First watch clip #1 and, using concepts borrowed from Gee and Cuddy, analyze what you see happening in the film. Consider the following questions, for example:

  • What is the “dominant secondary Discourse” at work in the film? What are some its features? Note that there might be more than one at work.
  • How can we tell that Rita isn’t fluent in this Discourse? What details (for example, in her “saying-doing”) reflect her difference from Dr. Byrant?
  • What might Amy Cuddy observe about each character’s body language? How does their body language compare to what they are saying?
  • For Gee, Discourse entails “being-valuing-believing” as well as what we say and do. What values do the characters name or express explicitly? What others values are implied and how can you tell?

Rita talks a lot, she is extremely impulsive speaker. She says “I don’t get to talk to people like you” inferring she hasn’t  talk to an educator in a long time possibly.  “Cowards for wanting to quit smoking.” Her viewpoint is bias because she loves to smoke. She doesn’t believe someone can get cancer from smoking. You will probably object that i have misrepresented Rita’s character with these examples, I concede that Rita never says she doesn’t believe it could be bad for someones health, never the less, she isn’t progressive accept the effects of long term tobacco use.

“gotta do it from the inside like i wanna learn” she wants to be confident

” I dont want another tutor”   “looking like a Jeriatric hippy”-humorous

Dominant secondary discourse is Rita attempting to get the professor to tutor her and to become a student at this university. She wants to enter a apprenticeship.

We can tell Rita isn’t fluent in this discourse is because of the way she opens up about how she hasn’t been to school in years. “I’m slightly out of step” referring to how long it’s probably been since she was in school. Another example she mention is that she’s 26 years old. An experienced writer would probably object that I don’t provide enough examples from the movie to make that assumption about Rita. Maybe she has been to college and is a few years out.

Her body language was very confident which is in conflict with how she really feels. She constantly walked around and never stopped talking, her body language suggested that she has command of the room. Some readers may challenge my view by insisting that Her body language was very shy, which is in agreement with how she really feels. Throughout the film there were instances where Rita’s body language was timid. But overall I thought she was outgoing and strong willed.

Another example is her smoking and drinking. She enjoys cigarettes and alcohol and seems to be very open and talkative, even to people she doesn’t know. But is my proposal realistic? I assume so from what I’ve seen from Rita. What are the chances Rita is a heavy drinker and smoker? Very high.

Although I must say my few examples can be limiting in terms of forming an opinion of Rita, I still believe There are concrete quotes which begins to explain Rita’s character and attempt to enter a discourse.