The play Oleanna is written by the film maker, tv screenwriter, playwright and director David Mamet. It is his biting account of Nineties political correctness gone wrong within the environs of Higher Education.
Carol is a student at an unnamed University, she is failing her class (the type of which is never mentioned, perhaps education?) and goes to see teacher John, a man who is distracted by the process of buying a house and his upcoming tenure.
John behaves fatherly, which is both patronising and inappropriate under the circumstances and after he agrees to stay behind after class and give her an automatic A, she takes her notes and makes an accusation against him of sexual harassment. His actions would lead us to agree, even though we see his intentions were obvious.
When Carol comes to see him again, they argue and the scene ends with John restraining her, he thinks in a caring way.
When we next see Carol, we find that she has accused him of rape under the law and John has not been home, he is living in a motel and is about to lose his house, his family and his tenure.
The play questions the nature of higher education, it's purpose and function in modern society and also the nature of political correctness as a tool in the gender wars.
Carol is a student at an unnamed University, she is failing her class (the type of which is never mentioned, perhaps education?) and goes to see teacher John, a man who is distracted by the process of buying a house and his upcoming tenure.
John behaves fatherly, which is both patronising and inappropriate under the circumstances and after he agrees to stay behind after class and give her an automatic A, she takes her notes and makes an accusation against him of sexual harassment. His actions would lead us to agree, even though we see his intentions were obvious.
When Carol comes to see him again, they argue and the scene ends with John restraining her, he thinks in a caring way.
When we next see Carol, we find that she has accused him of rape under the law and John has not been home, he is living in a motel and is about to lose his house, his family and his tenure.
The play questions the nature of higher education, it's purpose and function in modern society and also the nature of political correctness as a tool in the gender wars.
