Discuss David Mamet's presentation of power in the teacher/student relationship in Oleanna.

In Oleanna, David Mamet presents
power in the teacher/student relationship in a couple of ways. At first, it seems as
though the professor, John, has all of the power in the situation. He admits that he
enjoys "strutting" in front of the classroom, and that it makes him feel powerful. This
power is patriarchal in that he feels fatherly toward his students, and in many ways he
also condescends to them. The power shifts in the play, however, when Carol complains
about John's behavior to the tenure committee. Whether all her claims are legitimate or
not, she represents the power of her feminist "group" that will no longer stand for the
sexist power plays that John exhibits in the classroom.