‘Educating Rita’ consists of two characters: Frank and Rita. Frank is from the mid-upper class, the individuals who have tertiary education and are sophisticated, in which Rita aspires to be like. Rita is a woman who has the motivation and desire to pursue an education and leave the social working class behind. The play is set in Frank’s office to display the intense focus of direct exchange of dialogue; where the two characters meet.
The play begins with Frank revealing that he is not looking forward to teaching an Open University student who is coming, “I shall need to wash away the memory of … [whatever] it is we’re supposed to study on this course”. When Rita is questioned by Frank as to why she enrolled, she naively reveals, “Because I wanna know everything”. Rita knows she lacks the knowledge to understand and comprehend which is why she wants to learn “everything”. …show more content…
Rita has achieved confidence in her and her ability to choose the direction she wants to follow. She credits Frank with helping her to get to this point, which is why she thanks him for being “a good teacher”. Rita decides to give frank something before he goes as she says “ I’m gonna take ten years of you “this metaphor shows how Rita is trying to take away all the things that are holding him back. Rita's growth in education changes through act II as she becomes more confident about herself, education and her choices as her Liverpudlian accent changes and she starts to talk properly and decides to go back to her old name