Educating Rita, Analysis of First Scene

Educating Rita

-To analyse the effectiveness of the opening scene in Educating Rita.

The 1980s. A time when women were degraded, undermined, and brought down. A time of class division and continuous struggle for success within the working class. Throughout the 1980s girls were discouraged to go on to further education. It was deemed to be pointless, not only for females, but, the working class as a whole. It was thought many of those in the working class would not go on to obtain a job requiring a high level of skill; therefore education was not seen as a priority. The play writer: Willy Russell, reflected his own character and personality through 'Rita'; he, also from a working class background, was in the same position as Rita is to begin with. A dead end job, simply longing for some depth, and meaning to life, wanting to better herself through means of education. The success of the opening scene was the result of Russell having to focus on dramatic devices, language use and contrast in his two main characters; Rita and Frank.

Firstly, Willy Russell uses numerous dramatic devices within his opening scene to introduce us to both characters; by the way each presents and carries themselves within this scene, we get an insight into their personality. For example: Rita's struggle to get through the door, “I'm comin' in aren't I? It's that stupid bleedin' handle on the door. You wanna get it fixed!” Rita's struggle to get through the door could be a metaphor for how she's going to struggle to get into the educated world. However, this contrasts to later in the story when Rita returns from summer school, finally an 'educated' woman, and enters the door with ease.   Alternatively, the fact Rita eventually enters the first time round, putting aside her struggle, could portray her determination to better herself. Furthermore, this 'struggle' could be referring to the class barrier Rita is to overcome before she is even considered 'educated'. This invisible...