The play Educating Rita is about a twenty-six year old hairdresser who wants to get an education. She registers at the Open University and is assigned to a tutor called Frank. Normally, one would think that in a student-teacher relationship, the teacher would have more authority. At the outset of the play this is true, but as things progress, Rita gains more and more power, and eventually she gains the upper hand. From the very first words Frank and Rita exchange, Rita tries to control him. She’s already ‘rebelling’ against authority. “I’m comin’ in, aren’t I? It’s that stupid bleedin’ handle on the door. You wanna get it fixed!...Well that’s no good always meanin’ to, is it? Y’ should get on with it;” – Rita, 2. She gives him direct commands and also leads the conversation. She thinks that by commenting on small details in his room, she’ll sound observant. Similarly, when she talks about the novels and poetry she’s read, she believes she’s making herself seem ‘well read’. She doesn’t understand that not all poems and books are of good literary quality. She’s achieving the opposite of what she wants, which is showing him how un-educated and ignorant she really is.
She also talks about things that are inappropriate and forces h
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“Or maybe Frank, y’ mean there’s nothing of your views in there… I’ve talked to other people, read other books an’ after consultin’ a wide variety of opinion I came up with those conclusions…Look, Frank, I don’t have to go along one hundred per cent with your views on Blake y’ know. “Well–if it’d make you happier you take my chair. “If you believe that that’s why you were invited, to be laughed at, then you can get out, now. She needs guidance because the learning experience is still new and different. You’re doing rather a lot of that, aren’t you?” “That’s what I do…” “And how am I scoring so far?” “Very good, ten out of ten go to the top of the class an, collect a gold star…” – Rita, Frank, 7. Rita thinks Frank’s jealous because he used to have power but now he doesn’t. Frank finds it amusing that she thinks she’s so influential. This is where the shift in power starts. Rita takes that personally and refuses to read the rest. She believes that if she gets an education, she’ll know everything.
When Rita says she’s uncomfortable sitting in a chair with its back to the door, Frank offers her his chair.
Approximate Word count =
2221
Approximate Pages =
9 (250 words per page double spaced)
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