Programme of Study (About Educating Rita) - Part 2

Now, it is the moment for analysing one excerpt taken from this beautiful story (Act 1 - Scene 4; pages 47-8). This excerpt is a speech made by Rita which referred to her views upon her family and all the people in the working class.
Rita said: "Cos there's not meanin'(...) But the thing is that now, I mean now that most of them have got some sort of house an' there's food an' money around, they know they are better off but, honest, they know they've nothin' as well. There is like this sort of desease, but no one mentions it; everyone behaves as though it's normal... There's something wrong. An' like the worst thing is that y' know the people who are supposed to represent the people on our state, y' know the Daily Mirror an' the Sun, an' ITV an' the Unions, what are they tellin' people to do? They just tell them to go out an' get more money. But they don't want more money; it's like me, isn't it? Y' know, buyin' new dresses all the time (...) so that the desease is always covered up."
Now the question is about what all this reveals and tells us about Rita's character, ideas and motivation... First of all, since we know that she is from the working class, we almost immediately learn from these lines that she is not like the ones she describes here as belonging to this class...We know that Rita is different because of her realising about what is going on in their lives and her wanting to change it...she wants to cure the desease, at least in her own self, for she wants to get an education since she know it is the only way in which she would attain that life she wants...Being aware of the fact that buying things and consuming new products all the time is not all about life is what makes Rita unique and so eager to fight for her wish of changing her life; all these thoughts, beliefs and ideas are her motivation to go on working hard and against all odds in order to achieve her goal...By the power of her words in this speech, we realise that Rita will not surrender easily and would give her best for preventing her falling in such an empty and aimless way of living, which reminds me of something she said earlier in Scene 2: 'Is this the absolute maximum I can expect from this livin' lark?'
Finally, regarding Frank's reaction to her words, I think that it helped Rita's becoming aware of the power of her words and her thoughts as well as the power she has to change her world! By asking her 'why didn't you take a course in politics?' I think that Frank encouraged her to go on talking, thinkg and reflecting upon her reality and the fact that, as politics are supposed to be of help in changing and improving our lives, she can improve her own life by means of reflecting upon what she feels is going wrong and doing her best to find the way of changing it...And she has already started! Her interest, desire to know, curiosity, dedication, hard work and eagerness to change her life have encourage her to ask, reflect, learn and criticise...
She is on the way to a wonderful education, isn't she?