Question 5 - Kelsey Villarino

The first act of the play "Oleanna" by David Mamet, shows a very introverted Carol struggling to find her voice while speaking with her very educated professor, John. She can't finish her sentences, never seems to know quite how to word her argument, and is very clearly intimidated by John's knowledge of speech and vocabulary. However, seeing how his mind operates and understanding his viewpoint on higher education transforms Carol in the second act. She now uses her earlier repressed knowledge "as a tool with which to fight back against the dominant group that shapes the cultural world of the working class". While she may have seemed timid before, she now has all the confidence in the world in order to rip apart John's life. She assumes the dominant role now that she has tricked him with trusting her innocence.