“She what?” She can’t, she said the agreement is void? He does flaunt his academic power, and he does unintentionally demean Carol by shouting, “Sit down!” and by physically trying to urge her to stay and finish their conversation. At first, Carol hints at how uncomfortable she is with John's actions but cannot seem to put words to her specific feelings. These tenuous allegations, which John refers to as "political correctness," call the reader's trust of Carol into question as the play continues. From his perch in the classroom, John can critique the power of professors, but when his power is actually challenged and threatened by a student, he is bewildered and angry. John's statement makes clear that he does not understand Carol's central problem— namely, that she does not understand his opinions or language and needs clarification. Sentences fly, inner thoughts revealed and motives change with hair-pin precision." Is the professor attracted to her in Act One? Throughout the play, Carol and John's conversations are frequently interrupted, and they constantly seem to be unable to understand each other. It is also difficult to say whether she undergoes what could be interpreted as character growth, evolving from a seemingly victimized and vulnerable position to taking on the role of a persecutor.

Ultimately, Carol exposes John's privilege and hypocrisy, leading him to face the consequences of his actions. She criticizes him with great clarity and mounting hostility. Both his writing and his speaking traffic heavily in academic jargon, making tangentially relevant historical references and using words that Carol cannot understand. She has brought charges of sexual harassment against the professor, based on statements and physical behavior she found offensive. "Oleanna," a powerful two-character drama by David Mamet, explores the destructiveness of miscommunication and excessive political correctness. While the audience is unsure as to whether or not he has actually abused Carol previously, now they see John actually commit a crime against Carol by beating her. From the dialogue in the play, readers are able to discern a bit more about him. Carol is a college student, presumably from an underprivileged socioeconomic background, who has come to John for help with his course. But I know that I can tell you what I think about education, and then you decide.”.

When John physically restrains her in Act II, Carol will then take these allegations to law enforcement, filing charges of rape and battery against John. He never really seems to hear or understand her problem. Would the film seem more powerful to someone unfamiliar with the play? “You vicious little bitch. Is the truth even relevant after such an accusation?" Good, I say. “You worked twenty years for the right to insult me.

During this meeting, John reveals that he was thought to be stupid as a child and offers to help Carol by giving her an A in the course and one-on-one lessons. This makes it difficult to pinpoint her true motives and to characterize her as either the protagonist or the antagonist of the play. This quote comes after Carol has read from her report to the tenure committee and John has asked her to share her feelings in her own words. Oleanna literature essays are academic essays for citation. Your Home. Carol feels more and more powerless as their meetings continue, and she eventually accuses him of battery and rape.