‘Rita: You’ve got to challenge death an’ disease, I read this poem about fightin’ death………
Frank: Ah- Dylan Thomas….
Rita: No Roger Mc Gough…….’
By intelligence I mean to say he is educated unlike Rita. It also shows the different social strata’s that they each belong to, Rita thinks of a modern poet, while Frank thinks of a traditional one. Another suspect of Rita’s character that is brought out straight away is how brash she is. This can be taken as a sign of her being simple and as a sign of her confidence;
‘Rita: (from the doorway) I’m comin’ in, aren’t I? It’s that stupid bleedin’ handle on the door. You wanna get it fixed! (she comes into the room)
Frank: (staring, slightly confused) Erm-yes, I suppose I always meant to…..’
Along with her confidence, we also see how unsubtle she is. Furthermore you notice how uneducated she is portrayed to be. The way she talks reflects on her working class background. Her language is very slang e.g. ‘stupid bleedin’’, ‘wanna’, this along with her Liverpudlian accent would accentuate her background. The difference in strata between Frank and Rita is amazingly obvious;
‘Rita: (wandering towards door) You wouldn’t watch ITV though, would y’ ? It’s all BBC you, isn’t it?
.
.
.
.
Rita: …….. for people like you who eat pebble dashed bread….’
This in a way shows us Rita’s ignorance, this is epitomised by the stereotypes she has. She aspires to be someone who does eat ‘pebble dashed bread’, ‘pebble dashed bread’ being whole meal bread and not white.
Another reason why this scene is so powerful is that it brings Willy Russell’s humour, delightfully. He does this through Franks and Rita’s interaction with each other, and in this scene especially Frank and his alcohol addiction;
‘Frank: Where the hell…..? Elliot?……...
(he pulls out a pile of books to reveal a bottle of Whisky….. and pours himself a large slug into the mug in his hand)’
This is the first piece of dictation in the whole play and immediately the audience will be drawn in, because of the use of comedy. Russell’s use of humour ranges from dry intellectual wit to the downright coarse, Frank’s addiction a better example of the latter. In addition humour springs from Rita’s and Frank’s relationship, and the attraction of two very different cultures and backgrounds. In the passage it seems as he is looking for a novel, when in fact he is searching for a bottle of whisky. Later on in the passage he is on the phone to his wife.
‘Frank:…..What do you mean am I determined to go to the pub? I don’t need determination to get me into a pub…..’
Another example of Russell’s coarse humour is displayed in Rita’s brashness.
‘Rita: There’s no suppose about it look at those tits’
I believe scene 1 accomplishes it’s task of introducing and establishing the characters to the audience, and in setting the story line for the rest of the play.
Secondly Scene four, I thought this was one of the most powerful and dramatic scenes in the play because we see Rita losing her insecurity about her aim to become educated and actually becoming confident that she can learn.
‘Rita: I can’t do it. Honest, I just can’t understand what he’s on about…….’
Rita: An’- an’ in that book no one does connect
.
.
Rita: Is that it? Is that all it means’
The first quote was taken from the beginning of the secne and the next two are her reaction to something she has just understood. That is perfect example of her things to click in her mind, and how she has progressed form the first scene. Moreover in this scene we get a closer indication that she is being pressurised from home about her studies.
‘Rita: Denny gets dead narked if I work at home. He doesn’t like me doin’ this. I can’t be bothered arguing with him.’
In order to become educated, she believes that she must break free of the working class culture, she sees it as a ‘disease’, and Denny not letting her study is part of that theory. In that same passage she associates the Sun, Daily Mirror, ITV and workers unions, to base her theory on the working class culture, these are the first signs of her education.
‘Rita:…..Cos there’s no meanin’(referring to the working class culture)…………There’s like this sort of disease,……………….. An’ like the worst thing is that y’ know the people who are supposed to like represent the people on our estate, y’ know the Daily Mirror an’ the Sun, an’ ITV an’ the Unions
Lastly this scene shows Rita at crossroads between her former self and what she aspires to be, educated. She now begins to understand what she is studying, and his able to form her own opinion and ideas on her life, she is beginning to think, which she never did. Secondly we see her relationship with Frank blossoming, she thrives on being taught by him and he enjoys her company. She is different to his normal students, he thinks they are boring, unlike Rita who he perceives to have an edge.
Thirdly Scene 7, this is one of the most powerful and dramatic scenes in the play because this where Frank’s and Rita’s journey together comes to an end, they have found meaning in life again. Firstly Rita who after Scene four, becomes arrogant and thinks she has learnt all there is to learn, and that she no longer needs Frank. When in fact that very incident makes her, eventually, realise that being educated is not just about being able to use big words. This realisation comes in Scene seven, she realises that being educated comes from within and watching BBC and eating wholemeal bread doesn’t give you and education. An education makes you happy with your way of life and with yourself that is what Rita ultimately achieves. In the beginning she hates the person the she is and the life she leads, at the end she is at peace with her self.
‘Rita: ……… She spends half her life eatin’ wholefoods an’ health foods to make her live longer an’the other half tryin to kill herself…..’
Here she is describing how her friend tried to commit suicide. She was well spoken she ate healthily, but she was not happy with her life. Nor was Rita when she tried to use long words and act different to who she really was. She becomes educated when she realises that that means nothing. That is why she wants to settle and perhaps have a baby. In the final scene we see Frank emerge from his mid-life crisis, he is going to Australia, for a new beginning. This is epitomised by the lovely way in which Russell ends the play Rita giving Frank haircut. Frank having his haircut symbolises a new beginning and a new Frank. Rita cutting Frank’s hair symbolises Rita being herself, epitomised by her being happy in doing something she once despised. It wraps the play up wonderfully, and brings out the underlying themes. As I have already said the search for a meaning in life/ ‘educated’, which is found in the end. The other theme is the light-hearted relationship between Frank and Rita, when Frank shouts ouch as Rita cuts his hair. It is a brilliant way to end their relationship and the play as a whole.
