Oleanna Essay

The play "Oleanna" is about a student who has difficulties passing her college class and needs consultants with her professor. The play took place in the professor's office where the professor, named John was busy answering a phone call about a new house that he and his wife were getting. The student, Carol, waited patiently until John finished with the call, began to question the professor regarding her progress in the class and her needs to pass the course.

Mammet's Style of writing in incomplete sentences made understanding difficult and many times I was not able to tell which person that the characters were addressing to if parentheses were not present. From the incomplete sentence, I assumed that Mammet was trying to portrait a realistic situation on how a person would see if they were in the office with them. In my opinion, the style Mammet used to write Oleanna was not expressive. In an effort that Mammet tried to use words to express motion and the business of John could be better convey if it is dramatized which could repair the problems of incomplete dialogues in the play.

In the first act, Carol was concerned that she is failing her class and could not afford accept a failing grade. As the teacher, John explained to Carol that the reason she was not doing well in the class was the fact that she did not understands the materials deep enough. John could not simply tell Carol that she is stupid because she is his student. In a hidden message that John was trying to bring out in his life story about how he was once being called stupid by people, John commented that it is ok to be stupid as long as the person is willing to overcome the feeling of thinking inferior. But on the other hand, Carol felt if she followed everything on what the professor said, she should deserved a good grade.

After reading the play, it would be difficult to feel sympathy toward both characters and take side. Both persons showed problems on the way they thought of earning and receiving a grade. In John's situation, John offered Carol a deal, a deal that would guarantee Carol an A in the class if she could visit him in his office more often. John's age difference and by being the opposite sex to Carol, John's request seemed lustful. The fact that John used his power as the instructor to satisfy his own needs without any academic concerns for Carol's improvement creates unfairness to other students whom are in the same class as Carol. As for Carol, her dialogues in the play were much demanding. бзI did what you told me. I did, I did everything, I read your book, you told me to buy your book and read itбKби (Schilb 703) Carol expected a descent grade since she has done everything that John told her to do. Carol's view on education was that it is very important to pass each of her class, which in return would lead her to a better future after graduation. She could not accept being stupid, but instead was willing to make improvements on her grades not by physical contracts with the professor but rather through self improvement on knowledge. Unlike Carol, John's view was that with his power, he can give whatever grade he wants to any students that he doesn't like and recognizes others that do favors for him.

The play "Oleanna" is a good example of how some professors are using to fulfill their own interests or needs. There needs might not be lustful but they are unfair to other student and create bad reputations for the school. In my opinion, Mammet wrote Oleanna to warn individuals whom are in a position of power, for example; instructors, managers and supervisors. Therefore, people should not abuse their powers which might one day lead to criminal acts.

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