What Do Frank and Rita Learn from Each Other? How Does This ‘Education’ Change Them As People

What Do Frank and Rita Learn from Each Other? How Does This 'Education' Change Them As People I think education is a part of life that everybody goes through. It's how the world gains knowledge and everybody deserves to have a proper education, which involves going to a school and learning different subjects in a classroom with a teacher. My view of education does seem to differ to Russell's definition. His definition of education seems to be a way to differentiate the social classes of the world. A chance for the 'posh' people to show how superior they are to the lower class. He is implying that anyone that is poor cannot have had an education. This does seem to be true according to the play but maybe Russell was not picturing reality when he wrote 'Educating Rita'. His definition of education is not apparent in the reality that I live in so I cannot identify with him. To me, education is and always will be the gaining of knowledge, being taught and finding out about life. Our first impressions of Frank are rather negative, it is clear that he has a drinking problem and is obviously dissatisfied with his life. We learn from him that he is divorced and his present relationship is not an idealistic one. He is quite disrespectful and longs to have more free time to sit in the pub and drink. Examples of these are things like, 'Strange hours for this Open University

  • Word count: 1601
  • Level: GCSE
  • Subject: English
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Overview of the theme of love and kindness and the threats of these in all 4 plays of act one

Overview of the theme of love and kindness and the threats of these in all 4 plays of act one In this essay I will be portraying many different acts of emotion. Love and kindness can come very easily, but it's just as easy to endanger and threaten it. Each of my paragraphs will represent a different play. The first play is called 'Love is a many slendoured thing' by Alan Bleadsale. It's about two teenagers, Mickey and Dawn, who are set a project by their English teacher in which they have to work as a pair. Their target is to find out what 'young love' means to a number of people. Mickey has intended to spend his time watching his team Liverpool play at home. Mickey, throughout the play remains cynical towards Dawn and all girls. This is probably him feeling inadequate compared to the more mature and more confident Dawn. This is shown on the first page when Mickey says, "He made us sit next to a girl. A girl! Urgh!" This instantly shows his scepticism and curiosity towards the other sex. Later on Dawn and Mickey are having an argument about boys being less mature than girls. This is when Dawn makes a very significant remark, "No one in their right mind would fall in love with you." This instantly sets alarm bells of in the readers mind. This shows that Dawn has very intermit feelings towards Mickey and is trying to hide them. When the interview about 'young love' falls

  • Word count: 1264
  • Level: GCSE
  • Subject: English
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Blood Brothers Coursework

Blood Brothers Coursework 'Mickey! Don't shoot Eddie. He's your brother' The final scene of Blood Brothers by Willy Russell is one of dramatic impact and culmination, representing the intense tension which has developed previously throughout the play attributable to several climatic aspects, this is emphasised by the quote from the closing scene directing to ultimately the most significant instance of the entire play. In this essay I will discuss, as a director, how I would assemble this imperative last scene. To do so I will have to consider characterisation, the mood, themes, dramatic techniques and my intentions on how the audience should react, devising an awareness of social, historical and cultural contexts and influences. =- or play should be presented through precise instructions to those they manage. They must direct and organise the participants, through leadership and authority in order to produce an expressive piece. A director should also have the ability to create the effect needed for that particular aspect of the play. Plays of the same production differ, as the application of the director's influences and preferences alter the performance and distribute a realistic presentation portrayed in a variety of techniques. Furthermore good directors use lighting and scenery with an outstanding effect in a manner which prompts the audience's response. To allow a

  • Word count: 1894
  • Level: GCSE
  • Subject: English
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Understanding That Ignorance Isn't Bliss...

Understanding That Ignorance Isn't Bliss... In order to change the world, one must first change their mind about the world for it is impossible to change that which is not understood. Understanding is not natural instinct--it is a chosen activity. Things worth understanding in life must be worked at. In the book There Are No Children Here, by Alex Kotlowitz, the author dares to venture into the misunderstood lives of the tenants of the Henry Horner Homes. The opening chapter contains the following passage which, first introduces the theme of misunderstanding and ignorance and the menace it poses to those living in the projects: "The youngster had heard that the suburban bound commuters from behind the tinted train windows, would shoot at them for trespassing on the tracks. Some of the commuters had heard similar rumors about the neighborhood children and worried that, like the cardboard lions in a carnival shooting gallery, they might be the target of talented snipers. For both the boys and the commuters, the unknown was the enemy" (Kotlowitz 7). In this book the reader encounters two kinds of outside forces: those who attempt to understand the poverty stricken tenants and those who choose to not make an effort. If ignorance is bliss, it is also danger. In ignorance, priceless opportunities to change circumstances slip through fingers before even realizing what they hold.

  • Word count: 817
  • Level: GCSE
  • Subject: English
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Compare the characters of Mrs Kay and Mr Briggs from Willy Russell

Compare the characters of Mrs Kay and Mr Briggs from Willy Russell's Our Day Out. Whose style of teaching do you think is best for the progress Class? Mrs Kay believes being friendly to the kids is the best way to teach them. The kids in the progress class like Mrs Kay's way of teaching because Reilly a kid in the School says to Mrs Kay "You're ace miss". On the other hand there is Mr Briggs a strict typical inner City teacher. Who believes discipline is the best way to teach these kids in the progress class Because of Mr. Briggs strict approach towards the kids. The kids don't like Mr Briggs Less says "Arrogant get, that one is". Firstly, I am going to describe Mrs Kay and Mr Briggs's relationships with the pupils. Mrs Kay treats the children friendly and has a laugh and a joke with them "You are like an old woman come on then". Mr Briggs is much more formal and is like a typical teacher. He shouts at them more than any thing else "(shouting) shut up lad! (Pause) Is it any wonder that people won't do any thing for you?" Mrs Kay knows and understands the difficulties the kids in the progress class faces and she is sympathetic towards them, this has been shown in the play many times "it's a shame really isn't it, eh? We bring them to crumbling pile of bricks and mortar and they think they're in the fields of heavens". Mr Briggs doesn't know or understands the difficulties

  • Word count: 773
  • Level: GCSE
  • Subject: English
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Compare how Willy Russell portrays the two mothers in Blood Brothers. Account for the different reactions the audience will have to the two women throughout the play.

'Blood Brothers' Drama Coursework Compare how Willy Russell portrays the two mothers in Blood Brothers. Account for the different reactions the audience will have to the two women throughout the play. This essay will compare how Willy Russell portrays the two mothers in 'Blood Brothers' in the book and on the stage. It will have an account for the different reactions the audience will have to the two women throughout the play. Firstly, the play 'Blood Brothers' is set in post Second World War Liverpool between the nineteen fifties and ends around the nineteen seventies, a time when the image of being Marilyn Monroe was every girl's dream. It was also a time when people were striving to make ends meet because unemployment was high after the war. Within this time the play was set and this essay will also show how this backdrop will have an effect on the audience. In this musical, the playwright, Willy Russell, chooses to portray two contrasting women and significantly, two different mothers. Willy Russell writes the play in such a context with the intent to make individuals realise the effects of the class system on both mothers. The play looks at class effects and how people are able to live their lives because of what situations they are in. For example, on the one hand you have Mrs. Johnstone who lives in the poor end of Liverpool, struggling to bring up eight children

  • Word count: 2824
  • Level: GCSE
  • Subject: English
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Analyse part of the first chapter of 'Angela's ashes' written by Frank McCourt.

ANALYSIS OF A CHAPTER I am going to analyse part of the first chapter of Angela's ashes written by Frank McCourt the story it based on his childhood. The first words of the first chapter are, "My father and mother should have stayed in New York where they met and married and where I was born." The rest of the book follows his life from New York to Ireland. He then goes on to tell the reader. When he was four they moved to Ireland with his 3 brothers, he did have a sister but she had died. In this chapter it doesn't tell the reader how his sister died. Then in the next paragraph he starts to look back to his childhood and tells the reader how horrible it was by writing "when I look back on my childhood I wonder how I survived at all. It was of course a miserable childhood" just this sentence alone makes the reader feel sorry for this little boy. He goes on to tell the reader that the worst childhood is an Irish catholic childhood. "You have people moaning about their childhood, but in Ireland you have lots of poverty". His father was very lazy and an alcoholic. His mother was a devoted catholic who moaned quite a lot. The priests in Ireland were smug, arrogant and conceited. The schoolmasters threaten and bully their pupils. Frank also mentions that they didn't like the English because of what they had done to them for eight hundred long years (England ruled part of their

  • Word count: 1078
  • Level: GCSE
  • Subject: English
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Explain how class has eased problems for both Frank and Rita

Educating Rita Explain how class has eased problems for both Frank and Rita I think that class has caused all Rita's problems while Frank's class has eased his problems. I think Rita feels as though she's in the wrong class because of the way she is starting to feel about life. She wants more then is expected of her by everyone else in the same class as she is. She has been born into the working class, if there's something she's worried about, she's not meant to try and solve it she should just go out and buy herself a new dress or record. But Rita's had enough of doing that she wants to be able to stop ignoring the problem and start solving it instead. Rita uses a lot of slang words and phrases as she speaks. She also tends to swear in every other sentence. She says that the reason for doing this is to shock people. " I do it to shock them sometimes. Y' know when I'm in the hairdresser's- that's where I work- I'll say somethin' like, 'Oh, I'm really fucked', y' know, dead loud. It doesn't half cause a fuss." "God, I've had enough of this. It's borin', that's what it is, bloody borin'. This Forster, honest to God he doesn't half get on my tits." I wrote earlier about the expectations of a woman her age, which is get married, have a baby, and get a job. Rita is a hairdresser, which is a job, not a career. Women are not expected to get a career, I'm not even sure that the

  • Word count: 1256
  • Level: GCSE
  • Subject: English
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Examine the portrayal of cultural poverty in 'Saved' and 'The Wasp Factory'; how is it shown to effect the characters?

Examine the portrayal of cultural poverty in 'Saved' and 'The Wasp Factory'; how is it shown to effect the characters? In 'The Wasp Factory' and 'Saved' one obviously apparent theme is the lack of community spirit in the societies. In 'The Wasp Factory' there is no mention of a character who wonders why Frank isn't in school or doing things that other young men do. In 'Saved' there is no mention of anybody making any sort of judgement when Pam goes to meet Fred, somebody who has been jailed for the murder of her baby. Therefore it is important to look into the issue of cultural poverty, as it will make clearer why the characters are who they are and behave as they do. Obviously, 'Saved' is a play and 'The Wasp Factory' is a novel. As 'Saved' is a play the audience physically see characters' actions and emotions whereas Iain Banks has to use imagery. The effect of this is that the disturbing images in 'Saved' are there for the audience to see, initially making 'Saved' even more sickening. The setting for 'Saved' is on a bare stage so the plot seems extreme as the setting doesn't dilute the harsh actions and language used in the play but reinforces them. Although harsh actions and emotions are in 'The Wasp Factory' the setting of "empty beaches" softens these actions, contrasting them with the natural splendour in which they take place. Perhaps Bond is suggesting that his

  • Word count: 2572
  • Level: GCSE
  • Subject: English
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There are many themes used in 'Blood Brothers', the main ones being based on class and superstition

THE PLAY - IT'S SETTING AND BACKGROUND For those of studying the play at GCSE here is a some information on the text, background of the play, the author (Willy Russell) and it's themes, plot and setting. It's probably not much, but here it is if it's any use.... Setting: The play is set in Liverpool, 1962 and continues for around 20 years. Mrs Johnstone and her family live in a poor part of Liverpool in contrast Mr and Mrs Lyons live a comfortable life in the more comfortable end of town. Willy Russell (The Author): Willy Russell was born just outside Liverpool in Whiston, 1947. After leaving school with one English O-level, he then went on became a ladies hairdresser. In his spare time he would write comical songs but would never sing them in public until one night at his local pub, his friend put him up to sing, and for the first time sang a song he wrote about the 'Kirkby Estate' where he had his audience in 'gales of laughter'. From then on this became frequent. In the back of his mind he had always had the thought of writing a play. In 1972 'Blind Scouse' was premierd at the Endinbourgh Festival and later on he wrote many more which have become widley known such as 'Educating Rita' which was made into a film in 1981 starring Michael Cain and Julie Walters, 'Shirly Valentine' the screenplay written in 1990 starring Pauline Collins. 'Stags and Hens' which first

  • Word count: 865
  • Level: GCSE
  • Subject: English
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