Evidence That Rita’s Open University Course

Using the evidence it could be said that Rita’s Open University course has had a broadly positive effect as the knowledge and experiences she has had are turning her into the type of person she wants to be. *Quotes not in chronological order 1. “Denny found out I was on the pill again; it was my fault, I left my prescription out. He burnt all me books. ” Although this can be argued to have a negative effect I think it can be said to be positive as it has shown Rita what Denys is really like and as a result of this they break up so Rita is free to continue to grow and to learn like she wants too. . “This tutor came up to me… an’ he said, “Are you fond of Ferlinghetti? ” It was right on the tip of me tongue, to say, “Only when it’s served with parmesan cheese”, but, Frank, I didn’t! ” This demonstrates to the audience that Rita has come a long way from the person she once was. The fact that she says Ferlinghetti ; only his surname shows how she now has some of the same familiarity as Frank does and that she can call poets by the surname only, as she is at that level of education now.
The fact that she didn’t need to make a sarcastic jokey comment about the it being a type of pasta shows that she no longer feels like she has to hide her lack of intelligence as she has now reach a level of education where she feels comfortable discussing poets. 3. “(She goes and perches on the book shelf)”. This shows that after her time at summer school Rita is now comfortable around books and that sort of environment.
She does feel awkward around them and feels at home, at home enough to sit on the bookshelf. This its self is an achievement as when she first came to lessons with Frank she only ever walked over to them but never interacted with the book and bookshelf, as she felt she wasn’t at the right level of education and didn’t feel comfortable doing it. 4. “(She tosses the book on the desk and perches on the bookshelf)”. When Rita “tosses the book” we as an audience can clearly see how much Rita has changed. hen Rita first went to Frank for lessons she used to sit and methodically empty out her bag and place her belongings on the desk showing a great care for her educationally belongings and her books as if to her knowledge is a really precious thing to her and that she has to treat it with respect and care as it doesn’t really belong to her. However when she “tosses the book” it shows that Rita no longer things it doesn’t belong to her as she has embraced education now and has a confidence about it as she just nonchalantly tosses the book on the desk as if it’s not important to her as it used to be.

Almost as if she’s ‘been there done that’. 5. “(She takes off her shawl and gives it to Frank who hangs it on the hook by the door)”. The fact that she is wearing a shawl shows how much her life has changed. In the eighties when this was set it was seen to be upper class to wear a shawl and here Rita is wearing one and getting a gentlemen to hang it up instead of slinging it over her chair like she used too with her coat. This is all due to her education so has had a positive impact clearly on the way she now dresses. 6. “… I asked her why. I said. Why are y’ cryin’, Mother? ’ She said, ‘Because – because we could sing better songs than those. ” –Rita has begun to look at her life as an out sider now and she wants to change it she wants more from it. This is partly due to her education, partly due to Frank and partly due to her own desires. She is not happy with her life and is now more motivated than ever to change it and to “Know everything”. She believes that education is her way out and that it can change her life for the better. 7. “Come on, let’s go an’ have the tutorial down there. The fact that Rita wants to go “down there” with all the proper university students shows that she no longer thinks she isn’t good enough and that she can actually fit in there and that it is perfectly plausible for her to have her tutorial down there. 8. “(Rita burst through the door. She is dressed in new second hand clothes)” & “(She twirls on the spot to show off her new clothes)”. When Rita returns from summer school in London it’s not the old Rita that returns, it is a whole new Rita with a whole new wardrobe.
This shows how much education has had an impact on her life and she is far away from the girl she once was which is exactly what Rita wanted. Education has changed her life. She also has a new air of confidence about her and feels she is now on the same level as Frank as she twirls to show her new clothes because he will be interested. However the fact that they are “new second hand clothes” shows that no matter how hard she tries she will never fully get rid of her past.