Willy Russell

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Willy Russell writes that, "Education gives you a choice" Explore the ways he uses the character of Rita to portray this view of education.

In my opinion education means setting yourself up for life, giving you choices and letting you be independent. Education is about learning skills and having knowledge, and proving this by having qualifications. I have this opinion because my parents have a similar view, and also my teachers, who seem to point it out a lot. My opinion of education links into Willy Russell's view of "Education gives you a choice" Willy Russell shows this view with Rita by comparing her from the beginning of the play to the end. Rita's education is not restricted to scholastic learning alone; her transformation from the uneducated Rita to the educated Susan is all encompassing. Rita sees and understands the importance of being well educated, but for Rita, education helps her to overcome her background and break away from the traditional role expected of a woman in the 1970s. Rita has set herself on a course of self-discovery, she has a determination to control her own life and make her own choices. Rita believes it is education that will give her these choices. Rita knows that the value of education goes far beyond simple intellectual enlightenment. Education entirely changes Rita which, though she is prepared for a change, affects her life enormously.

The play is set in the 1980's when the equal pay act had only been running for 10 years. Women were only just beginning to be recognized as equal, but many people still thought they were meant to stay at home and raise children. The equal pay act makes it unlawful for employers to discriminate between men and women in terms of their pay, conditions and type/place of work.

Birth control was invented in 1939 and was available to all women in 1961. This gave women the choice whether they wanted children or not, it gave them independence.
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The Open University opened in 1971 and was established in 1969. Its original idea was thought up in 1926. The Open University is for any aged people, and is for all people with all different backgrounds. It is easier to get into The Open University because the entry qualifications are lower than other universities, it is for undergraduates.

Before we even meet Rita we learn that she is a woman, and is attending the Open University with a tutor called Frank "I've got this Open University woman coming" we learn this from Frank's phone call with a ...

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