The authorial power in David Mamet’s Oleanna and Rebecca Gilman’s Boy Gets Girl establish the relationship between a man and a woman in which their interactions provide the central role of the play. It is the interactions that illustrate the control over a given situation. In seeking power, an authority determines the direction of order and a so-called victim must comply. However, Oleanna and Boy Gets Girl reverse the control in which the so-called victim initiates the power over an authority. The outcome in a given situation becomes a violent act that abuses ones ability to provide a resolution, and the man usually takes the blame. The situation forces both parties (man or woman) to speak out of context, and the problems hinder on the fact that both …show more content…
parties believe they are right and nothing is truly resolved.
As a result, Oleanna and Boy Gets Girl depict an authority's power as an abuse in which the characters in each play struggle to find due to the influence of outside voices. Nevertheless, the authorial power becomes a violent way to solve a problem. Oleanna and Boy Gets Girl illustrate that violence is an abuse from the power of language.
David Mamet’s Oleanna illustrates the struggle of communication between John and Carol. The interaction of these characters show how an authorial figure, and the so-called victim do not understand each other due to the social hierarchy created by an institution. The relationship between John and Carol shows language abuses a given situation. Therefore, Carol puts tension for herself when she tries to push John for an answer about her work that she aims to speak out of context. Thus, when she demands for further information, she blames John and calls him out saying “I did what you told me. I did, I did everything…” (Mamet 13). Carol displays an authorial power towards John because she continues to retaliate against his answers every time he
tries to help. It is John that Thomas Porter explains his role as professor who “attempts to lead his students to a critique of the status quo and to demonstrate the superiority of the enlightened individual over received institutional theory and practice” (16). John uses his power as a professor but not much of an authorial figure because he brings his personal life into the conversation with Carol. As a result, John is not mindful that Carol is in the same room that he speaks out of context. Therefore, John tries to show some encouragement as he tells Carol “No one think you’re stupid” (Mamet 14). His actions establish a minimal understanding of Carol’s needs but she also does not truly accept his help. According to Thomas Goggans “[Carol] exhibits low self-esteem, depression and guilt” (435) and her feelings present her need to seek “the demands of a male authority” (436). Furthermore, Carol abuses John’s authority as a professor because she does not accept any solutions but put forth and demands wanting to learn. Therefore, language becomes a power tool to showcase the contrast between men and women; in most cases, the man over powers the woman. However, the opposite occurs in Rebecca Gilman’s Boy Gets Girl because Theresa shows more authorial power over Tony because the play sets her up as a well established working woman while Tony’s job is to seek a relationship. At their first meeting, Theresa and Tony shows no real miscommunication because of a mutual agreement of having a blind date set up by their friend Linda. It is only when they go on a second date that Theresa abuses her power over Tony making excuses that her wok is more important, which is why she blames herself and explains “I spend so much time on my work that it didn’t seem fair to anybody to get into a relationship with them” (Gilman 24). It is in this scene that Theresa establishes her power over Tony as she does not attend to his needs because he continues to speak against her need to leave. She does not realize at that moment, Tony tries to keep her from leaving that he even tries to apologize telling her “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t lay all this on you” (Gilman 25). Moreover, Tony is soon to quickly abuse Theresa’s authority when he crosses the line appearing at her workplace. Michael Solomonson emphasis Theresa’s role and calls her out on her actions toward being a woman who “has unwittingly embraces a type of patriarchal condition which led her to do things she did not quite recognize at the time” (201). Therefore, Theresa establishes a similar role to John and Carol in Oleanna who speak without thinking about how their words will affect one another. In addition, Theresa is particularly similar to John that she is not mindful of what she says toward Tony and suggest that “sparing his feelings is something she has been conditioned to do as woman” (Solomonson 201). Theresa proves the ability to over power Tony and suggest how she becomes unaware of the advantages that he truly intends to to pursue. Although he tries to help, his actions only deteriorate, and he fails to conceive a proper relationship. Therefore, Tony and Carol illustrate the abuse they provide to those of a higher position. The treatment of the characters becomes a violent way to establish how the amount of a character's power is abusive. Yet, character's actions illustrate how abuse transposes into violent behavior when they seek to understand another character. Oleanna and Boy Gets Girl show how violence is not necessarily a direct attention to the plot because of the layers that the characters provide towards the overall message. In both cases, the plays establish how violence arises from the opening abuse that is determined by the amount of power a character has. For John and Carol in Oleanna, violence begins when Carol intervenes with John’s phone call; at the same time, Tony in Boy Gets Girl interferes with Theresa’ job. However, both Carol and Tony interfere with John and Theresa's personal life. Both of Carol and Tony show how violence is a way to produce psychological fear, resulting in John and Theresa to seek for another way out. In the setting for both plays Michael Solomonson illustrates how Rebeccas Gilman “suggest that cultural conditioning of both men and women play a part in the violence that occurs” (200), which similarly applies in Oleanna. Both plays suggest how violence enables a psychological distortion of the characters interactions; this is partly due to the power of language. Language becomes a violent force that is also destructive towards the power between a man and a woman. According to Miriam López-Rodriguez who defines psychological abuse “as emotional abuse of mental abuse is a form of mistreatment in which there is intent to cause mental or emotional pain” (80). López-Rodriguez illustrate what both Mamet and Gilman focus their plays as a failure to understand the relationship of the characters. In Oleanna, violence comes from Carol's abuses over John, but the problems arise when John and Carol fail to listen to one another. Brenda Murphy highlights that their miscommunication is due to their “extreme self-absorption of both character and by the fact that each is talking both to relieve ager and frustration (129). Majority of what John and Carol want for themselves is not necessarily how they interact to achieve it. They rather contradict each other, which give them the right to do as they please, except nothing gets resolved. The only solution either of them comes up with is a violent act towards exposing each other's secret. By the end of act one, John uses his power to show his authority to control Carol when he repeats “Shhhhhh” (Mamet 25) to show that he must speak first and that what he says is right. He puts his foot down to show Carol that he has the authority, which she must respect. Yiyi López Gándara establish “John’s reinforcement of subjective behaviour proves fatal in its consequences for both Carol and himself” (173). Oleanna, therefore, establishes how language as an abuse creates more problems. In other words, John ends Act One foreshadowing his actions in the end of the play when he says “there are those who would say it’s a form of aggression” (Mamet 27). John’s speech in the end of Act One allows Carol to find out more of his personal life. Therefore, in the preceding act, she uses John’s words to her advantage against when she shows up to his office unannounced. Tony offers a similar role in Boy Gets Girl when he arrives to Theresa’s work. There is a fine line that he crosses to see her, but his appears triggers frustration because she makes it clear that she does not want to see him. The moment Tony enters her workplace, Theresa is not fully aware that she allows him to be a part of her life. Tony's desperate need for attention becomes a violent act when he abuse Theresa's words that her job is more important than a relationship. However, she is taken aback when Tony shows up unannounced. But it is also in this scene that Tony appears for the last time. Otherwise, he drives Theresa with the knowledge that she is unable to escape since she has welcomed him into her personal life, and she has a difficult time explaining that she does not want to see him again. Tony proposes that violence is an act of psychological abuse when he attempts to help her out, but he only creates more problems. For that reason, Michael Solomonson adds that “[Theresa] doesn’t really being to seriously consider the ramification of the conditioning (the patriarchal society) until she is faced with the threat of violence” (202). He suggest that Theresa does not truly understand her role with Tony threatens him before he creates more harm to which she demands “And don’t come back here again” (Gilman 30).
The Onion's "Girl Moved to Tears by Of Mice and Men Cliffs Notes" is an article with satirical and critical tone about a young communication major, Grace Weaver, who is emotional moved by reading the synopsis of the American classic Of Mice and Men over the original novel. In this article, the author describes Weaver's process and reaction to the assigned reading that aims to entertain an audience who has read the book. By using subtle satire and descriptions that let the reader understand the dangers of Weaver's shortcomings, the author is able to emphasize the importance of doing your own good work in a humorous and interesting manner.
The Power of an Author Authors have the ability justify the worst actions. Authors have a way of romanticizing certain situations in order to convey a specific message. A good author has power to influence the reader into believing whatever it is the author wants. When it comes to the story of Hannah Dustan, authors such as John Greenleaf Whittier have romanticized her captivity story along with the actions she took throughout her journey. Introducing a character that will be seen in the story is one of the most vital parts when creating a piece of literature.
One of the goals in the play is to raise awareness about domestic violence. This is done effectively through the events that are played out in the
...en using these differences and more to control and manipulate one another since the dawn of time. Facing sexism and mistreatment at the hands of oppressive men is one of the biggest challenges a woman can face in contemporary and traditional societies. All challenges animate life, and we are given purpose when we deem it necessary to overcome said trials. Post-completion, life’s tests let us emerge with maturity and tenacity that we could not find elsewhere. Janie and Hester were dealt unfair hands in life, yet instead of folding and taking the easy way out, they played the game. They played, lost, and played again, and through this incessant perseverance grew exponentially as human beings. Although facing challenges head-on may seem daunting at times, and taking the easy way out can have grand appeal, the rewards at the end of the hard path are infinitely greater.
Authors often make use of rhetorical strategies for additional effects, appeals to the reader, relating to an audience, or even for simply drawing attention to a specific section/part of a work. Nonetheless, these Rhetorical Strategies can prove crucial in the unraveling of such a work. The preceding is the case for a work entitled Something Wicked This Way Comes, by Ray Bradbury. Within the context of the story, a circus enters a small town and changes its overall atmosphere with never before seen mystical evils. Only two boys, Will Halloway and Jim Nightshade, stand in their way. These uncanny occurrences bring out the morality and malevolence of several characters in the story. In Bradbury’s work, there are many discrepancies in the moralities of each character relative to the development of the plot and their overall portrayal in the novel. Bradbury adds many instances in which certain characters have to make a choice between what they wish to do and what they should do. Such decisions accurately portray the conflict as an internal discontinuity between the ultimatums of good and evil. Thus, making the readers question his or her interpretation of each and challenge the societal parameters that encompass them.
In the short story “A&P”, John Updike uses similes, metaphors, and other figurative language in order to portray the narrator's opinion on women. He uses phrases such as “giving me hell”(Updike 1), “she was the Queen”(Updike 2), “buzz like a bee in a glass jar”(Updike 2), “shoulder bones like a denten sheet of metal”(Updike 2), “the sheep pushing their carts down the aisle”(Updike 2), and much more to describe the narrator's opinion on the people who go into the store. This insight into the narrator’s mind is a good tool to show his personality since the story is written in his point of view rather than third person or one of the girls.
Within every story or poem, there is always an interpretation made by the reader, whether right or wrong. In doing so, one must thoughtfully analyze all aspects of the story in order to make the most accurate assessment based on the literary elements the author has used. Compared and contrasted within the two short stories, “Girl” by Jamaica Kincaid, and John Updike’s “A&P,” the literary elements character and theme are made evident. These two elements are prominent in each of the differing stories yet similarities are found through each by studying the elements. The girls’ innocence and naivety as characters act as passages to show something superior, oppression in society shown towards women that is not equally shown towards men.
A story without style is like a man without personality: useless and boring. However, Flannery O’Connor incorporates various different styles in her narratives. Dark humor, irony, and symbolism are perhaps the utmost powerful and common styles in her writing. From “Revelation” and “Good Country People” to “A Good Man is Hard to Find,” all of O’Connor’s stories consist of different styles in writing.
As the story begins, the narrator's compliance with her role as a submissive woman is easily seen. She states, "John laughs at me, but one expects that in marriage" (Gilman 577). These words clearly illustrate the male's position of power in a marriage t...
As I reflected more and more on Wilson's masterpiece, my anger turned to curiosity Instead of my curiosity waning, it grew. I felt like I was unraveling a huge ball of yarn. In a play about family, a million different issues lived. I was astounded at the number of issues that Wilson touched upon, issues ranging from family relationships, to problems in the workplace, racial tensions, and infidelity. And under each one of these was another, underlying issue, the reason, or the catalyst that enabled these to prevail. Part of the genius of this piece is that it is like an onion, with many layers, and can be interpreted on many different levels.
Notably, one of the principal ideas presented in Glaspell’s work is the concept of gender roles, moreover, the notion of institutional misogyny present in 20th century America. These said ideas are fleshed out through the characters of the play. The play opens with the introduction of five characters: Sheriff Peters, Hale, County Attorney
Neither woman learned how to function under circumstances where more than one individual or group of individuals held control over a situation and both reacted poorly when faced with the possibility of an unfamiliar distribution of control. Amber Smith, for most of her childhood, grew up in an extremely controlling household with a verbally and physically abusive stepfather. The two most complex characters of the novel, Amber Smith and Violet Dumont, both struggled to come to terms with their perception of reality when they were suddenly expected to accept or relinquish control. The idea of control was so pivotal to the characters’ frame of reference that, they violently lashed out when confronted with change.
Power, especially in the hands of females, can be a force for immense societal changes. Director Sciamma plays with the role of power in the lives of the four girls, predominantly in the character of Lady. Lady’s sense of control, stems from winning hand on hand fights, but the opinion of the men around her lays the foundation of this empowerment. The more fights Lady wins, the more the men appear to respect her, yet as feminist Simone de Beauvoir explains “[n]o matter how kindly, how equally men treated me when I tried to participate in politics, when it came right down to it, they had more rights, so they had more power than I did (Simone de Beauvoir - The Second Sex- ix),” the “power” Lady obtained was provisional. Lady’s power was directly tied to the opinion of the men around her, in this scene, a portion of the boys sits on stairs physically higher than Lady, invoking a sense of power hierarchy and control. The boys only valued Lady when she successfully participated in the their world of violence, but this participation came with boundaries as “[w]omen can never become fully socialized into patriarchy- which in turn causes man to fear women and leads then, on the one hand, to establish very strict boundaries between their own sex and the female sex (Feminist theory 142).” The men had never truly incorporated Lady into their group, she had just
“Boys and Girls” describes a major turning point in a girl’s life, turning down a path towards womanhood. Her childhood fears of the dark and fears of being less than a perfect worker to her father and her control of her brother slowly dissolve. Her decision to free the terrified horse highlights her pivotal journey into adulthood. And her ability to cry with sensitivity over her decision of freedom, demonstrates the acute sensitivity of a woman.
...sque, and in Flannery O’Connor’s artistic makeup there is not the slightest trace of sentimentally” (qtd. in Bloom 19). Flannery O’Connor’s style of writing challenges the reader to examine her work and grasp the meaning of her usage of symbols and imagery. Edward Kessler wrote about Flannery O’Connor’s writing style stating that “O’Connor’s writing does not represent the physical world but serves as her means of apprehending and understanding a power activating that world” (55). In order to fully understand her work one must research O’Connor and her background to be able to recognize her allegories throughout her stories. Her usage of religious symbols can best be studied by looking into her religious Catholic upbringing. Formalist criticism exists in “A Good Man is Hard to Find” through Flannery O’Connor’s use of plot, characterization, setting, and symbolism.