Blog Post #5

So after reading through the different scholarly criticisms on Black Board I decided to take a further look into the critique of Oleanna that adhered to a Marxist framework. Upon reading the critique, I found one thing mentioned by the author, Roger Bechtel, that really caught my attention. In the 2nd paragraph the author says "Because so much of the activity of his characters is prescribed by their speech, it is often fruitless to analyze their 'psychology.

I do not agree with the assertion.  Though I am not trying to the take away from the authors main premise that language can be used to sustain or perpetuate social classes or tiers, I believe that their language used in the play is indeed itself a tell-tale indicator of the characters psychology. For instance when the Bechtel speaks of the opening act when John compares higher education to “prolonged systematic hazing”. John says “Now: I said "hazing." It means ritualized annoyance. We shove this book at you, we say read it. Now, you say you've read it? I think you're lying. I'll grill you, and when I find you've lied, you'll be disgraced, and your life will be ruined. It's a sick game. Why do we do it? Does it educate? In no sense. Well, then, what is higher education? it is something-other-than useful. The hypocrisy is soon discovered:.”. Bechtel tries to make the point that it is readily apparent that this passage has no significance other than illustrating the idea that John is a hypocrite.


While Bechtel might be right about John being a hypocrite, I think that there is more to be revealed of John’s chartecter. For instance, I believe that through this hypocrisy it reveals John to a self-justifying narcissist. With his source of self-justification coming from his want of being successful in his profession and life, to spite those who according to John called him “stupid” while growing up as a child.