In Act 1 Scene 3 Rita starts to realise how she will have to change. She submits her first opinion on a piece of literature. She is looking at Howard’s End by E.M Forster. This book, which is considered a masterpiece by Frank, Rita finds boring. Her essay is not up to standard, Frank tells her how she should change her essay and bring in other authors. When she brings in other authors who Frank has not heard of he insults her. This helps her realise that maybe even the old books she used to read are not acceptable in her “new life”.
After this Rita’s understanding becomes better. She starts to take her essays more seriously and writing what the examiners will want, rather than writing what she always thinks. This shows a subtle change in her character and how she is moving and changing into a more educated person. When she visits the theatre to watch Macbeth for the first time she is really excited. She si very impressed with the play and the writer shows us that maybe even though she enjoyed the performance, a hint of her original character is shown when she asks the questions about the differences between tragic and tragedy. It makes an interesting contrast to her “know it all” character near the end of the play. She is in the process of learning but is still not here.
In Act 1 Scene 7 Rita is invited to go to Frank’s for dinner. She decides not to go. Rita doesn’t visit the party because she feels that she doesn’t fit in. She feels that she should be back at home or down the pub with the rest of her family where she is expected to go. She sees herself as being “wrong”. Even the wine she brings she feels doesn’t fit in. She also mentions that she doesn’t want to “play the court jester”. Maybe she slightly feels that she would be amusement and entertainment for the night because she is not like the other guests. This following scene is almost like a turning point for Rita. It is significant to show how Rita is changing, When Denny gives her an ultimatum, she goes for the more difficult option and leave shim. This shows her strength. It is almost as if she is growing up.
The following Act shows very obviously that this is a complete turning point for Rita. It is almost as if the transition between Acts has been a long gap where Rita has changed a lot. We do not see this happening but we do see and hear the results. She has been staying at Summer School and has learnt a lot. She now lives in a flat with a friend, but it is the less physical changes of attitude and character that are most important. The time spent at Summer School has a major impact on Rita. We can see the effects in scene 1. Some changes are positive, for example her deeper understanding of some authors and poets, especially Chekov whom she talks about a lot. There are also some negative changes, as she is now almost a different person to before and isn’t hardly her character anymore. Not as funny or witty or bold. Frank’s view of Rita is also changing somewhat, as he calls her a nickname “my dear” at one point. This shows he is probably feeling closer to her and feels as if he has nurtured her learning more.
In the following part of the play we can see Rita’s confidence come back in a different form. She can now talk about literature confidently with the other students and this is further revealed when her and Frank have an argument about the interpretation of a poem my Blake. Rita takes the students view that the poem is about sexuality whereas Frank holds to his own view that the poem is a child-like interpretation of the blossom of the tree. Frank is somewhat shocked by this because he feels that Rita’s mind is more independent and maybe doesn’t require him to tell her what to say as much. He also starts to find it more difficult to cope with the “new” Rita. He has developed her potential but maybe he now feels he has changed her. There now becomes a crisis between the pair and their relationship changes. The cause of the first argument is the poetry that Frank he given Rita to criticise. He doesn’t not agree with her interpretation and view of it. She tells him that he is not able to accept that she has changed for the better since he first met her. But is it for the better or worse? Or is it just the same?
In the final scenes of the production we are shown that Frank and Rita are both going to embark on different stages of their lives. Frank is preparing to leave for Australia and Rita, after passing her exams, is deciding which move to make and which direction her life could take. You can see now that Rita is able to make decisions for herself, and this is probably one of the most important changes she has made throughout the play. In conclusion, I personally think that Rita has not changed for better or for worse. I think she has simply changed, and there is no way anyone can be put to blame for this change of praised for it. She has become a different person in herself, but rather than “finding a better song to sing” she has simply only found a different tune in life.
