Russell's Treatment of Self-Discovery in Educating Rita (A) "RITA: See, I don't want a baby yet. See, I wanna discover meself first. Do you understand that?" Write about Russell's treatment of self-discovery and of its importance in the lives of the play's characters. The idea of self-discovery is a theme that runs throughout Educating Rita, demonstrating how it can be a personal mission as well as an accidental achievement in life. Both Frank and Rita, as well as the other, more minor characters, embark on this journey as Rita begins her Open University course. When Rita begins her the English Literature course, she is raring to go and wants to know "everything". She also puts in words, her personal desire for self-discovery. "I wanna discover meself." Rita knew from the beginning that she was on a mission and knew where she was going. Frank on the other hand, is quite content with his way of life and finds the idea of a "silly woman's attempts to get into the mind of Henry James" highly amusing although it does interrupt the monotony of his potentially extremely boring and predictive lifestyle. Russell demonstrates the idea of "self-discovery" through Rita by showing the way in which Rita has progressed during the play. At the beginning, Rita is the innocent student who wants "choices". She feels that she will be able to escape from the vicious circle that exists in working class society. The first signs of Rita's discovery are shown through her actions. Her first entrance is a forced entry into the office of Frank, whilst on her second visit she oils the door to make it easier for her to enter. Eventually, Russell no longer shows her entrance into the office but has her already there when the scene begins. Frank, shows less signs of self-discovery although he does in fact discover rather a lot about himself because of Rita. Frank has a drinking habit that he acknowledges but he does hide the signs of it and when Rita thinks she's "reformed" him he finds it highly amusing. Although Frank does not in fact cease drinking, he does get worse and it is the ultimate reason for his "sabbatical" to Australia. On the other hand, Frank's relationship with his former student Julia disintegrates as his fondness for Rita grows. Russell does this to show how the life of the teacher who is apparently stuck in a rut is also changing. The areas that Rita studies show how she has progressed. When she begins to form her own ideas which would hold their own in an examination, Frank doesn't appreciate it, he thinks that the progress
The theme of culture appears a lot in the play. One of the ways that
other wise she is in good health. Rita works long hours and she is in
"Educating Rita" By Willy Russell and The Social, Historical And Cultural Context Of Britain In The Late 1970's
When a teacher stops caring a student stops caring because they believe the teacher does not care about them or their education. Rose said “you 're defined by your school as slow”(155). Importance is a big aspect of a student’s growing process, but id the teacher is bored, they won’t think they are important enough. Gatto said “as school personnel they are trapped inside structures, even more rigid than those imposed upon the children”(142). Students should always feel important and the more important they feel than the better and harder they will work in school. Students and teachers are both stuck, and in order to have a successful school system we must have happy teacher. To bring exciting lesson plans and less bored students, we need happy teachers, in order to have happy teachers the government needs to allow teachers to teach how they
The costumes the characters wore in this play showed the audience that the setting of this play took place in the beginning of the twenty-first century, our modern time today. Rita, a young woman attending a single college class, wore many modern trends seen in the world today. In the first act of the play, this character frequently paired breezy, flowery, bright colored skirts with cowboy boots and a denim jacket. This is a clothing trend we see frequently today, especially in colleges in the southern parts of the United States of America, such as Texas A&M University. Frank, Rita’s aging college professor, wore many cardigans and sweaters that were of the same style as the ones we see in today’s department stores and online catalogs. Many of the costume pieces of both Rita and Frank looked as if they were made out of cotton, which is a common material used by clothing companies today.
sense that we have two hours to tell a story and delve so deep into
My class is extremely creative, but not productive. It took new teachers an average of a couple months to discover our creativity an. Since then, teachers have been creating activities that express our individuality and uniqueness. These activities include the essay for Mrs. Hansen’s an idiot week. For this assignment, each of us were given the chance to teach our teacher, Mrs. Hansen, how to do something. Over the years, most teachers develop special bonds with their students. For example, I was offered the opportunity to take Algebra I over the summer by my math teacher from the previous year. He had realized that I enjoyed being challenged with new topics while maintaining a good grade. As a result he offered me a proposition. This proposition was to complete the pre-algebra course book in addition to small meetings over the summer to make sure that I understood the lessons. I spent the whole summer completing the lessons in the book. This April, I was able to take the challenge test for Algebra I and succeeded. Next year, I will be taking Geometry at Archbishop Mitty High School. A Saint Lucy student is willing to attempt challenges to gain a better understanding, but also able to help others comprehend and practice the
Jake is described as an energetic third grader with a learning disability. Jake gets along with his classmates and excels academically during the 2 hours he gets to be in the general education classroom, but the other time his is in a special education classroom. Jake excels in his math work and his classmates consider him “one of the gang”. Also, Betty says he is an excellent reader. When Jake is in the general education he is not very organized and likes to be the center of attention and for these reasons, Betty, the gen ed teacher does not believe he can make it full time in a general education classroom. Sharon, the special education teacher, thinks Jake deserves a shot but the fact that Jake is unorganized and disrupts class outweighs
There are obvious financial and logistical reasons for making Educating Rita a two-handed play, but Willy Russell does far more with this format than simply save money on actors and sets. The play is essentially about the impact of education on the lives of two people and it therefore does not need to distract the audience with Rita and Frank's other relationships and concerns. The depth and intensity of Rita and Frank's relationship is also highlighted by having them as the only characters on stage. It could be argued that the single room set does not give the audience enough of a sense of the social context of the two characters, but this is more than made up for by the incidents that they narrate about their lives outside Frank's study.
In the front of a fourth-grade classroom, there sits the ever-smiling face of a little girl. Each morning, this girl is the first to class, dressed neatly and appropriately, with a backpack full of supplies in order for her to be successful in the classroom. Her homework is always finished, and her parents always make sure she is doing her reading, and trying for excellent grades. The constant efforts of the child in the classroom, and her perpetual kindness to all of her peers has persuaded the teacher into being impressed with the little girl’s work this year. She decides, along with her fellow faculty, to award the child a certificate stating she is the Student of the Month. The child barely makes it through the bus ride home due to
He is a lazy man, bored and frustrated by his life he too does not
Analysis of Educating Rita by Willy Russel The opening scene of Willy Russels “Educating Rita” is very affective in introducing the characters and the theme of the play. He gains the interest of the audience in many different ways. Firstly as the curtain rises we see frank a man in his early fifties in a room on the first floor of a Victorian built university in the north of England. This gives the effect of an intellectual play in a grand environment.
The rest of the lesson passes as a blur, I try to concentrate but it seems to be made harder by the furious scribbling of pens around me. What could they possibly be writing?! I wouldn’t have a clue what the teacher was talking about and didn’t dare ask for help. Finally, after what seems like forever, the bell rings. Hastily I pack my books up with anticipation of getting away from this awful tension, even if only to step outside for 20 minutes. Its only recess, I still have so many long hours to come. I rush to grab my bag from my locker and shuffle slowly outside.
Teachers serve as the guiding force in a student’s life. They are responsible for molding a student’s personality and shaping his/her mental orientation. Teachers deeply impact our lives and direct the course of our future. One cannot deny the influence of teachers in one’s life. In fact, it would not be an exaggeration to say that, till a certain age, out life revolves around our teachers. They are our constant companions, until we grow old enough to come out of their shadow and move ahead on our own.
Along these two weeks we have been prompt to make a recall to our own way of learning and why we became a teacher: Was it because coincidence, due to life circumstances, maybe because family tradition, was it a conscious decision or because someone influenced us? Whatever the answer is, we have to face reality and be conscious that being a teacher does not only means to teach a lesson and asses students learning. It requires playing the different roles a teacher must perform whenever is needed and required by our learners, identify our pupils needs and preferences, respecting their integrity and individuality but influencing and motivating them to improve themselves and become independent.