. She has begun to take hold of her own life and better her own self not by using Frank, but by using herself. By the end of the play, Rita has passed her exams and she and Frank go their separate ways. Rita has not only gained a new sense of self, but has also gained the knowledge needed to pass her exams. This is why Rita is a better student than Frank. Rita takes away both knowledge and experience whereas Frank only takes away experience. To be a better student, one must acquire both knowledge and wits and Rita has done just that.

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