Rita keeps on trying to find out what the world has to offer. She goes to the theatre on her own and Alas! she loves it! She hasn't chosen any given play, but Macbeth... she's so fascinated with the plot that she wants to write an essay on the play... though first she'll have to stop to think what she wants to say. Rita finds in her own language many expressions to describe how she feels towards the play, words she'd never be able to use in an academic paper! She's so pleased with the world that is unfolding before her that she finds it difficult to explain exactly how she feels...
Her relationship with Frank continues to develop in such a way that she goes to see him on a day she's not supposed to just to tell him about her experience! They're beginnig to trust each other, they even want to spend more time together doing different activities: going for lunch, going to the art gallery and the like. Frank is enthusiastic about Rita's interest in literature and even explains the difference between a tragedy, from the point of view of literature, and a tragic event in real life... Rita takes for granted that "proper" students know all about that... she still looks up to them because they know better than her. But Rita's eagerness to discover this new world takes over her whole self and leads her to explore this world the way a newly-born human being does it...
skip to main |
skip to sidebar
Towards the development of ethical thinking
Celebrating with those I love!
3 comments:
Hi Andrea!
Two questions on the language Rita chooses for her essay at first:
1. You write "finds in her own language...words she'd never be able to use in an academic paper". I ask you: who sets the standards for such papers? Is that right? (do not miss our class wiki page on the origins of Standard English"!). And isn't it interesting you've suggested this language would be "foreing" (ie "not her own") to Rita, and thus not really part of her identity?
2. To what extent does academic language (school?) have to do with feelings, which are what Rita is eager to discuss?
I'll be looking forward to hearing your answers!
Big hug,
Gladys
I think that examiners set standars for those papers... generally exams have to comply with Standard English, i.e. that English accepted by the higher classes of society, a class Rita doesn't belong to. It's a kind of artificial, even posh language! That is probably why Rita is uneasy when she has to use it: it's not useful for her as she wants to discuss how she feels towards this whole new experience!
Hope I've answered your questions!
Andre
Well said, Andrea! so you've put it in black and white: academic standards are basically a matter of politics... Mind you: historically, it was not high classes who cared about school (they didn't need degrees to make their way in life, you see?), but middle classes...
Now, as a teacher, it's your turn to ask yourself (after Paulo Freire): "in favour of whom am I being a teacher?"... and make your choices!
LOL,
Gladys
Post a Comment