“But I don´t want to be myself. Me? What’s me? Some stupid woman who gives us all a laugh because she thinks she can learn, because she thinks that one day she’ll be like the rest of them…”
Rita didn’t go to Frank’s party because she considers herself different; she thinks she is not up to the level expected by Frank’s social class; what is inherent of her is not good enough for social expectations. We have been presented throughout the play with the same Rita’s attitude, she is always placing herself down, and she doesn’t not consider her value (nor as a student, nor as a woman). In Rita’s case, she believes that being brought up in “limited” surroundings makes her unable to share a dinner with professors and educated people.
What Frank needs to have done was taking into consideration Rita’s feelings, since it was not the first time that her prejudices limit her actions.
To me, it is important that teachers realize what students believe they are expected to do. No matter if it is not explicit; students always know that the school community and the society expect something from them. Not only teachers but society generate certain standards for students, whenever they fill unable to fulfill that standard they may have several reactions (such as alienate themselves, misbehavior or frustration).
Have you ever heard about Pygmalion effect in the classroom? Click here to learn more about it.
Rita didn’t go to Frank’s party because she considers herself different; she thinks she is not up to the level expected by Frank’s social class; what is inherent of her is not good enough for social expectations. We have been presented throughout the play with the same Rita’s attitude, she is always placing herself down, and she doesn’t not consider her value (nor as a student, nor as a woman). In Rita’s case, she believes that being brought up in “limited” surroundings makes her unable to share a dinner with professors and educated people.
What Frank needs to have done was taking into consideration Rita’s feelings, since it was not the first time that her prejudices limit her actions.
To me, it is important that teachers realize what students believe they are expected to do. No matter if it is not explicit; students always know that the school community and the society expect something from them. Not only teachers but society generate certain standards for students, whenever they fill unable to fulfill that standard they may have several reactions (such as alienate themselves, misbehavior or frustration).
Have you ever heard about Pygmalion effect in the classroom? Click here to learn more about it.
2 comments:
Hi Yoha!
Possibly you remember from our discussions on development of the Self (last year in Psychology), that the labels we give ourselves (" Some stupid woman who gives us all a laugh...")are but mirrors of the labels we think others give us... How might Rita have come to see her in this way, I wonder?
You then go on to mention the Pygmalion effect (most interesting article linked, BTW!)... In your view, is Frank reinforcing or weakening expectations other adults might have had about Rita (during her childhood, for instance)?
Kisses,
Gladys
Hi Gla!
I consider that Rita has a very low self-esteem and that leads to the image she thinks people have about her. I had experienced it myself and no matter what everybody says to you, you still see yourself as a stereotype (e.g. in Rita’s case, " Some stupid woman who gives us all a laugh...")
Frank is weakening what the rest might have thought about Rita throughout her life. He believes in her and her potential. I hope he will be able to express it better later on in the play.
Thanks again for commenting and making me remember “myself”!
LOL
Yohi
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