Rita burst through the door out of breath...

Rita could not hold her excitement after having gone to the theatre, so as she abruptly entered the room she gasped: “I´ve gorra tell someone…” “I went to the theatre!” She does not reflect upon what her word choice is to express her thrill. Her words seem to burst out of her mouth like an uncontrollable flaw. “It was bleedin´ great, honest, ogh, it done me in, it was fantastic. I´m gonna do an essay on it.” Feelings and language are closely connected, the way we express what we feel is an echo of our identity, but we also need to learn how to adapt our linguistic forms according to the context in which we are immersed. For example, if Rita expressed her opinion about the play in an essay using the same register she used with Frank, the essay would be cosidered “incorrect.” Rita was never given the opportunity to learn this before, so the only way she knows to express her feelings towards anything is by using colloquial vocabulary.

“The key to success is often the ability to adapt”

Chase your Passion

“I´m busy enough findin´meself,…” “ I´ve begun to find me_an´ it´s great y´ know…” “It might sound selfish but all I want for the time bein´ is what I´m findin´ inside me.”

Without any doubt, this course is changing Rita´s life as it is helping her to find something within herself that she did not know for sure it existed, but I´ m sure that deep down her heart she sensed it was there. It is her other self, that part of her that she has always felt as missing.
Rita said: “Art and Literature… are providin´ me with life itself.” Wow! She must love studying Art and Literature. I can imagine her face expressions, her thrill, her passion when reading or writing something new, and I could see that passion and excitement when she was getting ready to leave for the theatre. I’ve always admired those people who do what their job or what they love with sheer passion, those are the ones who are always successful in life, this does not mean life it´s easy for them though! Passion gives you determination, self -satisfaction, strength and willpower. In my personal life, I try to do everything I like with passion and at the same time to enjoy what I am being given the opportunity to learn or teach. I don’t know if I am good or bad at what I do, but I constantly try to make the most of it and learn from everything, because after all… we will be learning something new until our last day on Earth.

In the book of life, the answers aren't in the back.

Why does Frank tell Rita the story of the theology student?

Frank pointed out the anecdote of the theology student to Rita to illustrate his remark: “…a clever answer is not necessarily the correct answer.” Rita had been witty when answering his previous question on her essay, but she failed to understand that in the context in which she was now immersed other parameters would be taken into consideration when deciding which mark her essay should be given. So, though her answer was not precisely incorrect, it would have meant a failure in her essay due to her not following the necessary “rules” when writing an academic paper. These rules are what Frank is going to teach her in the course of her studies since what Rita essentially needs is not content knowledge but guidance. I’m sure, she will discover the rest by herself… I found it interesting the way Frank tries to guide her train of thought, helping her to spot the connections so as to build a rich support for her essay. I must say he is very patient, and I am also sure he knows Rita has a big potential and that she has what’s needed to be an excellent student.