A new and up-and-coming university professor is one step ahead of permanence. Before the recognition, moral and material reward of his labors, before the realization of the American dream for himself and his family. A young student complains that she does everything, but cannot follow the course. Who owns the knowledge? Who is entitled to set the terms of the education game? Where are the limits of authority and what is defined as a violation? Through his peculiar way of writing, Mamet ('mametspeak') makes the two characters almost repeat and interpret what they have just heard or violently interrupt the flow of their interlocutor's speech. A work with an unexpected plot, Oleanna forces us to consider the consequences of our actions and makes an effort to clarify the boundaries between success, moral and personal responsibility.