Keshav Sharma Blog Post #4

Question 3:

In the play Oleanna written by David Mamet, the writer presents a story about two characters set on a prestigious university campus. The two characters in the play are John, a college professor, and Carol, one of John’s students who comes to him to protest his teaching methods. By noting how Carol and John’s physical appearances and mannerisms change throughout the play, one can track their changes in attitude and position. Initially, John is portrayed as being a “sophisticated” college professor who speaks with etiquette, keeps his hair well kept, and dresses in suit and tie. His office is well organized and consists of both an inner and outer room. Carol, in contrast, dresses in average clothing, keeps her hair frizzy, and talks in a disrespectful manner toward her professor. While John initially talks in words which Carol finds difficult to understand, he later tones down his vocabulary to speak to Carol after she files accusations of sexual harassment against him. Once this event occurs, John actually begins to unravel. His physical appearance begins to deteriorate as seen by the scene in the hotel. Rather than drinking tea like a “sophisticated” person as he used to, John starts smoking cigarettes and drinking alcohol. In comparison, Carol’s mannerisms actually improve after she files accusations against John. She begins dressing in suits just as John used to and starts speaking for a “group” rather than for herself. As the story progresses, Carol and John seem to swap positions, with Carol being the more assertive character by the end of the play. While John is able to keep himself calm throughout the play, after losing his patience with Carol by the end, he savagely beats and degrades her before the play ends.