Educeting Rita

This elective examines how various texts represent stages of growing up and maturation. This is a transitional phase, marked by broad challenges, opportunities and relationships. It has long been described as a `rite of passage`, a time of change and adaptation from one world of experience into another. The process of entering a broader world often involes risks, yet it can also be benificial. The worlds that can be encountered are varied and people the world over, cope with the pressures of moving out `into the world` in unique and individual ways.
There are a variety of pathways and elements, which enables individual transition into a New World. ‘Into the World’ is about people choosing the next pathway into their life by their own determination, experiences and support which enables them to go beyond their original location and narrow view of the world.This is clearly demonstrated in the play Educating Rita, by Willy Russell, where Rita’s growth and change comes about with her education and experiences in her social, working-class life. A passage from "A Patch Of Blue” by Elizabeth Kata also demonstrate how new stages of experience can bring about risks and benefits in one’s life leading to a transition into a broader world.
Growth and change often comes about when new stages of experience allow a transition ‘into the world’. This is illustrated in Educating Rita as Rita grows with knowledge and changes as a result of moving into the world of education and middle-class society. The changes made in Rita’s life include her name, from Susan to Rita after her favourite author. We also see Rita leave her husband Denny and her social class pressures, slowly gain confidence in herself to associate with ‘proper’ students and her views on Frank, her tutor. Rita desires to ‘know’ and expects Frank to teach her ‘everything’ in order to have choice and direction in her life, ‘I wanna discover meself’. Her desire and resolve for better opportunities in life