Frank ultimately proves to everyone that he not only is an appealing teacher but also a pathetic drunkard when he walks into the lesson drunk and starts insults not only the students but also famous authors. Frank’s drinking problems are actually revealed from the very beginning because “Educating Rita” begins with Frank searching frantically in his bookcase, muttering the names of famous authors as he searches for what we think to be a book. However, to our surprise, Frank pulls out a bottle of Whisky and pours himself a drink. This straight away tells us that Frank perhaps has a drinking problem. Another scene which deals with Frank’s alcohol problems is that when we find out that he hides a bottle of alcohol behind almost every book and when Rita sees this and tries to discourage him from doing so, he shouts at her and tells her to get out of his office. Rita’s only mistake was caring too much and trying to help a man like Frank.
Having mentioned all this, Frank can also be seen as a great inspiration to Rita. Many references of this are displayed. In Act One, Scene Six, Frank explains to Rita the meaning of tragedy. By this stage of the movie, he has mastered a way of explaining things to Rita in a way she will comprehend. He explains so clearly and thoroughly that eventually the results of his good teaching appear to have a positive affect on essays. He has the skill to teach her in a very thought provoking manner, entangling questions such as If I asked you to make a comparison between those books, into casual conversation between the pair.
Frank’s non-conformist teaching methods are apparent through out the movie. We see in Act Two, Scene Two that Frank is prepared to teach Rita outside his allocated teaching time. Although Rita has already began to show signs of drastic change and the less need for him, Frank is still prepared to put down marking essays to have a discussion with her about Son and Lovers.
Rita finds a very attentive listener in Frank. She has someone whom she can tell all her problems and woes to. Rita also finds Frank an inspiration because he knows everything and is quite content to verbalize his opinions of her situations to her. Frank is obviously also pleased to have someone like Rita to pass opinions to. Act Two, Scene Four shows how he becomes jealous and upset when she confides less in him; It struck me that there was a time when you told me everything.
At the beginning of the movie, Frank tells us that he is an appalling teacher. Throughout the movie, we can see that Frank shows various characteristics that put him a bad light. Perhaps this is due to our pre-conception of him from Act One, Scene One. Yet, contrary to this, his non-conformist approach to teaching Rita obviously has had its effect on Rita, because we can see her change through out the movie. Although it can be argued that this change was not necessarily for the better. Frank sees that Rita is losing her views that he initially found most appealing about her. Yet, to Rita, the change is the one she had longed for and her wish was in effect granted for she did succeed in passing her examinations by the end of the movie.
Overall, I believe that Frank is a good teacher and an inspiration to Rita; he has the important quality of explaining concepts to her in a thought provoking and clear way in which she will understand. Some of his teaching methods are controversial, yet all this ties together to bring out the best in Rita, which is what was the initial goal that was successfully achieved.
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Bibliography:
“Educating Rita” the play, for the all the quotes used in this essay.
