However both of these initial characters change, whether they do so for better or for worse could be debated. Rita’s character changes immensely, she gains and loses so many aspects of her life. Her marriage demises, she loses her, “individuality,” or, “uniqueness,” as Frank calls it, she becomes similar to all the other students before her, nevertheless she gains many new opportunities and choices such as friends and jobs. She becomes increasingly confident throughout and her growing literary knowledge and understanding aids her when introducing herself to the, “proper students,” as she refers to them. Her range of knowledge develops and now she has no need to draw on literary references from the works of Rita Mae Brown but instead Lady Macbeth from Shakespeare which is an appropriate choice as Lady Macbeth pretended to be something that she was not as does Rita. Rita encounters problems within her marriage to Denny due to her quest for an education and knowledge. Rita’s marriage deteriorates because she challenges not only her place in society but her husband’s as well, in the sense that she is threatening his dominant role in the household due to her education and superior knowledge. Through Rita’s education, she loses her, “individuality,” and, “breeziness,” as in order to pass her exam well she must alter her views and style of writing to fit the demands of the educational system. When Frank does, “suppress, perhaps even abandon,” her, “uniqueness,” Rita’s views become the same as all the previous students. Her individuality is corrupted by the system of education, by her views having to become alike those of the other students because as Frank says, “a clever answer is not necessarily the correct answer.” Her change in this sense is finally proven when Frank lends her his poems to read. Rita returns full of praise for them and his skill whereas the old Rita would have called the poems pretentious rubbish. Most importantly, education has given her choice, when Frank asks her what she is going to do now that the exams are over she replies, “I dunno, I might go to France. I might go to me mother’s. I might even have a baby. I dunno. I’ll make a decision. I’ll choose. I dunno.” Not only has Rita gained opportunities but she has also gained a real understanding of life, her background and her education. She is still working – class but she has the ability to take what she wants from her education. Rita realizes that one can still remain an individual even if they are educated.
Frank’s character appears to change for the better, he is happier at the end of the play than at the start, he has gained a friend and like Rita gains new opportunities, however Frank also loses his job as a professor, which allows him to take up the new opportunity which has become available to him. At the end of the play frank is given a fresh start due to the loss of his job, he is moving to Australia a place where, “things are just beginning,” and leaving, “a place that’s just finishing,” by which he means that he has exhausted all possibilities for himself in Britain and he needs freedom and a new beginning and he may as well leave now when Margaret Thatcher is coming into power.
Not only are Frank’s gains and losses portrayed through speech but also through the drama of the play. The phone call, which he makes to find Rita to inform her of her exam results show that he genuinely cares for her as a friend and is concerned about her. The dress which he has bought for her has acted as a metaphor of reform and superficial change throughout the play shows that frank regards Rita with tenderness and affection. Frank even has the courage to ask Rita to leave with him to Australia, also showing his feelings of warmth and friendship towards her. His hair cut from Rita in the last scene signifies Frank’s new beginnings without Rita or any other student involved.
Rita’s changes are supported by her entrances into Frank’s room at the start of every scene, from struggling to enter as Rita, a woman searching for her identity, to flouncing and bursting in through the door and then to knocking politely before entering as Susan a, “real student.” Her search for her self is shown in the play by her attempt to alter her voice at the suggestion of Trish, her flatmate. The hair cut that she gives Frank in the ultimate scene of the play illustrates her wish to repay Frank in some way for giving her choices to choose from for the first time and also that she is genuinely fond of Frank. The most significant change in Rita’s character affects both herself and Frank. Rita has changed from being her true and unique self to develop into a, “proper student.” This is shown when Frank, having been sacked for being drunk during his lectures, enters his room, drunk, to find Rita sitting in the swivel chair waiting for him. The swivel chair has been a symbol of power and authority throughout the play. Rita then, for the first time, agrees with the students instead of with Frank and says, “Even if y’ don’t think about yourself, what about the students?” This shows wish for independence from everyone including Frank and emphasizes her change from, “funny and breezy,” Rita to a new and serious Susan.
Both Rita and Frank change from each educating the other and their mutual relationship. Both ending up with new choices and fresh beginnings to consider and choose from. Rita emerges at the end of the play as confident, articulate character, who is perfectly at ease with herself. Whilst Frank develops into a more contented and enthusiastic man, free from all responsibilities.