After reading "Educating Rita," I was struck by the notion that although Frank

was the one who guided Rita into a new world, it became apparent that he
shared striking similarities with Denny, who had tried to persuade her to stay in
her old world. Hence, this analysis aims to demonstrate why I believe Frank
and Denny are similar.
The first significant similarity that caught my attention was their shared
fondness for certain things. For instance, it was observed that Frank preferred
going to the pub over spending time with his girlfriend or teaching, as was
evident in the first scene when he prioritized the pub over Julia's invitation for
dinner. Here he also mentioned that he is unable to teach when the pubs are
open. Similarly, Denny believed that going to the pub was one of their best
options, as suggested when Rita said that he thought they had a choice
because they could go to a pub that sold eight different kinds of larger.
Furthermore, on multiple occasions, Frank and Denny attempted to persuade
Rita to join them at the pub instead of focusing on her studies.
Another interest they had in common was their preference for a companion
who embodied the role of a devoted housewife. Denny overtly tries to push
Rita to conform to this mold, while Frank would rather Julia were a devoted
companion so that he could come and go wherever he pleased. Above all, I
think It's worth considering that if Rita had become Frank's new partner, she
could have met a similar fate as Julia.
The second similarity I saw was their reluctance towards Rita's desire for
change. Denny became furious to the point of burning her books, while Frank
experienced a sense of sadness, fearing that she might lose her essence.
This resistance to her change could have been driven by various factors. For
Denny, I think he had fallen in love with a girl who seemed content with their
way of life and uninterested in education, making Rita's pursuit of knowledge
and a different lifestyle feel like betrayal since this could also mean she
wanted to change him. In like manner, Frank might have believed that the
more she became like his other students, the more she would see his flaws.
Additionally, this disapproval of change might have stemmed from jealousy, as
Denny became suspicious of Rita having an affair, and Frank avoided
discussing Rita's encounters with Tiger.
A third notable similarity between Denny and Frank was that they remained
static characters throughout the play. As Rita pointed out Denny's controlling
behavior and unfounded suspicions of infidelity, it is assumed that he is a
jealous and unsupportive husband, who clung to his irrational resistance to
Ritas education until the very end, contributing to Rita's decision to leave him.
Frank, on the other hand, appeared to have transformed his attitude towards
teaching, largely due to Rita's influence. Nonetheless, this newfound passion
was not transmitted to the other people in his life; in the eyes of the rest of his
students and his partner, he remained the same Frank who couldn't stand
being with them for more than necessary. Alongside this, he not only did not
question his drinking habits besides what Rita said to him but almost lost his
job because of it.
It is evident that both men struggled to change, in contrast to Rita, who
underwent a process of self-discovery and growth. Nevertheless, perhaps, the
ending of the play could signify the potential for new beginnings for Denny and
Frank, as it is high time they changed their lives.
Overall, the aim was to shed light on the shared traits between these two men,
from their leisure activities and preferences for companions to their reluctance
to embrace Rita's transformation. As well as how they represented static
characters within the play, while Rita's journey unfolded with continuous
self-improvement and discovery.