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“Better pass boldly into that other world, in the full glory of some passion, than fade and wither dismally with age.”
James Joyce For most of us, winter at Hotchkiss is one of brutal cold and severe stress. As the cordial spring sunlight returns shyly to our windows, we can now look back upon that taxing season with not only relief, but also a trace of gratitude. We know that spring owes its verdant beauty to its bleached predecessor, in much the same way that an artist’s blooming creativity often comes after a period of painful blankness. More often than not, passage between these two different worlds seems utterly uncontrollable—some concoction of chance and patience. Where are we to stand amidst this flow? This issue has been both a challenge and a blessing. The magazine has continued to evolve as we gain new writers and feedback. This issue’s creative writing section in particular is different from past issues; we decided to minimalize decorative layout so as to let the words on the page speak for themselves. We hope you enjoy. -The INKredible Team
04 creative writing:
The Beautiful Wretched Lonely Pond of Memory Ode to the Cork Flooring Speak The Lipless Man The Missing Hawk
14 Frozen: A Review 16 Ceramics: A Philosophy 18 The Crucible 24 The Monkey’s Paw 26 The Rocky Horror Picture Show 28 The Art of Dance 32 Interview with Amelia Cao 34 IN their sketchbooks 36 Photography Showcase WINTER 2014 INK! | 3
The Beautiful Wretched I see the stench of earth and holy rot of man come together in glorious union, one cupp’d the other, flesh on mud or in, a contingent wheel of vine and man and vine. earth be gone to the greatest crop of man, who build factory and bomb at once, who grow themselves lurid with smoke and drink, who hide their ashen excrement behind linoleum, who crush the very unbiblical cord in soot-charred bleeding hands, too quick to forget their history. these are the junkies of modern — they high themselves on false prophesies and pleasure themselves to the sound of tar blackened progress. the beautiful wretched of tattoo and festering wounds, who shine brighter in their evils, these are the holy ones, the outcasts: scummed with ocean detritus from when they caught their lunch with their teeth, the addicts worn out in their shirt sleeves, the inmates hot from days of work and subtle shifts in freedom, the deviants loving their strangeness, the animal flesh, they know stench of earth, rot of soiled life, and good vines tight against their skin. By Hugo Wasserman ’15 Illustration by Anna Xuan ’14
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Lonely Pond of Memory A tiny ember, casting its glow upon the golden reeds that sway in the gentle morning zephyr ignites the horizon. The lush trees filter a lattice of light. Late spring has come; white lilies gleam in full bloom, A heaviness hangs in the air; the vivid emerald grass wilts with the dampness of the morning mist; companies of gnats and mosquitoes pirouette while bachelor frogs croak in search of love, unwilling to spend another year alone; an outcast tulip gazes at its lonesome reflection in the murkiness; Lily pads, verdant in the light, freckle the surface; On the bank, a journal lies splayed open like a bird’s wings, its discolored pages tattered feathers; The willows, laden with leaves, sag their limbs mourning their departed loved ones and gently stroking the heads of passersby; A virescent bridge stands lonely in the center awaiting visitors to stroll along its worn arched back; A strange rock structure on the grassy bank bears the unchanged mark of an age bygonethe etched initials B.K. denote our intimate past. And as I lie fishing through memories, Inner eye flashes upon past dawn: I return to my companionless backyard oasis, my sanctum from the life’s pressures; as I bask in the beauty of nature, the tranquility provides reflection and companionship. By Bobby Kwon ’16
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Ode to the Cork Flooring Nothing is left to desire whilst treading the cork we acquired; it subtly springs as my backpack a-swings I thank God that the carpet retired. O cork, how you shine with such volume, Like that of Ritz-Carlton ballrooms; the housekeepers are thrilled that when a smoothie is spilled there is no carpet-cleaner required. One can slide, one can dance, one can Heely or prance down the hallway whenever inspired-But don’t try to sit on this cork-paneled bit Or your bum will most certainly tire. By Anna Balderston ’14
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Speak There is a dull rumbling in my head, along with a faint ringing. Hot white light blazes on my face and eyes. I stumble forward, squinting against the blinding glare. One thought pounds in my ears: Don’t fall. Do not fall. I’m aware of the eyes on me, and I pull down my skirt and adjust my hair. Minutes, then hours seem to pass as I plaster a smile on my face and stride through the spotlight. The urge to turn and run back the way I came swells inside me like a balloon, but is popped by the sharp points of my high heels. There’s no way I could run in these. “And a huge round of applause for our youngest speaker,” says a voice, and then I’m standing at the podium and looking out over the audience. Hundreds of shining eyes peer back at me, and the rumbling noise returns. They cheer, clapping and smiling at me. I try to identify my parents, but looking at the crowd induces an urge to scream and close my eyes. The roaring and ringing slowly fades, and I realize they are expecting me to say something. My mouth is dry and salty as I open it. I pause, my heart pattering. Then I look down at the podium. There, on a well-wrinkled piece of paper, are my words. Printed neatly in crisp black letters, they revive me. I created these phrases. If they can be calm here, in front of this sea of people, so can I. My fingers trace the paper’s sharp edge. Then I take a deep breath, open my mouth, and speak. By Hannah Pouler ’16 Illustration by Anna Xuan ’14
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The Lipless Man
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t was over twenty years ago when I, Larry Gulman, saw the Lipless Man. He was a silent, unusual fellow, meandering in the hills where I was camping. As I heard footsteps crunching over the fallen leaves, I looked up and had to stifle my impulse to shudder. He stopped dead in his tracks, trying to read the reaction on my face. He scribbled something onto his palm with a pen and extended his arm to me. “Mind if I rest?” he asked through writing. It was then that I noticed how every exposed inch of skin was covered in messages, some dark, some faded, lending his skin a filmy gray hue. “Yeah, sure. Have a seat,” I answered, pointing to a nearby stump. He folded his arms and looked at me with a mixture of surprise and uncertainty. With extreme caution, bordering on distrust, he slowly walked over to the stump, examined it, and eased down. Sensing his discomfort and noting how gaunt he looked, I quickly stood to offer him some of my cheeseburger and chips. The instant I moved, however, his pupils dilated and he shot up with unimaginable speed, balling his hands into fists. I stopped in my tracks and reached out my arm to show him my plate of food. “Hey, calm down. I’m not going to hurt you or anything. It’s just nice to have some company around, y’know?” I casually said. “Ya hungry?” Still he stood there, frozen. I could see his eyes darting back and forth between my face and the plate of food. He reached for his pen and wrote, “You eat it first.” I was startled by this odd request but I nonetheless reached for my cheeseburger and took a nibble, swallowed, picked up a chip, and devoured it. As I stood there unaffected, his eyes widened and he snatched the cheeseburger off my plate, looking at it as if it were manna from heaven. He stuffed the cheeseburger into his mouth, grabbed a handful of chips and started cramming the food down his throat. “Slow down, buddy! You gonna give yourself a bellyache,” I recommended. He continued to wolf down my food, stopping only to catch his breath. After he had satiated his voracious appetite, he lay down on the mat and gazed at the passing stars. I sat next to him and he made no effort to move away. He took out his pen and scribbled on his calf: “I wasn’t always like this.”
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He walked along a muddy road with his army mates, Jim, Garrett, and Pete. Out of sheer boredom, he began whistling a light tune to uplift the negative spirit. Suddenly, there was a rustle from the bushes. He stopped whistling and came to an abrupt stop. He looked around, his eyes darting through the landscape, trying to search for the source of the sound. There were four gunshots and mud splattered onto his boots. He turned his head, looked down, and stared at the three corpses lying at his feet. Out of the blue, a barrage of gunshots exploded from the trees. He dived into a nearby shrub and scrambled to his feet, running away from the bullets. He felt a piercing pain in his left leg and fell to his knees. In agonizing pain, he dropped into the mud. The last thing he felt was two hands reaching under his arms and pulling him across the ground. He aroused in a tent and sat up, felt his wound, and gingerly set his foot onto the cold floor. “Stand up, soldier,” spoke a gruff, stern voice. He felt his body inadvertently straight, while his eyes wandered aimlessly around the room, searching for a familiar face. A calloused hand gripped his chin and yanked his focus toward the officer. “Your squad is dead. They got killed in a firefight. Apparently one of their combatants heard some whistling. Was that you?” the officer interrogated. The hand dropped and he heard heavy footsteps disappear beyond the door. Glancing toward a filthy mirror, he caught his reflection. Smooth, red lips. Suddenly, he was overcome with guilt. He gripped a razor in his hand and slowly put the edge of it to his lips... By Alex Jeon ’17 Illustration by Anna Xuan ’14
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The Missing Hawk Disclaimer: While partially based on factual accounts, this story is fictional and written for the chief purpose of entertainment. It is neither relevant to the actual incident regarding the missing hawk nor intended to suggest possible suspects of the theft. Any resemblances between the characters’ names in the story and real Hotchkiss people are either extreme coincidences or harmless designs to render the story more appealing to the average Hotchkiss reader.
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ooming with Sherlock presents many difficulties, as I’m sure anyone at Hotchkiss can imagine. The highest on the “annoying scale,” of course, are the frequent “cases” he takes on, small and big. The list of his detective stories makes one question whether he has any time to do any schoolwork: it was Sherlock that caught the Coy boys who impersonated Mr. Verdin; Sherlock that figured out the mystery behind the “Hound of the Wononskopomuc”; Sherlock that solved the case of the lead-covered house by the farm. On the lower end of the spectrum lies dealing with Sherlock’s countless idiosyncrasies, one of which is his frequent tendency to “test” me. “Sherlock, my sneakers,” I said, stooping to search under the bed. “What about them?” “Oh come on. Where did you hide them now?” Sherlock frowned, barely looking up from his laptop. “Your sneakers? Why would I steal your sneakers? You’re also missing a pair of jeans, it seems,” said Sherlock, glancing at my pile of received laundry. “Ugh! They always miss something!” “Can’t trust the laundry service. Check the all-school e-mail, by the way.” “I’m sure I’ve lost at least eight pairs of socks to them.” “There’s an interesting case—one of the artworks on display, apparently—“ “But the sneakers, Sherlock, I put them right outside the door to dry last night, and you took them—“ “About time, too. It’s been a while since the infirmary case—“
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“Sherlock, are you listening.” “Oh for God’s sake,” Sherlock said, springing up from his chair. “You’d worn those sneakers in the snow for an entire week; if I’d stolen them, my hands would carry the same repulsive odor of your feet.” “Not everyone has a nose that can distinguish 240 different types of tobacco.” “243,” Sherlock corrected. “Have you read the email yet?” I groaned as I opened my own laptop. One of the unread emails from Mr. Verdin was titled in blaring bold letters: “THE MISSING HAWK.” “The missing hawk…” Sherlock murmured satisfactorily, rubbing his hands together. “ ‘The hawk from the exhibit in the rotunda is missing…’ Sounds like a rather—what are you putting your coat on for?” “Lestrade’s going to call soon,” said Sherlock, straightening his coat collar. “How do you know?” “Valuable exhibition borrowed from a renowned family stolen one week before everyone leaves for winter break? He must be desperate.” Sherlock had barely finished his sentence when the phone rang. With a satisfactory “Ha!” Sherlock picked it up. “The hawk?” “How on earth did you—“ Lestrade’s rumbling voice was cut off as Sherlock promptly hung up. He then stormed out of Tinker 212 with obvious excitement. “Wait up!” ****
“What do you think?” Lestrade was asking. He possessed every outward characteristic of a security officer, but for all his intimidating physique, his practical skills were always thoroughly eclipsed by Sherlock’s amazing deductive abilities. Sherlock was already on his knees, examining the carpet area right underneath where the hawk had been with his trademark magnifying glass. He ran his hand along the bottom of the wall, on which he found faint skid marks. He then inspected the wooden bench lying to his left, adjacent to the wall. His magnifying glass crawled up the wall, until it reached a hole, which, presumably, had fixed the branch that the hawk was sitting on. “It was about seven feet high,” said Ms. Baldin, who had apparently been in charge of the rotunda exhibition. Sherlock approximated the height with his hand, reaching up for an imaginary object. “So he had to be fairly tall,” murmured Sherlock. “I’m sorry—‘he’?” “No, Sherlock, you’re missing—“ “How large was the hawk? Estimations will do,” said Sherlock, ignoring both Lestrade and me. “The bird had its wings spread, so…I would say about three feet wide…the branch it was sitting on was about two feet long,” Ms. Baldin answered carefully, squinting her eyes as if conjuring a visual memory of the hawk before her eyes. “And you found out yesterday—that’s to say, Wednesday—afternoon?” “Mr. Fayson was the first to notice it, around 3:30. He always pays close attention to the display in the rotunda.” “He must have gone to lunch from the English wing, and he didn’t notice the hawk missing then, which means the hawk was stolen between lunchtime and 3:30.” “Yes, a toddler can see that, Lestrade.” “Mr. Lestrade.” “Go on, then, Mr. Lestrade. What can we further deduce?” “Well…” Lestrade fumbled with his words, but that he didn’t have the slightest clue was more evident than the glaring empty space on the wall before us. He helplessly glanced at me. Smiling, Sherlock turned towards me as well. “John, you know my methods.” He pointed with his chin at the wall, signaling at me to offer a theory. I returned him an exasperated look. “What, so that you can embarrass me? Again?”
“No no, a third eye is really valuable to me, John, it really is—however inferior its perceptive capacity. Please.” Reluctantly, I kneeled down, not with any particular purpose, but simply because that’s how Sherlock usually started his examination. “Well, the skid marks on the wall…um…the bench was moved, obviously…” “Clearly.” “…so that the person could stand on it, meaning…well, meaning the person’s short. Also, uh—we can say—well, pretty audacious personality, stealing it in the middle of the day…” “Good, very good. Keep going?” I threw my hands up in the air. “That’s it from me.” Sherlock nodded approvingly. Lestrade looked at Sherlock with hopeful eyes. “So? Did he get it right?” “Completely missed the boat, John. Really remarkable how wrong you could be—it’s almost as if you’re trying to be dumb.” Ms. Baldin threw me a horrified look, but I had grown accustomed to his insults. I took a deep breath. “Okay, then. Take us through it?” “The skid marks, John, the skid marks— they’re misleading. The thief was being clever.” Sherlock directed our attention to the faint black marks on the bottom of the wall. “Think about it; when you move a bench, you first remove it from the wall so that you can pull it with both arms. There’s no reason to drag it against the wall. It’s inefficient.” “So then why…?” “Trying to trick us into thinking that he’d needed the bench to stand on. The thief is in fact tall—tall enough to reach for the hawk by himself. If you’re unconvinced, look at the surface of the bench.” “It’s pretty dusty,” I said, running my fingers along the wood. “Exactly. Think about the snowy weather yesterday. If he’d stood on it with his wet shoes on, the dirty marks left on the wood would have led him to clean the bench to get rid of evidence.” “He could have taken his shoes off before stepping onto the bench,” Lestrade objected. “No no no, midday action, no time for that. The thief was in a hurry. Now look at the hole where the branch was fixed. Clean. Almost no debris left inside. Means he pulled it off in one shot. We’re looking at a tall person who can yank a three feet
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wide hawk out of this wall—most likely a strong male.” “But why did he do it in the middle of the day? Why not wait until a better time?” “Excellent question. But before that, notice something important. The bench has no fingerprints. The thief had gloves on.” “Well, naturally. It was a cold day yesterday.” “But wearing them inside? It’d be conspicuous. This is extremely important. If the intention was to steal the hawk—a task he could perform without touching the wall—why bother to wear gloves? The hawk, the only item with his fingerprints, would be gone anyway.” “Perhaps he didn’t want to touch the hawk…?” I suggested. Sherlock smiled. “Arsenic. Isn’t that right, Ms. Baldin?” “Arsenic? What the heck are you talking about now?” “It’s a preservative, Lestrade, especially for wood. It’s also poisonous—not something you want to get on your bare hands.” “But—but—other than me, only the staff members who helped me move the hawk know about that!” Ms. Baldin cried. Sherlock clicked his tongue. “When you have eliminated the impossible, whatever remains, however improbable, must be the truth. And at this point, we ask why the theft
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occurred a little after lunchtime.” “Shift! It was a staff member working on the morning shift!” “Very good, John. He wanted to take care of it at a time when he usually leaves school, so as to make his departure appear natural. We’re then looking at a tall, strong, morning shift staff member in charge of the rotunda area—“ “Jeff! Jeffrey Staunton!” Ms. Baldin exclaimed. “It has to be him—it fits—Oh no, he must have already run away with it, he’s never coming back—“ “Calm down, Ms. Baldin. The hawk is still at Hotchkiss,” Sherlock said with a smug smile. “No way! Why would he do that? Any smart thief would take off with it immediately and never return,” said Lestrade. His triumphant face betrayed his hopes that for once, he might have disproved Sherlock. “Ah, but he got unlucky. Look at the scene. Look not only at what’s there, but also at what isn’t there.” “Sherlock, what does that even mean? Come on, we don’t have time for riddles.” Sherlock rolled his eyes. “The label—where’s the label? The white tag explaining what the artwork is. If he really wanted just the hawk, why would he bother to take the label in his hurry? Here’s what happened. He planned to take the hawk and bolt with it towards the main entrance, find his car, which he’d probably parked nearby, and escape. But think about the time frame yesterday—Wednesday between lunch time and 3:30. What possible obstacle may he have encountered?” Something crossed my mind immediately. “The Sharon School tutoring group!” I almost yelled in glee. “Exactly. During the winter, every Wednesday afternoon, Mr. Press takes a group of students to the Sharon school for a tutoring program. Mr. Staunton was bewildered to find the main circle crowded with students. So he finds a nearby place to hide the hawk, then takes off the label to delay anyone finding out about its disappearance. A label of a nonexistent artwork would certainly stand out even to indifferent passersby. Luckily for us, Mr. Fayson was a regular visitor to the exhibition and quick to notice the disappearance. “Now the question is, where did he hide the hawk? This is the most ingenious part, but remarkably simple, if you think about it.” “Doesn’t seem so obvious to me,” Lestrade mumbled.
“Look at your surroundings. Get in his shoes. Where’s the nearest hiding place?” “I mean, the men’s room is only a few yards away…” It was a shot in the dark, but Sherlock’s sparkling eyes affirmed my guess. “You’re getting warmer,” said Sherlock, moving towards the bathroom. “Now, this took some effort on his part; after concealing the hawk, he somehow needed to make sure that nobody would bother to check the place where he hid it.” “You mean, he came back later to the bathroom to…’perfect’ his disguise?” “Precisely.” Sherlock opened the bathroom door. Ms. Baldin hesitated. “Ms. Baldin, please. This is just so you can see. “Now think: Where is the one place that you would never check? What place guarantees you privacy?” “Sherlock, don’t talk so loud,” Lestrade hissed. “There’s someone inside the stall over there.” “How do you know?” Sherlock asked innocently. “Because I can see his legs, obviously!” “Oh, really? John, why don’t you check for yourself?” I obeyed Sherlock, bending over slightly to look underneath the stall. At first, I couldn’t comprehend what I saw—but the next moment, it all became crystal clear. “But those are…my sneakers…my missing jeans!” “Nothing easier than stealing clothing from the laundry room— except for stealing a pair of sneakers lying in the Tinker hallway, perhaps. Quite a convincing disguise for the legs of a person tending to his personal business inside a bathroom stall.” When I lay down on my stomach to peek inside the stall, of course, I knew that I would not be intruding upon anyone’s privacy, for sitting on the closed toilet seat, with its formidable wings spread wide, was the missing hawk. By Jimmy Chung ’14 Illustration by Anna Xuan ’14
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Article by Karen Ahn ’17 Layout by Elaine Wang ’16
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hen you think about Disney, what comes to your mind? Most of the time, images of humanized, talking animals and feminine, glamorous princesses come to mind, usually accompanied by a masculine, buff, royal prince. The plots are pretty predictable, with the prince rescuing the “damsel in distress” and living happily ever after, but Disney’s new animated movie Frozen completely goes against this convention. After my first time watching the movie, I had to completely rethink Disney. Gone were the predictable love stories and the clichéd prince and princess. Instead, Frozen delivered a fresh take on a Disney movie just as entertaining and heartwarming as a clichéd version. Frozen is centered around Elsa, a queen who has the ability to create and control snow and ice, and Anna, her happy-go-lucky sister who just wants to get to know her sister better. On the coronation day, Anna meets Prince Hans, a seemingly kind prince, and asks Elsa for permission to marry him, which sets Elsa off. Elsa accidently reveals her powers to the town, causes an eternal snowstorm and runs away, leaving it up to Anna to bring her back and save Arendelle. On the way, Anna meets Kristoff, a mountaineer, and convinces him to help her find Elsa. It’s easy to tell that Frozen is different just by taking a look at the characters. The main character, Anna, isn’t some elegant, dainty, regal woman; she’s a young-at-heart princess of Arendelle. Unlike the
past Disney princesses, Anna isn’t helpless, but is actually the one who ends up saving everyone. Using raw determination, she helps save Arendelle and breaks through her sister Elsa’s “heart of ice,” finally gaining the compassion she needs to rule Arendelle. This unconventional image of the princess as someone saving rather than someone saved challenges the usual portrayal of a Disney princess. Not only are the characters different from standard Disney, but they also successfully personify the true nature of people. Prince Hans, the supposed “true love” of Anna, slowly reveals his true nature and turns out to be the villain of the entire plot. He is meant to represent the self-centered, devious, and powerhungry side of human nature, and completely takes advantage of Anna’s innocence and naiveté. Besides him, there is Elsa, Anna’s older sister and the queen of Arendelle, who also provides an insight into human nature. She is introverted, untrusting, and (literally) shut away from others. As such, she and Prince Hans are like two sides of the same coin, demonstrating two very different aspects of humanity. In conclusion, Frozen is a classic, yet unique, Disney movie with a deep plot and realistic characters that offers a fresh deviation from what many might consider an overused storyline.
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Mingxi Li
Ceramics: A Philosophy Article by Mingxi Li ’14, layout by Vivian Xiao ’15 Mingxi Li, class of 2014, is a senior at Hotchkiss. This feature includes some of her ceramics works and backgrounds behind those works. Apart from ceramics, Mingxi plays the piano and guitar. In her spare time, Mingxi likes to read books and chill in senior quad.
Untitled As I designed this abstract form, I had two very specific scenarios in my mind. In the first one, the fluid and extended columns carry the weight of an onus cubic building above. Visitors walk among the columns as the sunset shines through with its last breath of light. In the second scenario, I envisioned two rows of narrow columns representing an over-
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head light rail station. People look up from the bottom of a city brightened up by skyscrapers and see the shooting streaks of light from subway windows rushing through the space between the two rows of columns. The extending structure, although not figurative, expresses a sense of solitude. The fluid and organic structure bends under pressure and extends longingly forward. The smooth curves of each column echo the endless desire of reaching further and the painful incapability to extricate from the past. I sculpted the four sections out of solid pieces of clay, and then put them together to be displayed as a whole.
Plunge Outside of History The descending square maze in white and the ascending circular maze in black represent different systems of values. Each individual has his own subjective system of values. All his actions are entirely justified by his own values, but may not make sense according to another’s--the same way one may not attempt to turn in abrupt angles in a circular maze. Two individuals’ perspectives on the same matter could be quite the opposite. Similarly, the two mazes share the exact same pattern, but are displayed in different shapes. The descending and ascending walls represent a sense of hierarchy, just like the structures of ancient cities and castles. One may prefer one maze to the other, but the two mazes are simply different. There is no objective truth that dictates which one is better.
We are all trapped within our own system of values. We become lost in the maze of our own thoughts. We anxiously march on, bump into walls, turn around, go back, all in the hope of finding some sort of destination, a goal, a meaning, an ultimate answer, a way out--but a closed maze has no way out. As Clifton says in Invisible Man, one has to “plunge outside of history” to keep his sanity. Only when one plunges outside and gains the higher perspective, one is able to be disentangled from confusion and to see the clear pattern of one’s maze. In essence, we all need to extricate ourselves from our habitual ways of thinking once in a while.We need to look at our situations from a bystander’s perspective in order to discern our positions in time and space, and to make conscious decisions despite what others might say.
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The Crucible Interviews by Viola Lee ’16 Layout by Carina Zhang ’16 Although Arthur Miller wrote The Crucible based on the witch trials of Salem in 1692 and as an attack on the calumnious accusations spewed during the Red Scare, we understand the play to be a critique of human behavior that transcends time and place. We sought to explore the ways in which people respond to adversity, and to examine the nature of integrity. Every day Hotchkiss students make choices influenced by peer pressure, pride, fear, shame, and many other peripheral factors, which makes The Crucible especially relevant. 18 | INK! WINTER 2014
The rehearsal process was both challenging and fulfilling. Our goal in educational theatre is to equip students with skills. Crafting the best possible production is important, but teaching students how to make strong theatrical choices is paramount. From the beginning we placed the onus on the cast and encouraged them to take the creative initiative. From our perspective, this resulted in both significant individual improvement and a solid production. — Overview of Stage Directing: Mr. Parker Reed, Director of the Crucible
We tried to convey two main concepts. Disorder--a theme that continues throughout the production--and balance between attraction and distance. The stage itself was structured to depict a void, sort of a lost place in time--contributing to the general disorder of the plot--and this idea of a timeless void allows us to pull the audience into the scene more because these series of events could happen in any kind of setting. The dimensions of the stage allow for the audience to become part of the scene but also feel the distance between the void and their seats. The beams were also a crucial part of the aesthetics of the stage.
that I’ve seen happen—even just at school you see how people react when they’re afraid. I think it’s important to understand how these emotions control the way we act, regardless of the particular setting. Q: How would you describe your experience with the Crucible, and what made this play stand out to you? A: This play appealed to me mainly because of its discussion of human emotions. Another interesting aspect, though, was how my character commits terrible moral actions like accusing people of witchcraft, and yet he’s doing all of these things legally, all in a way that seems good and justified. So it really gets us thinking, what’s the difference between legal and moral justification? What makes an action good, and what are the ways that the law overlooks wrongdoings?
— Scenic Design: Mr. Allen Babcock, Stage and Scenic Designer of The Crucible
Interview with Sam Blair ’14 Q: What role did you play in the winter production, Crucible, and could you briefly describe his character? A: I was Thomas Putnam, who blames his daughter’s illness on witchcraft. He goes further to accuse other townspeople of witchcraft, which he believes to be the cause of death of his other seven children. It was such a powerful experience, to play someone who’s that mean. As an actor you have to think a lot about your character, but it was difficult to do that because no one thinks of himself as evil. He’s such a nasty guy and I had to get as nasty as I could. Q: Jack mentioned in his interview that the directorial theme for the production was to step away from the particular setting in Salem and depict it as a piece within a timeless era. What did you think about the application of your role to that kind of directorial theme? A: It was certainly very powerful that we weren’t focused so much on setting the play in a particular historical framework because it made the ideas we were talking about a lot more real. As for me, while I was playing this character, I was constantly reminded of the ways that fear, and the sense of morality, could actually cause pain and suffering throughout the human experience. I know that it’s something that’s happened throughout history. It’s something
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Interview with Jack Chrysler ’16 Q: What role did you play in the Crucible? A: I played Reverend Samuel Parris. He is the Reverend of the small town where The Crucible takes place. Parris is a very respected figure considered the guardian of the town. Q: So the small town would be Salem, is that right? A: Actually, the directorial concept behind our production was ‘a timeless void,’ meaning that the same things that happened in Salem could happen virtually anywhere in the world. So we tried to move away
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from the particular setting and really show that all of this backstabbing, betrayal, throwing each other under the bus, could happen in a timeless era. The emphasis wasn’t as heavily on commemorating the particular catastrophe in Salem, or even witchcraft. Q: It must have been difficult trying to act specific scenes while still being mindful of these directorial concepts and overall themes. As part of the audience, I noticed that conflict was an overarching theme in the play. What would you say was the biggest internal conflict of Reverend Parris? A: Well, Parris is a complex character. He changes throughout the play, and one of the driving forces of this change is his internal conflict. He starts out denying the existence of witchcraft for narcissistic and self-centered reasons. In the earlier stages of the play,
he’s confident and proud, but as the play progresses, he hits the point where he becomes a sniveling wreck and he’s literally begging the judge to let these people live, though he had previously wanted to send them to their deaths. The moment when he realizes that his niece had been deceiving him is probably the biggest turning point in Parris’s character development and the production as a whole. Q: What were some of the challenges that you encountered as a performer? A: There are always the small things—I tend to play with my hands, my legs, my sleeves, and my belt buckle… But going back to Parris’s character, it became really important that I showed the transition of Parris from a strong, levelheaded character to a weeping and desperate wreck. And really trying to pay attention to that transition, trying to show how he develops during the course of the play was the biggest challenge. Q: How was your overall experience with the production ? A: My experience with The Crucible was completely positive. I really enjoyed the play and we all got so close, as anyone would while working so many hours together. Q: What made you interested in the play? Could you tell us about your previous experiences with theater? A: I’m a theater student for humanities, so I have a general interest in theater. We also read the play in English next year. It’s such a touching story, too, which made me really want to be a part of the play. This was of course, my first experience taking on a major role in a production, though I’m not entirely new to acting. I was really happy when the Reeds just took the risk and saw the potential in me and in each member of the cast… I really grew as an actor throughout the whole process and I have to attribute a lot of that to their support and their willingness to discover new acting potential. Because I really was brand new to this whole thing and they just bet on the potential that they saw. It turned out to be a great show and I hope I did them proud!
Interview with Sylvie Robinson ’16 Q: What role did you play in The Crucible? A: I played Abigail Williams. Abigail previously had an affair with John Proctor and is terribly bitter about the end of their relationship. She tries to defend herself against accusations of witchcraft in the village, all the while seeking revenge against Proctor. Q: What were some of the biggest challenges of portraying your character? A: I could never judge Abigail. The first inclination of audience members or readers is to hate Abigail. She ruins pious characters to save herself. She destroys an entire village, and then runs away. She is selfish and cowardly, but she is also only seventeen. If I had judged Abigail—and it was hard not to—I would not have been able to act her part to its full value. Abigail was scared and did what she had to do to save her life. I may not have taken the same actions, but while playing her, I never judged her choices. Q: How would you describe your experience with The Crucible? What made you interested, and what makes this play stand out among your other theater performances? A: The Crucible, and I think all my cast mates would agree, was exhausting in the best way possible. It is an emotionally heavy show, but walking off stage every night feeling as if all life had been sucked out of me is very rewarding. It means I put myself entirely into my character. It was sometimes difficult to let go of Abigail when I walked out of rehearsal. I hope audiences realized how much energy was put into every role.
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Interview with Olivia DiMichele ’17
Q: What are your impressions about the show?
Q: What was your role in the Crucible?
A: I had a lot of fun especially with the cast during the show and I liked the script a lot because it's really serious and I have never done such a serious show and I thought it would be fun!
A: I played Betty Parris and she was one of the girls who accused all the older women of being witches.
Q: How is the production preparation different from the work you do in humanities theater?
Q: What were some of the challenges?
A: In humanities we focus mainly on acting and reaching into ourselves and pulling out raw emotions to use on stage. But in an actual show there's so much more to think about and remember like blocking and lines.
A: I had to lie still for a long time in the first seen and when I had to scratch my nose or got a cramp I couldn’t do anything about it—so that was a challenge! 2222 | INK! WINTER 2014 | INK! WINTER 2014
Interview with Sarah Glasfeld ’17 Q: What role did you play in the Crucible? A: I played Mary Warren. She was the servant to John and Elizabeth Proctor as well as one of the girls who falsely accused multiple men and women of witchcraft. My character believes that these women have trafficked with the devil but then eventually realizes that her actions were all fake and misguided. She goes to the court to tell the judges what she has discovered but when the girls turn on her, she has the choice of either being condemned to death or switching sides again. In the end, she accuses John Proctor, condemning him to be hanged. Q: What were some of the biggest challenges? A: The biggest challenge with portraying my character was conveying to the audience how scared she is. Everything that happens within the second act is a matter of life and death. It’s an act full of ultimatums and every moment is just so intense.
Q: How would you describe your experience with the Crucible? A: My overall experience with The Crucible was amazing. I loved getting to know all of the other more experienced actors, hearing their stories of past productions, and becoming really close with all of them. I am so glad I did it and I could not have asked for a better first Hotchkiss production, or a better cast. Q: What made you interested in the Crucible, and how do you think it differed from your expectations? A: I was first introduced to The Crucible via Humanities Theater. I decided to audition for it because I was really familiar with the play already. I have read it in my last year’s English class as well as seen it performed before. I feel that my experience with The Crucible was much different than what we have been doing in class, mostly because we have focused on comic acting in class, while The Crucible is a tragedy.
“Everything that happens within the second act is a matter between life and death.” - Sarah Glasfeld ’17
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The
Monkey’s Paw On February 26th, Hotchkiss students were able to enjoy watching Monkey’s Paw, a short play performed in the Black Box theater. The play involves a husband and wife that receive a money’s paw from an old friend. However, the story takes a dark turn after they discover the true power hidden behind the paw. To find out more details on the production, we interviewed director Michael Sansbury ’16, stage manager Eva Warren ’14, and actor Kanghee Lee ’17. Interviews and layout by Jonvi Rollins ’16
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Interview with Michael Sansbury ’16 Q: Did you choose to do this play? If so, why? A: It was my choice to do the play. I chose to do this play because I remember being really scared by the story as a child, and I wanted to capture that feeling again somehow, and the best medium I thought was available was the stage. Q: As the director, did you make any executive changes to the script? A: As the director, I definitely made executive changes to the script. A few of the plot elements are a little different than the original story, and most of the dialogue was changed. I basically took the general idea of the story, and then put it into a more modern perspective.
Q: In the play, the main character wished for his son to die after his wife had wished for him to come back to life. If you were him, would you have done the same? A: Mr. White is definitely in a hard position at the end of the play. It's hard for him to wish for his son to die (it is his son, after all), but I think at the end of the day he knew that nothing good would come out of the paw. I think if I were in this situation, I would probably choose for my son to die, but I think I might've waited until I saw him to kill him. One of the reasons Mr. White doesn't wait to see him is that he thinks it would be too hard to wish after he's seen his son again. I understand that choice certainly, but I think I would probably walk a different path.
Interview with Evangeline Warren ’14 Q: What was the hardest part of being a stage manager? A: When I agreed to be Michael’s stage manager in the fall, I figured it would be a good way to dip my toes in the water. I’m generally on the performing side of things and I wanted to give stage management a try. I ended up being asked to stage manage Rocky Horror as well which led to a scheduling nightmare. Figuring out which productions had rehearsals when and where was much more difficult than I could have ever imagined. Both directors, Michael and Maya, made simultaneously stage managing two shows possible and I thank them both for their help and encouragement.
Interview with Kanghee Lee ’17 Q: As an actor, did you find anything intimidating about performing in the Black Box? A: “The Monkey’s Paw” was my first time acting and my black box debut. In some ways the tight space with no microphones and an audience on all sides gives you more to pay attention to as you’re delivering your lines than a regular stage. Q: If you could change one part of the play, what would it be? A: This is hard. As the play was student written, there were moments when the lines didn’t flow or didn’t feel real. The actors overcame it by paraphrasing at times but I still feel that the play could have been more natural.
Q: Did any of the cast members give you a hard time during rehearsals? A: Not at all! Once we established the expectations, each cast member met and exceeded them. It was a pleasure working with everyone involved. Q: In the play, a family had acquired a monkey’s paw that could grant them three wishes. If you had a monkey’s paw in real life, what would your three wishes be? A: I’m going to hope that there are no repercussions for my wishes and just go ahead and wish. 1. I’m sorry, I know it’s cheesy, but I’d really appreciate world peace. 2. Less homework wouldn’t be bad either. 3. And more dessert in the dining hall would be awesome. WINTER 2014 INK! | 25
r e o Th orr w H o y h k eS c Ro tur c i P
In the midst of another bleak, melancholy Hotchkiss winter, the air buzzed with conversations about
a sensational, perhaps slightly controversial, student-run music revue: The Rocky Horror Picture Show. The musical tells the story of a couple played by JJ McNulty ’15 and Ryann Stacy ’14, who encounter a transvestite, Andrew Ryder ’14 living in a hotel full of people from an alien planet called Transylvania. The rest of the cast includes Martin Carrizosa ’14, Helen Shapiro-Albert ’14, Charlotte Le Fevre ’15, Nick Carter ’16, Naomy Pedroza ’16, Anish Kokkirala ’17, and David Isaly ’17. Many were taken by surprise at the abundance of sexuality and peculiar sense of humor portrayed throughout the show.
“I think the biggest challenge was trying to make sure everybody was comfortable both in casting and
in setting up the environment,” said Maya Ghose ’14, the director. “We definitely established this comfort with the cast, who were, by the way, the most amazing actors and actresses I could ask for.” Ryann Stacy ’14, one of the main actresses in the show, agreed. “The biggest challenges for me were getting used to having much more of my body being exposed than there is on a day-to-day basis, and being comfortable singing in front of people.” However, Stacy overcame this discomfort with the support the cast and crew, establishing a tight bond with every member.
The audience was divided in their opinion about the controversial material the show dealt with. Some
of the audience members were taken aback at the sexual scenes and the vulgar language. “The show was really funny, and I had no issues with how it was done. But the show was so progressive in its sexuality that
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“It’s a fun show, and people can take away from it what they will. I do hope they take away the message of acceptance and a good humored laugh.”
I felt slightly uncomfortable,” said Hyungtae Kim ’15. However, the other half of the audience enjoyed the rare permission of sexual content on campus. “I enjoyed it a lot. I thought it was very entertaining, and a nice way to
- Maya Ghose ’14
shake things up a bit. At first I was maybe a bit surprised that they were allowed to do this show, but I think they handled it well and made it humorous,” said Maddy Nam ’14. “Watching people’s faces in the audience was almost as funny as the show.”
Many may have wondered, what was the point
of Rocky Horror Picture Show? What is this musical really about? The answer is simpler than what one may think. “I just wanted the audience to take away the idea that Rocky Horror is a really wacky show. It’s not meant to make sense, so I hoped people would just go with it and enjoy the stupidity, instead of trying to understand it,” said Stacy.
The director, Ghose, clarified her purpose in
choosing this particular show. “Honestly, I wanted everyone to have a good time,” said Ghose. “It’s a fun show, and people can take away from it what they will. I do hope they take away the message of acceptance and a good humored laugh.”
Article by Jeanne Ahn ‘15 Layout by Evangeline Warren ‘14 WINTER 2014 INK! | 27
The Art of Dance Over the past few months, the dance students and Dance Company have been working on creating pieces for the upcoming Student-Choreographed Dance Recital. Dance is not an easy art; it’s an intricate expression that takes time, concentration, passion, and patience. In order to truly learn and dance, the dancers must be very present in the moment and take risks. It is scary for them to throw their bodies through space, especially when they have to land with vigor and energy, but they have to try nonetheless. It is almost impossible to really risk enough in the dance studio. But taking risks is not
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the only difficult part of dance; perhaps a greater challenge is choreography, something the dancers have been working on to create their own art. Choreography is extremely challenging and complex. Not only does it require the technique that comes with many years of dancing, but it also requires an understanding of how one moves through space and the flow and energy of motion. Choreography is unique; unlike music or visual arts, there is no standard on which a work can be built off. Although the choreographer may have inspirations, such as an image, a story, or even an emotion, he is truly creating from nothing. The risk and understanding that are required of the dancers in the studio help them forge out there, beyond the walls of Hotchkiss.
Words from Mrs. Wolf, Written by Grace Matthews ’17
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Interview with Maren Wilson ’14 Interview and layout by Grace Matthews ‘17
Q: Are you choreographing one of the dances?
Q: How long have you been a part of the Hotchkiss Dance Company?
A: Hopefully! I haven’t been extremely inspired but I am in the process of choreographing right now; we’ll see if I get it done for the performance
A: I was part of the first Dance Company during my lower-mid year. Then I was away in France last year on SYA and now I am part of the Company again. So this is only my second year. My freshman year, though, I did an independent co-curricular activity during the winter on choreographing a piece for a performance. Q: About how many hours a week do you practice (with the Company and for your own pieces)? A: For the Company, we have rehearsals Monday through Saturday for two hours. For my own pieces, I practice additionally in my own time. And I am in some of the other student pieces which require some rehearsal time; that would probably take up an extra 2-3 hours a week?
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Q: How do you pick the people who will perform in your dance? (i.e. do you choose, does Mrs. Wolf assign groups, etc.) A: I have choreographed one solo. Then Kriti and I performed a dance we had choreographed for the Humanities dance my prep year. I also choreographed with Catriona Leckie (who graduated last year) and we just decided it would be the two of us in our piece. Students have complete control over who partakes in the dances for the student-choreographed show. Q: What do you find most challenging about choreography?
“When you are choreographing, you take complete ownership of your movement and when you know that it is honest to your intention it is a great feeling!” - Maren Wilson ’14
A: Pushing through the times during which I am not inspired. It is difficult to go into the studio with a completely blank canvas, so to speak, and just create unless something (some music, an idea, an emotion) is propelling you. Sometimes I make myself put music on, turn away from the mirror (because the mirror can be a little toxic) and just dance! Q: What is your least favorite part about having to choreograph your own dance?
A: I don’t really think there is a least favorite part – maybe just getting frustrated with myself from time to time. But if I am choreographing, it is because I genuinely want to, so I am usually very happy! Q: What is your favorite part? A: The moment that you come up with a genuine piece of movement, something that feels completely yours. When you are choreographing, you take complete ownership of your movement and it’s a great feeling to know that the work is honest to your intention!
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In Their Sketchbooks
Vivian Xiao ‘15
Grace Matthews ‘17
Vivian Xiao ‘15
Mr. Charlie Noyes 34 | INK! WINTER 2014
Wan Lin ‘17
Anna Xuan ‘14
Anna Xuan ‘14
Layout by Iris Garcia ‘14
Grace Matthews ‘17
Anna Xuan ‘14
Wan Lin ‘17
Mr. Charlie Noyes
Bill Gao ‘17
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13 1, 15, 17, 18, 22: Maria Xu ‘15 2, 14: Jon Morgan Barth ‘15 3: Stefani Trajkovski ‘14 4, 9, 23: Thalia Bush ‘15 5, 10, 19, 21: Sam Bartusek ‘15 6, 16, 24: Hannah Pouler 7, 11: Franton Lin ‘14 8: Elliot Wilson ‘17 12: Mingxi Li ‘14 13: Alex Gotsis ‘15 20: Charne Vermaak ‘17
15 Layout by James Post ‘15
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Cover Photo by Maria Xu ‘15 Contents Photo by Talia Bush ‘15 Special Thanks To Amelia Cao ‘16, Alice Wolf, Maren Wilson ‘14, Wan Lin ‘17, Charlie Noyes, Bill Gao ‘17, Anna Xuan ‘14, Parker Reed, Allen Babcock, Derek Brashears, Sam Blair ‘14, Jack Chrysler ‘16, Olivia DiMichele ‘17, Sarah Glasfeld ‘17, Evangeline Warren ‘14, Kanghee Lee ‘17, Michael Sansbury ‘16 INKredible is a student-run Hotchkiss Arts publication established in 2012. Email: inkredible@hotchkiss.org Facebook: facebook.com/inkrediblehotchkiss Issuu: issuu.com/inkredible
Issue No. 6 Editorial Board
Club Advisor Layout and Art Director
Winter 2014 Jimmy Chung ‘14 Iris Garcia ‘14 Justin Hung ‘14 Evangeline Warren ‘14 Vivian Xiao ‘15 Brad Faus Vivian Xiao ‘15
Layout Team
Grace Cheng ‘16 Iris Garcia ‘14 Grace Matthews ‘17 James Post ‘15 Jonvi Rollins ‘16 Elaine Wang ‘16 Evangeline Warren ‘14 Vivian Xiao ‘15 Anna Xuan ‘14 Carina Zhang ‘16
Contributing Writers
Jeanne Ahn ‘15 Karen Ahn ‘17 Anna Balderston ‘14 Jimmy Chung ‘14 Alex Jeon ‘17 Bobby Kwon ‘16 Viola Lee ‘16 Mingxi Li ‘14 Grace Matthews ‘17 Hannah Pouler ‘16 Jonvi Rollins ‘17 Hugo Wasserman ‘15
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