Rita is meant to represent a working class woman trying to move into the Middle Class through an education.
Frank represents a middle class man whom interestingly has the pub and alcohol has a high priority in his life, which is a typical working class value. This could represent the barriers between classes slowly breaking down.
Franks office or study is on the first floor: “ a room on the first floor”. This means Rita has to walk up the stairs to get to Frank and the middle class. The university is old: “ Victorian built” This is to symbolise the strength of the university in society.
The room is filled with books: “ The walls are lined with books.” This shows that Frank is constantly surrounded by knowledge. It also put emphasis on the fact that it is a place of knowledge and that it is a alien environment to Rita.
Franks is a drinker: “ Reveal a bottle of whisky”. The fact that Frank is hiding his drinking is to hide the fact that he is very slowly sinking back in to the working class.
Rita is inquisitive: “She wanders around the room” Rita wanders round the room because she is curious about the new room and the new class.
Rita does want to change. For she says: “if you want to change you have to do it on the inside don’t you?” Rita means that if she can make herself smarter and change her personality she will be a better person. She wants to find herself. “I’ve been realising for ages that I am slightly out of step. I am twenty-six. I should have had a baby by now everyone expects it” This shows that she grew up expecting that she would marry then have kids and nothing else.
Frank uses sophisticated and standard English where as Rita uses improper English. For Example Frank says: “But the term beautiful can covet the many feelings that I have about that picture including that it is yes erotic.” This short paragraph shows his sophisticated language and also shows he is in the middle class. In sharp contrast Rita says: “so y’ switch it of an’ say that’s fuckin’ rubbish.” This shows that Rita shortens her words and swears but it also shows us her Liverpool accent; a traditional working class accent.
Rita watches ITV , a traditional working class channel. Frank watches the BBC, a traditional middle class channel. It is shown by Rita saying: “ Its all BBC with you, isn’t it?” This shows that Rita is in the working class and Frank in the Middle Class.
Frank does not know about Charlies Angels. “she used to be with Charlies Angels FRANK Remains Blank” Frank hasn’t heard of Charlies Angels I think it is because he didn’t want to see women becoming independent. Also when Rita refers to Frank as a “Flora Man.” Frank doesn’t know what Rita is talking about. This shows that Frank is in the Middle Class because as Rita says Flora was for “people like you who eat pebble dashed bread.” This is obviously showing the class difference between Frank and Rita.
All throughout Educating Rita the sharp contrast between Frank’s class and Rita’s Class is blatantly shown through language, actions and the way the speak. Willy Russell not only shows the differences in the classes but he shows he has a full understanding of the classes in the seventies.
By Sarah Doyle
