Oleanna: Analyzing Carol

David Mamet’s, “Oleanna” is story about blackmail, power, and scandal. Carol is a twenty-year-old college student. Naïve and insecure at times, she is worried about her grade. She doesn’t understand the professor or his course so she feels insufficient, and threatened. Carol clearly states that she can’t afford to fail the course. Using blackmail mixed with charm, Carol will go beyond any limit to bring the professor down. In Act I …showed first 75 words of 499 total…

…showed last 75 words of 499 total…have done so… Good day.” Carol is inappropriate and exaggerative in Act III. She accuses John of attempted rape. “You tried to rape me. I was leaving this office, you “pressed” yourself into me. A few moments later when John receives a phone call from his wife, Carol pries into the conversation. “Don’t call your wife baby…” After bottling every thing inside for so long, John finally loses his composure and physically attacks Carol.