Frank uses very formal, proper English when he speaks and uses a good range of vocabulary. An example of this would be
“But the term ‘beautiful’ covers the many feelings I have about that picture, including the feeling that, yes it is erotic.”
This shows that Frank’s speech is using good, formal English and a range of vocabulary.
Franks speaks very confidently and fluently which shows that he had a good upbringing and has been well educated. A quote that shows him speaking with confidence and fluency is:
“Ah. Now there’s a question. Will you have another drink?”
This shows that Frank is a middle class serious, professional who although has a serious drinking problem is enthusiastic about his job.
Rita has a very regional accent which can often lead people to think that she has little or no intelligence. An example of this from the play would be;
“It is supposed to be erotic? I mean when he painted it do y’ think he wanted to turn people on?”
From this the audience can deduce that Rita’s lower class background disables her from absorbing the intellectual qualities of the picture that she sees as crude.
As Rita becomes more educated she struggles to find the words to express her new outlook on life. In the play this is obvious when Rita says:
“I am talking properly. I have to practise constantly, in everyday situations.”
At this point Rita seems to be confused about her social status and wants to try and move into the upper class society, but she doesn’t have the ability or money to be able to leave her lower class lifestyle behind her.
When Rita starts her tutoring she often uses vulgar language in general conversation. A good example of her swearing is;
“oh, I’m really fucked’, y’ know dead loud. It doesn’t half cause a fuss”
Willy Russell uses expletives in Rita’s language to show that she has become very familiar with using these words in everyday situations and doesn’t feel conscious because the company she keeps all use vulgar language.
When Rita says things wrong she makes comments that put her down and show a low self esteem, even though she does this she is very motivated to learn. The audience can see this because she says things like;
“I’m dead serious. Look, I know I take the piss an’ that but I’m dead serious really. I take the piss because I’m not, y’ know, confident like, but I wanna be, honest”
The quote shows the audience that Rita lacks confidence but wants to build her character to have more self esteem and confidence. It also supports my earlier comments on her swearing and uneducated way of speaking.
When Frank starts to gain knowledge of about Rita he starts to appreciate that she is a breath of fresh air to him because she is enthusiastic to learn, a very animated character and has formed her own strong opinions on society.
When Rita first enters the tutors room she struggles with the door and almost falls through it, the second time she comes she brings a oiling can to fix the door which shows a improvement in her commonsense and the third time she comes in she flows easily through the door, this shows her becoming more educated as the play goes on.
When Frank and Rita first meet they find it very easy to talk to each other and the conversations are very personal and open, this might be because Rita doesn’t yet understand that it is rude to ask personal questions to someone you little know in case you offend them somehow.
Frank often quotes from plays such as Macbeth which totally throws Rita and shows the difference in upbringing and level of education each had received throughout their lives.
Rita and Frank often talk about life to try and see life in the prospective of each others class in society which helps them to understand each other a little better.
While Frank is speaking he often pauses and acts as if what he is saying isn’t important or he isn’t concerned in whether or not Rita is taking any of what he is saying in, this shows that he is lazy and shows little or no interest in his job as a teacher.
Frank and Rita’s relationship changes throughout the play because at the start Rita is dependant on Frank to help her become educated but after Rita goes away for the summer to a summer school she returns and finds she doesn’t need Franks tutoring anymore this is when Frank realises that he has become dependant on Rita to keep him going. That shows that their roles in their relationship has swapped throughout the play but Frank doesn’t want to let her go so he asks her to marry him but she declines, he also buys her a dress because she said that when she became educated she wanted to buy herself a dress.
