She found there was a bigger world than pubs and hairdressing and a small marriage to a small man. But she gave up pubs, and hairdressing and her marriage to that man.

Rita’s moving into Frank’s world broadened her horizons but it also shows that along with experience comes the loss of innocence. I would give an analogy to William Blake’s “Songs of Innocence” and “Songs of Experience.” I believe in the film, it shows that in order to grow, one experiences some inner struggle and pain. For Rita, I believe it clearly was worth it because she was emotionally and mentally dead where she was, just as Frank was emotionally and mentally dead where he was. Both of them grew and learned from each other. I think that was the purpose of the film. By educating Rita, Frank also attained an education and a rebirth of sorts.

Rita lost more than her small world and her marriage. She lost her innocence. Rita thought knowledge would be ennobling and that understanding Ibsen and appreciating Mahler would always make people better. Sometimes it just makes them snobs. She can’t go home again … but the world she is headed for is no longer honest or clean. This makes Rita a Rolling Stone, with no direction known …

She changed her life, but her husband was a good guy, there is nothing wrong with being a hairdresser and having little education. She worked hard and by the end (I’ve only seen the movie) was happy.