THURSDAY, OCTOBER 18, 2018
VOL. CLXXV NO. 85
PARTLY CLOUDY HIGH 43 LOW 27
IFC and ISC panel sees low freshman turnout
HANOVER, NEW HAMPSHIRE
Racial slur and bias incidents reported on student doors B y Eileen Brady
The Dartmouth Staff
OPINION
LEUTZ: A COUNTRY ON ITS KNEES PAGE 6
BARTLETT: ESTABLISHING THE PRECEDENT PAGE 6
KHANNA: GROWING UP AT DARTMOUTH PAGE 7
ZEHNER: DERAILED PAGE 7
ARTS
STUDENT SPOTLIGHT: ARMANDO ORTIZ ’19 INSPIRES WITH COSTUMES PAGE 8 FOLLOW US ON
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On Tuesday, the IFC and ISC hosted a panel for freshmen prior to the end of the Greek house ban.
B y CAssandra Thomas The Dartmouth
On Tuesday night, the Inter-Fraternity and InterSorority Councils hosted a panel informing freshmen about acceptable behavior in Greek spaces in anticipation of the end of the Greek spaces ban in the coming weeks. There was only one thing missing: a complete audience. The hope was that every
freshman interested in entering Greek spaces would attend the meeting. Prior to the panel, both the IFC and the ISC sent campus-wide emails. The IFC email also stated that card scanners would be present at the event and that attendance “may be considered when rushing a Greek House next year.” Less than 20 students attended the panel. Wyatt Genasci-Smith ’19, an intern for the Dartmouth
Bystander Initiative and a speaker on Tuesday’s panel, expressed his disappointment in finding less than 20 students in the auditorium. He said that the panelists at the event were leaders in Greek spaces and wanted to show they cared. “ We w i s h w e k n e w these things when we were [freshmen],” GenasciSmith said. “I’m not happy
It was 5 a.m. on Sept. 18 when Sai Davuluri ’21 and Tyler Fagler ’20 noticed the racial slur “ch—” written on the door of a Chinese student on the fourth floor of McLane Hall. The pair were awake to go to conditioning practice for the baseball team. When they came back to their room later that morning, all traces of the vandalism was gone. The vandalism was one of multiple similar bias incidents that happened that morning, according to assistant director of residential education for West House Ted Stratton. Less than four weeks later, three more similar incidents were reported in School House, in Hitchcock Hall, Mid Massachusetts Hall and North Massachusetts Hall. While the incident in Hitchcock Hall was recorded as a bias incident, the others were not, according to
SEE PANEL PAGE 2
an email sent to School House residents by assistant director Joseph Brenckle and house professor Craig Sutton. Isabelle Chung ’19 observed the biased vandalism on her door in Hitchcock Hall. The writing included the name of another Asian student next to a heart. Four days later, Chung is still waiting for someone to help her wash the remnants of the graffiti off of her dorm room door. The pen was probably permanent marker, Chung said. The day after the vandalism in McLane Hall, Stratton and West House professor Ryan Hickoxemailedsomemembers of the house community about the bias incident. The house community also held a “community gathering” that two students attended. School House held a similar meeting on Oct. 16, which eight members attended. Nevertheless, 13 students living on the fourth floor of SEE BIAS INCIDENTS PAGE 5
Republican Negron Height linked to varicose veins discusses policy goals B y Lucy Turnipseed The Dartmouth
B y Wally Joe cook The Dartmouth Staff
“You know what, Dad? You complain a lot, and if you don’t get involved, you really don’t have a right to complain.” That’s what Steve Negron’s daughter told him in 2016 before he made the decision to run for a position in the New Hampshire House of Representatives. Negron recently won the Republican
primary for the state’s Second Congressional District and will face the Democratic incumbent, Annie Kuster, at the polls on Nov. 6. A few years ago, Negron said he never imagined he would be in this position. After hosting a campaign event with his wife for Republican presidential SEE NEGRON PAGE 3
Taller members of the population may need to be more vigilant in monitoring the appearance of their veins. A recent study on the environmental and genetic factors that lead to varicose veins has found that height is a risk factor for the condition, which results in swollen, visible veins most commonly seen in the legs and feet. The
study also confirmed the correlation between deep vein thrombosis and a higher likelihood for developing varicose veins. Alyssa Flores Med’20 was an author of the study. “We got a lot of positive feedback and I think that speaks to the need [the study] addressed,” Flores said. The study, the largest one ever done on varicose veins, originated at the Stanford University School
of Medicine with a team headed by Nicholas Leeper, a surgery and cardiovascular medicine professor and head of the Leeper Lab at Stanford University. According to Leeper, the study’s findings bring scientists one step closer to developing early-stage treatments and medical therapies for the disease. Flores, a Howard Hughes Medical Institute Medical SEE VARICOSE VEINS PAGE 4
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THE DARTMOUTH NEWS
THURSDAY, OCTOBER 18, 2018
Nobel Prize research has Panel hosted before end of frat ban historical ties to College panel’s diversity demonstrated the IFC’s commitment to safety and with the way I conducted myself inclusivity. when I was a freshman.” The panel stressed that while The Greek house ban was students can still enjoy the Greek originally instituted by the Greek system, they need to be responsible Leadership Council in 2013. It for themselves and for others in prohibits first-year students from those spaces, Smith said. entering Greek houses during the Of the few freshmen who first six weeks of their freshman were in the audience, Angeline year, or until after Homecoming Janumala ’22 said she went into weekend. the event with a skeptical view of The panel was intentionally inclusivity in Greek life. composed of leaders from varying “The leaders try to make [Greek houses and backgrounds with spaces] inclusive, but I think they different are probably perspectives inherently to bring their “The people that are n o t , ” o w n u n i q u e leading these spaces do Janumala outlooks to s a i d . “ Ju s t care about you and do the panel. the whole G e n a s c i - care about what you history of Smith said frats and think, and if you still end that as a white, sororities, f o r m e r l y - up feeling like a space isn’t not just in a f f i l i a t e d valid for you, then that’s Dartmouth male athlete but in every o n c a m p u s , your perogative.” college and his role is pop culture, instrumental in is going to -ANGELINE JANUMALA ’22 changing the turn certain way freshmen g roups of at Dartmouth p e o p l e treat others in off from Greek spaces wanting to and create safer go into these environments. spaces and He noted feeling like that the they have a definition of place in these masculinity should be amended to spaces.” reflect the need to respect women. However, at the end of the event, “I want it to be a cool thing she said that she recognized the that guys respect women and other efforts of the panel to increase the people,” Genasci-Smith said. safety and diversity of Greek spaces IFC head of public relations despite the intrinsic difficulty of Caleb Smith ’19 said that the that task. Janumala added that the FROM PANEL PAGE 1
where there is a lot of activity going on, which ultimately benefits students because there is intellectual ferment The 2018 Nobel Prize in Physics and activity involved,” Thorstensen was awarded on Oct. 2 for research said. “Nichols would have gotten us in the field of laser physics. American here quicker.” physicist Arthur Ashkin received half Using the Nichols-Hull experiment of the prize for his discovery of real- to invent optical tweezers, Ashkin life optical tweezers, while the other was able to find that converging laser half was shared by Canadian physicist beams could manipulate microscopic Donna Strickland and French physicist physical objects. Physics and astronomy Gerard Mourou for their method of professor Kevin Wright, who teaches generating high-intensity optical pulses Physics 47, “Optics,” is researching that can move matter. the use of these optical tweezers to Ashkin’s research on optical tweezers manipulate the gas of “ultra-cold” has historical ties to Dartmouth, atoms in a similar way. according to physics and astronomy “Basically we look at all sorts department chair John Thorstensen. of unusual phenomena that can “The local connection here is occur when quantum mechanics that [Ashkin’s become evident findings] depend at large scales,” on the fact that “If you have taken Wright said. l i g h t c a r r i e s introductory physics, “It is important momentum for things like and can exert you know enough to superconductors pressure, which understand almost or superfluids.” was first deduced Wright everything about this in the 19th added that in century by James prize.” an effort to get Clerk Maxwell, students involved who figured out in hands-on electromagnetism -KEVIN WRIGHT, PHYSICS research he may correctly,” he said. PROFESSOR have his class “There was no create optical ex p e r i m e n t a l tweezers as a final confirmation of this since the pressure project. is so tiny until it was found in [Wilder “One of the nice things about both Laboratory] in 1902 by Ernest Fox of these parts of the Nobel Prize is that Nichols, who was later president of they are more accessible than some of Dartmouth, and Gorden Ferrie Hull.” the other topics that have been awarded In Wilder Laboratory, which is — to understand the optical tweezer a part of the Sherman Fairchild phenomenon, you only need to know a physical sciences center, Thorstensen little bit about geometric optics, the way added, Nichols and Hull invented the light is bent” he said. “If you have taken Nichols radiometer, which measures introductory physics, you know enough the pressure of radiation. Using the to understand almost everything about radiometer and the Wheatstone Bridge, this prize. The principles are not an electrical circuit apparatus used to complex. It is mostly cleverness that measure an unknown resistance, they brought the prize about.” successfully proved Maxwell’s theory Physics and astronomy professor of electromagnetic radiation. Today, Roberto Onofrio, who researches the building is designated as a historical macroscopic quantum mechanics, said site by the American Physical Society. he believes that this Nobel Prize and Thorstensen also believes that Wright’s research are a testament to the Nichols was the first president to poise importance of creativity in the field of Dartmouth to become a strong research physics research. He noted that physics institution, but discussed how this was research often builds upon itself. halted by later presidents, causing “You must be the first. You don’t decades of catch-up for the College’s need money and you need very few research capacity. tools,” he said. “We started to become what we He added that, as a professor, he like to think of ourselves now, which believes that interacting with students is hopefully the perfect hybrid: a small in classes keeps researchers “sharp college, where we pay attention to our and in touch with the foundations [of students, and a research institution physics].”
By Anne George The Dartmouth
panel made her more confident entering Greek spaces. “For me, the panel confirmed things that I’ve been hearing in a more concrete way,” she said. “The people that are leading these spaces do care about you and do care about what you think, and if you still end up feeling like a space isn’t valid for you, then that’s your prerogative.” Although panelists did not foresee the low turnout, GenasciSmith and Smith said that they are still determined to encourage a culture of awareness within the Greek system. “People do care — they just feel like someone else is going to do it,” Genasci-Smith said. “It’s like, ‘I care, but honestly I’m not going to be able to create change.’ I’ve heard that a lot. I know that people care, but it’s sad that it would take someone’s best friend getting assaulted or hurt or harmed for them to care.” While it may take time for all Dartmouth students to fully support the movement toward greater safety and compassion i n G re e k s p a c e s, t h e p a n e l demonstrated that leaders are already acting as catalysts in this transformation, according to panelist Rachel Kesler ’19, Inter-Sorority Council co-chair of inclusivity and diversity. “Everybody had really welldeveloped thoughts on the ideas we were talking about,” she said. “There are people within the Greek system that really care about the totality of Dartmouth’s community, trying to make these spaces safe for everybody that would like to participate in them.”
STUDENTS ARE REAPING THE FRUITS OF LABOR
CORRECTIONS We welcome corrections. If you believe there is a factual error in a story, please email editor@thedartmouth.com.
NATALIE DAMERON/THE DARTMOUTH
The Class of 1953 Commons served a Harvest Dinner on Wednesday night, complete with different varieties of cheese.
THURSDAY, OCTOBER 18, 2018
THE DARTMOUTH NEWS
Negron states support for Trump FROM NEGRON PAGE 1
candidate Carly Fiorina in 2016, Negron was approached by state representatives in attendance. They asked him to run for an opening in his district for the New Hampshire House of Representatives, but Negron did not say yes at first. “My daughter was about to go into her senior year in high school, and I was the unofficial videographer for the volleyball team,” Negron said. “I told them, ‘As long as it doesn’t impact my daughter, then I would consider it.” He said he went home to talk to his daughter about the decision. With his daughter’s support, Negron was elected to the state House of Representatives, where he sat on the election law committee. During his time in the House, he said that he was inspired by the passion of New Hampshire citizens. “I used to see people who would come to committee hearings,” he said. “They would drive two or two and a half hours and they fundamentally believed that they had a voice. Whatever the issue was that they wanted to be heard on, they thought they could affect change.” As a member of the New Hampshire House of Representatives committee on election law, Negron heard and supports House Bill 1264, which has since been signed into law by Governor Chris Sununu. The law makes it more difficult for out-of-state college students to vote in New Hampshire elections. “Every college student here that comes from another state always has the opportunity to vote with an absentee ballot,” he said. “My daughter is now a sophomore in college in Texas and she requested an absentee ballot because she knows her home is here in New Hampshire.” Negron said that he welcomes students who want to move to New Hampshire, but that they then must comply with all of New Hampshire’s rules going forward. “Either you are a New Hampshire resident for everything or you’re not,” he said. Negron said that he turned a critical eye toward the federal government and realized that New Hampshire citizens in the Second Congressional district were not being heard. He said he decided to run for Congress to give those citizens a voice. As a candidate for the Republican nomination, Negron faced a tight race. He barely edged out his opponents, securing only 26.1 percent of the vote. Other candidates Lynne Blankenbeker and Stewart Levenson earned 22.9 percent and 25.2 percent, respectively. Negron said that uniting the party behind him after the close primary race has been a “lukewarm” process.
He noted that of the three of the child separation issue as an major candidates he defeated in the example of the president doing the primary, two now support him and right thing. the third does not. Negron said that “to this point” “That was a hiccup and a bump he has not disagreed with a single in the road,” Negron said of the one of Trump’s policies. third candidate, whom he chose not “I think the things he has done to name. have been historic,” he said. “For He said that he has been meeting me, as a military guy, bringing with voters who supported the third North Korea to the table with South candidate to bring the party together. Korea was great, but what was more “We’re not going to be successful important to me was that we were unless we galvanize the party and able to repatriate remains from the bring everyone together,” Negron Korean War back to this country.” said. “I think we’re in a good position Negron served in the Air Force right now.” and comes from a family committed College Re publicans vice to military service. Negron’s father, president Daniel Bring ’21 said that wife and sister are veterans and his while he supported Levinson in the son is currently serving with the Air primaries, he now backs Negron. Force Special Operations Command. However, Bring said he is not He said that his military service confident in Negron’s chances on has carried over into his professional Nov. 6. life as a business owner. His “I don’t think this district has the company, Integron, which is based Republican community to mobilize in Nashua, focuses on engineering behind Negron,” Bring said. and acquisition support for the Dartmouth Democrats executive Department of Defense. b o a r d “I was an member [intercontinental “We’re not going to Michael ballistic missile] P a r s o n s be successful unless guy, so in the height ’ 2 0 s a i d we galvanize the party of the Cold War I he shared was one of those B r i n g ’ s and bring everyone guys 90 feet under sentiments together.” the ground and I a b o u t was responsible, Neg ron’s a l o n g w i t h my c h a n c e s -STEVEN NEGRON, c re w m e m b e r s, at t h e CANDIDATE FOR NEW for ten nuclear polls. weapons,” Negron “I really HAMPSHIRE’S SECOND said. don’t think CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT Neg ron said he’s got that, in addition a shot,” to his military Parsons said. background, his “We really Hispanic heritage believe that and his grandfather’s [Negron] is a non-starter of a legal immigration from Mexico candidate.” influences his perspective on political Parsons said that Negron does issues. not represent New Hampshire well “When you go and represent in because of his opposition to Medicaid Washington, you need to bring the expansion, abortion and climate fabric of a community ideal with change, adding that Negron is a you,” he added. “I think right now proponent of conversion therapy. I’m really the prototypical person that Negron has experience bringing should be in Congress, just a regular the party together after a contentious guy that lived his life giving back to primary, as he now supports President his community.” Donald Trump after organizing One issue that Negron said events for Fiorina in 2016. is plaguing New Hampshire “I think the things [Trump] has communities is the opioid epidemic. done for this country have been spot “The number one issue here is the on,” Negron said. “I think he’s just opioid issue that we have right here in trying to protect this country. He’s this state,” he said. “There is this unrest trying to make sure everything is fair.” out there about what is happening.” Negron cited Trump’s interactions Negron said he will bring what he with the North Atlantic Treaty has learned from opioid discussions Organization and his demands that in New Hampshire to Washington, all nations provide the agreed upon adding that he believes federal support military funding as an example of could help New Hampshire tackle the his effectiveness. He also mentioned issue if there was still a local focus. the president’s decision to back out “You can’t legislate for a state from of the Iran nuclear agreement and Washington,” he explained. “You the current “economic boom” as have to come back here.” evidence of his strong leadership. Negron encouraged Dartmouth He also discussed Trump’s executive students to vote in the upcoming order that “minimized the impact” election.
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DARTMOUTHEVENTS
THE DARTMOUTH EVENTS
AMID INVESTIGATIONS, ONION STILL SAFE
THURSDAY, OCTOBER 18, 2018
CAROLINE COOK ’21
TODAY
8:30 a.m. - 5:30 p.m.
IDE Summit: Poverty & Equity, sponsored by Institutional Diversity & Equity, Hanover Inn
5:00 p.m. - 6:00 p.m.
Entrepreneurship Speaker Series: Fireside Chat, with CarGurus Co-Founder and CEO Langley Steinert Tuck ’91, Georgiopolus Classroom, Raether Building, Tuck School of Business
5:30 p.m. - 6:30 p.m.
Lecture: “Autism: A view from neuroscience,” with Dr. Caroline Robertson of the Dartmouth Autism Research Initiative, Filene Auditorium, Moore Building
7:15 p.m. - 8:30 p.m.
Lectures: “Melville’s Moby-Dick” and “My Last Word on Moby-Dick,” with Frank Gado ’58, Rockefeller Center 003
TOMORROW 10:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.
Dartmouth College Library Staff Association’s 28th Annual Craft Fair, Alumni Hall, Hopkins Center for the Arts
5:00 p.m. - 6:30 p.m.
Film: “Dawnland,” directed by Adam Mazo and Ben Pender-Cudlip, Loew Auditorium, Black Family Visual Arts Center
8:00 p.m. - 10:00 p.m.
Public Astronomical Observing, sponsored by the physics and astronomy department, Shattuck Observatory
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THURSDAY, OCTOBER 18, 2018
THE DARTMOUTH NEWS
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Varicose veins study uses Several vandalisms reported in dorms population-level science
UGA who had been contacted by a Hickox, Stratton and Wooten all resident about the incident. Hickox attended the West House meeting. McLane Hall and the connected and Stratton then worked together The aforementioned three, along with Fahey Hall reached by The to draft an email to West House Sutton, Brenckle and deputy director Dartmouth said they did not know residents expressing concern about of residential education Jeffrey DeWitt the details of the bias incident in the situation, publicizing available attended the School House meeting. West House. r e s o u rc e s a n d e n c o u r a g i n g Wooten said he trusted Safety and Though Chung first noticed the students to come forward with Security to determine whether these graffiti on her door on Saturday additional infor mation. Their events constitute a pattern. afternoon, she did not report it to intention was to notify students of “It would be impossible to not see her undergraduate advisor until resources and encourage them to any pattern of anything on our campus Sunday, she said. Prior to reporting contact Safety and Security should that’s impacting our students, that’s the incident, she t h e y h a v e hurtful, that’s hateful, and not think, said she tried to “When I heard that a d d i t i o n a l ‘Oh my word, what’s going on?’” he forget about the information. said. this was not an writing and give T h e Chair of the West House executive whoever wrote it isolated incident, I e m a i l w a s board Ryan Monasch ’19 added that “the benefit of the realized that this is not s e n t o u t t o regardless of who vandalized the doors, doubt.” residents at he wants to make sure that everyone sees Chung added a coincidence. This is 8 : 2 4 p . m . West House as an inclusive community. that she did not not a joke.” on Sept. 18, The West House executive board is fully acknowledge r o u g h l y 1 5 considering hosting discussions about the racist nature h o u r s a f t e r social understanding and social issues, of the writing -ISABELLE CHUNG ’19 Davuluri and he said. until she heard Fa g l e r f i r s t Stratton said that even in light of about similar n o t i c e d t h e the incident, the sense of community occurrences targeted at other vandalism. in West House persists. students. “We are very concerned about “Even in speaking with the “When I heard that this was not this behavior occurring on our impacted student, the student was an isolated incident, I realized that campus, in West House, and confident that they didn’t think it was this is not a coincidence,” Chung in our residence hall,” Hickox a member of the floor or probably said. “This is not a joke.” and Stratton wrote in the email. even the house community, because She then reported the graffiti “Derogatory and biased behavior they had a really good rapport with to her undergraduate advisor, who has no place in our community, and their neighbors,” he said. spoke with the Department of Safety violates the standards and values Nathan Camilo ’21, a member and Security. Chung said that in of the College.” of West House, emphasized that he a follow-up communication with The pair pointed students believes the College has room for Safety and Security, the officer with to resources including UGAs, improvement. whom she was speaking admitted deans, the Office of Pluralism “I think [this incident] is just to having previously confused and Leadership, yet another Chung’s case with another case counselors in the example of why the department was handling. College Health “I think [this incident] many people of Chung said she was disappointed ServiceandStratton is just yet another color and other with aspects of her UGA’s response. himself. The email marginalized example of why many When she asked her UGA to have sent by Brenckle communities a follow-up conversation about the and Stratton after people of color and feel unsafe and incident, the UGA spoke to the the School House unwelcome on other marginalized School House assistant director incidents gave this campus,” who ultimately directed Chung to students similar communities feel Camilo said. the community meeting, she said. information and unsafe and unwelcome “I don’t think Associate dean of residential encouraged them Dartmouth life and director of residential to contact the same on this campus.” does enough education Mike Wooten said that four resources. to address training UGAs to handle incidents Both house these types of -NATHAN CAMILO ’21 like these is a priority. communities issues. I think “[In UGA training,] we think hosted gatherings Dartmouth a lot about the particular ways in soon after the needs to make which we ask them to report things, incidents and invited students to come it clear that these types of incidents and that is a big part of the work to ask questions or show support. are disgusting and won’t be tolerated.” that we do, making sure the right “We encourage you to come Wooten said that Dartmouth does people have the information and if you have any questions, want prioritize resolving bias incidents. being part of a larger network of to show support for those affected “These are things that we take care,” he said. “I think they did a by this behavior, or would benefit extremely seriously, as you’d expect,” pretty good job [in reaction to the from gathering with some fellow Wooten said. “All the College’s resources bias incident].” community members,” Brenckle are coming to bear on trying to figure The Sept. 18 West House and Sutton wrote. out how to proceed.” incident was also reported to a Two students attended the Hickcox declined to comment. UGA and to Safety and Security, West House meeting on Sept. 20, Safety and Security director Keysi according to Stratton. The Bias according to Stratton. Wooten said Montás was not available for comment Incident Response Team was also that eight students attended the by press time. Sutton did not respond notified of both incidents and School House meeting on Oct. 16. to requests for comment by press involved in the College’s response, “At the meeting, we just let time. Brenckle, assistant dean and according Wooten, who serves on the students talk,” Stratton said. pan-Asian student advisor Shiella the response team. “We listened to the students’ Cervantes and assistant dean of Stratton said he first learned different feelings and experiences pluralism and leadership Sebastian of the West House incident at at Dartmouth. There was no Muñoz-Medina declined to add to around 4 p.m. on Sept. 18 from a formal agenda.” Wooten’s statement. FROM BIAS INCIDENTS PAGE 1
a genome-wide association study, identifying traits present in people Research Fellow, spent a year at with varicose veins and comparing Stanford launching her research them to healthy individuals to career in the vascular surgery identify the risk factors for the condition. division. “It’s very powerful studying Leeper’s lab chose to study varicose veins because the condition population-level science,” Flores affects many Americans but is said. With 3,000 variables available for relatively understudied, according to Flores, who added that the cross-referencing, some common condition has only late-stage risk factors like pregnancy and age treatments like surgery to move were confirmed in addition to the the veins or compression stockings emergence of the new findings about height as a risk factor. that assist with circulation. “We went in agnostically “We thought it was an important to see if in this p r o b l e m cohort of people b e c a u s e “If we can figure out [with varicose varicose veins] we could veins are so what the risk factors finally find some prevalent, and are, then it’s kind of sort of genetic it’s a condition like cardiovascular [inheritance] which is for these veins,” actually highly disease – we can Fukaya said. m o r b i d , ” try to do risk factor Leeper added Leeper said. modification, ask what that the genes He added and pathways that t h e we can do to minimize causing people condition the risk factors.” to be taller i m p a c t s also affect p e o p l e ’s the vascular quality of life -ERI FUKAYA, STANFORD biology putting and “can have individuals at some pretty UNIVERSITY VASCULAR risk for varicose important side MEDICINE PROFESSOR veins. effects.” F l o re s l at e r “If we can p re s en t e d t h e figure out what findings of the the risk factors varicose veins are, then it’s kind of like cardiovascular disease study at Vascular Discovery, an — we can try to do risk factor American Heart Association modification, ask what we can function, and received the 2018 do to minimize the risk factors,” Peripheral Vascular Disease Early said Stanford University vascular Career Investigator Award for her medicine professor Eri Fukaya, work. “It was an honor for me this who worked on the study with Leeper’s team. “If we don’t know early on in my training to receive the mechanism … we can’t devise the award,” Flores said. “I felt that moment for me was when an early treatment plan.” Leeper added that scientists I could really envision [studying know very little about varicose cardiovascular disease] being what veins and there are no medical I devote my life’s work to.” Fukaya said that involvement in therapies for it. He emphasized the need to fill the “knowledge projects like this one will sharpen Flores’ gap” surrounding the “prevalent skills for her future medical career. “[Flores is] a whiz at figuring and important condition.” Using machine learning, the things out,” she said. Geisel School of Medicine team searched the U.K. Biobank, a database of over half a million surgery professor and Dartmouthindividuals dedicated to collecting H i t c h c o c k M e d i c a l C e n t e r genetic and lifestyle information a t t e n d i n g c a r d i a c s u r g e o n Alexander Iribar ne, who has over time. “It’s a new way of doing science worked with F lores, said he where you don’t go in with a believes her year off for research hypothesis, so you’re not really will “sharpen her perspective” to restricted to the ideas you bring to her medical career. “[Flores is] a great example the table — rather, you’re able to come up with novel findings using of someone who really took the a machine learning algorithm,” initiative to seek out mentorship and has really taken advantage of Flores said. The U.K. Biobank database all the opportunities for students also allowed the team to conduct interested in cardiovascular FROM VARICOSE VEINS PAGE 1
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THE DARTMOUTH OPINION
CONTRIBUTING COLUMNIST PETER LEUTZ ‘22
STAFF COLUMNIST NICHOLAS BARTLETT ‘21
A Country on Its Knees
Establishing the Precedent
Why you should be mad at Nike.
Nike made headlines this past month by introducing Colin Kaepernick as the face of its newest advertising campaign — “Believe in something. Even if it means sacrificing everything,” the campaign’s slogan declares. It illustrates how Kaepernick sacrificed his career in the NFL to protest police brutality and social inequality by kneeling during the national anthem. The release of the Kaepernick ad on Instagram shattered Nike’s previous record views on any post by the millions. Not all viewers double tapped, however, and while Nike’s sales surged in the days following the release of the ad, videos of Nike apparel being torn apart and burned went just as viral. Many still don their swooshes with pride. Others see Nike’s support of Kaepernick as unpatriotic. I find both sides to have inherently flawed reasoning. People should be angry at Nike, but not for their support of Kaepernick. I find the current protests against Nike, demonstrated on social media by burning apparel and slashing swooshes, to be ridiculous for a variety of reasons. I will highlight the most obnoxious of these. First, in order to burn Nike clothes, or cut the swooshes out of them, one must first purchase that apparel. At the end of the day, Nike is a business, and they don’t care what the consumer does with their gear after checkout. Go ahead, buy out an entire Nike store front and start a bonfire to demonstrate disapproval of the company to which you just gave thousands of dollars in business. Boycotting the purchase of Nike’s clothing certainly makes a lot more sense if you truly find Nike’s sponsorship of an athlete who chose to kneel for the anthem so unpatriotic. But who will you get your shoes from now? Nike’s primary competitor is Adidas. While Adidas didn’t sign Colin Kaepernick to an advertising deal, they have released countless collaborations with singer and producer Pharrell Williams. At a charity event this past year in Charlottesville, Virginia, Williams knelt in front of the crowd in solidarity with NFL players who chose to kneel during the national anthem. In doing so, Williams shouted, “Can’t nobody tell me what to do if I want to get on my knees right now.” When asked about the demonstration after his concert, Williams stated, “That’s what this flag is for.” Adidas continued their sponsorship of Williams, releasing countless
colorways of his wildly popular shoe line. Nike has recently been more public about its support of athletes who chose to kneel during the national anthem. However, its competitors are following suit, thus dwindling the logical athletic apparel options for those who deem such support “unpatriotic.” One of the most vocal members of the frustrated and flawed anti-Nike ad camp was President Donald Trump. Trump has always forcefully disapproved of kneeling during the anthem, and he was quick to give his opinion on the advertisement campaign by tweeting, “What was Nike thinking?” While I disagree with Trump’s strong opposition to the protests of Kaepernick and many others, I echo his most recent tweet. What were you thinking, Nike? What were you thinking when your production facilities turned into inhumane sweatshops in which you employed children hardly old enough to tie their own shoes? What were you thinking when you sent Phil Knight to promise us that he would put an end to these workplace injustices? What were you thinking when similar allegations re-emerged in 2017 and the Worker Rights Consortium forced you to shut down production plants across the globe? I am furious at Nike, as global citizens all should be, but not for the same reasons as President Trump. Now is the time when fervent patriotism has become petty, and tangible issues at hand need to be addressed by both sides. Patterns of police brutality and workplace injustice must be addressed by those opposed and in support of the Nike ad, respectively. I support the Kaepernick ad. The NFL’s rule that outlaws kneeling during the anthem is a clear violation of first amendment rights. However, I do think that liberals should hesitate to praise Nike when the primary outcome of this advertising campaign is publicity for the brand — not change. If Nike actually wants to make tangible social progress, it should bring home the jobs lost in Vietnam and Honduras, where production facilities were shut down. If Nike truly is so committed to the community beyond the shelves, it should employ eligible Americans to produce their shoes in acceptable working conditions. The company would take a massive economic hit in doing so, but after all, aren’t we supposed to “believe in something. Even if it means sacrificing everything”?
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ISSUE
THURSDAY, OCTOBER 18, 2018
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The Court’s new conservative majority must resist judging along partisan lines. With the appointment of Justice Brett The Court’s relative stability, however, lends Kavanaugh to the Supreme Court, the itself well to the mindset that courts should be United States ushers in an entirely new agents of change. That is, when one believes era of legality. Chief among the staples that their point of view will dominate the of this paradigm shift: the retention of a judiciary for the foreseeable future, it grows conservative “political” majority. Mind you, rather easy to advocate for the enforcement I wholeheartedly believe that justices should of this viewpoint and ignore the long-term serve as objective arbiters of the law, but consequences in doing so. Humans tend to I’m not so stupid as to presume that human prefer expediency (in reform or otherwise), beings suddenly eschew their beliefs and and a purportedly “stable” judiciary raises predilections the moment that they don those the question as to why the branch with the dapper, black robes. A consensus in viewpoint greatest independence and propensity for is thereby nothing short of monumental. But immediate change doesn’t take action. The unlike the previous 5-4 majority, Kavanaugh simple answer: no majority on the Supreme represents a grand unknown atop the bench. Court is ever perfectly stable. What goes His predecessor, Justice Anthony Kennedy, around always comes around. An activist was renowned for his propensity to forego court — be it conservative or liberal — will an automatic adherence to party lines. He always find its reign usurped by the inevitable was conservative, of course, but one couldn’t turnover of justices and the political tug of predict his judgement simply by glancing at war between Democrats and Republicans. the accompanying “Republican stance” on Time always wins. And when it does, the any given issue. Such is the sign of a great precedent of pseudo-political — and not judge: putting objectivity before subjectivity. overtly constitutional — judgement will make And Kennedy should be commended for it. it quite simple for the newly flipped majority But many simply don’t know which (liberals, in this case) to rule according to approach Kavanaugh will their own views. This is adopt as he grows into his “In control of the problematic on a number position. He could very of levels, chief among them court, it remains well rule tantamount to his being the sheer magnitude predecessor, or he could fall imperative that this of legal oscillation more victim to the party politics conservative majority political judgements could that now unfortunately does not give in ensure. Who, after all, is to say pervade every aspect of to the admittedly that Roe v. Wade could not American government — enticing temptation be “repealed” (or rendered including the putatively of ruling in favor of null by a more recent ruling) impartial domicile of Lady political dogma and within this current majority, Justice. Such is an area of only to be reinstated come not constitutional grave concern, as an overtly the changing of the guard legality.” politicized legacy from this some decades down the conservative majority bodes line? No one. And such a poorly for conservatives. lack of certainty could very I stand by the belief that well prove disruptive in the all courts must remain as objective and non- political realm. partisan as is humanly possible (however little I highly doubt you’ll find an individual who that may be). A Supreme Court that rules with revels in watching as that near un-checkable its heart instead of its mind is hardly a court power — which they proudly cultivated — at all — more a renegade masquerading as finds its way into their opponents’ hands. To justice. Now, I understand the support behind that end, this new conservative majority must these “activist courts,” or courts that use their remain cautious in its rulings, for a precedent influence to facilitate political and social of partisan judgement will only beget partisan advancement according to their own beliefs. judgement when the shoe is on the other foot. We, the people, absolutely adore change and No conservative wants that. progress. And within the current political In control of the court, it remains imperative system, both are rather tough to come by that this conservative majority does not give amidst this indefatigable sea of gridlock and in to the admittedly enticing temptation of chicanery. It’s only logical, then, to turn to an ruling in favor of political dogma and not independent arbiter as the conduit for realizing constitutional legality. They must strive to people’s deepest, most cherished dreams of take the path of most resistance: transpose “progress” when their very government fails to the issues of today onto a text composed do it for them. But such is always a dangerous centuries prior without sacrificing the integrity precedent to establish. of judicial decision in the process; rule against Above all else, people forget that the court something that one believes because the law is not immutable. Justices lack the term limits requires it; be a judge before a mechanism of of their elected peers, certainly, but a lifelong change. People are apt to forget, but the court tenure in no way signifies permanence; all will always remain a creature of precedent. justices are human, after all, and a position on Always. “Judging however we wish because the Court in no way absolves these esteemed we can” must not weasel its way into their few of their mortality. Justices always come and comportment. The Court will flip again, and go — the process simply takes a little while when it does I highly doubt that conservatives longer than their counterparts in Congress or will take too kindly to watching their very own the White House. “war plan” used against them.
THURSDAY, OCTOBER 18, 2018
PAGE 7
THE DARTMOUTH OPINION
CONTRIBUTING COLUMNIST MAYA KHANNA ‘22
STAFF COLUMNIST CALLUM ZEHNER ‘21
Growing Up at Dartmouth
Derailed
Creating identity can happen without losing oneself to social standards.
Hopes of transformation in Myanmar have been dashed.
As we sped down Highway 89 en route to factor, but rather the status quo, students my very first college debate tournament, the accustomed to being superstars must search four walls of our team’s rented minivan vibrated for alternative ways to stand out. Equivocating with the beat of pop music blasting from the this search for identity with a desire to someday front of the car. My teammates shouted over the attain the same lauded status many of them music and each other, our deafening six-man enjoyed in high school, many Dartmouth circus drawing annoyed glances from passing students see the “goal” of adulthood as a cars. Squeezed into the back row, the ruckus race that begins the second they step foot on from the front and the sound of my fingers campus freshman fall. Their progress, as they tapping anthropology notes into my computer eagerly embark with breakneck speed on their provided the harmony to the opening chords journeys, is marked by how quickly they can of the Moana soundtrack, played on a loop reach the normative standards of what it means through my earbuds for the duration of our to be a student here. An exalted major, stellar two-hour journey. grades and a prestigious internship are the most My love of Disney music is not the only self-evident criterion in the race to adulthood remnant of my childhood that I have stubbornly amongst students at Dartmouth. Yet students refused to concede as I have grown older — I often fail to recognize the more nuanced, less also love Winnie the Pooh quotes, soft fleece obvious ways that stratify masses here at the pajama pants, stickers and storybooks. I like College. Navigating the social scene with ease, going to bed early on Friday nights after a long wearing the latest trends, affiliation with the week of working late and waking up early to most popular sororities and fraternities, and go hiking on my free Saturdays. Yet by noon even how free time is spent have become the every Saturday, you can almost always find me true benchmarks of leaving behind the childish in the Stacks, reading papers written by famous overachievers they were in high school for the anthropologists or toiling over problem sets chic and mature college students that they have based on mathematical principles created more become. than 300 years ago. The contrast between the Adhering to the social standards at scholarly focus and childlike Dartmouth is not necessarily joy of these two opposing bad. For some students, they facets of my life are the result “Suddenly thrust represent their authentic of a common conundrum into a world in which reality, the freedom of college here at the Big Green: how to scholarly excellence providing the catalyst that mature into an adult without is no longer a they needed to reveal their losing the authenticity of distinguishing factor, true identity. For others, lost childhood. amidst the hubbub of the but rather the In social circles, family 10-week terms, the ability to status quo, students lessons, popular culture and look to community norms secondary education, college accustomed to being as a guideline for how to is often portrayed as the superstars must begin creating their own segway from childhood to search for alternative experiences is comforting. Yet “the rest of life.” Per the ways to stand out.” the deeply engrained social College’s mission statement, customs of going out to Greek the academic rigor and Houses every Saturday night, focused curriculum at Dartmouth are designed having connections with everyone on campus to give students the tools for “a lifetime of and securing prestigious internships at top learning and of responsible leadership.” From consulting firms feed a stereotype that assumes both mainstream society and Dartmouth, an immediate adherence to these traditions. there seems to be a common perception from They create a single story of a single path into the outside looking in that wading through adulthood and create undue pressure to adhere the waters of endless homework assignments, to a persona that “does Dartmouth correctly.” lectures, and term papers provides the pathway These exacting standards leave little room for to becoming a “grown-up” at the Big Green. the emergence of an identity over time that Yet for many students, the challenges is the product of an individual’s unique past presented in the classroom are nothing new. In and present. This tendency toward the erasure the application cycle for the Class of 2022, the of the malleable line between childhood and College admitted its most competitive class to adulthood here at Dartmouth creates a paradox date, accepting 8.7 percent of applicants from of expectations: the desire to find a mature across all 50 states and 65 countries. These confidence in our identities, while remaining statistics expose the reality of what it means to child-like in our reliance on others to identify be a Dartmouth student: going to class every precisely what being an adult looks like. day with peers who are at least just as qualified, I have only been at Dartmouth for six short if not more so, than oneself. It means working weeks. In that time, I’ve already met people on class projects with people who have won from places I’ve never heard of, taken classes prestigious awards, received perfect test scores in subjects that I didn’t know existed and have or already have a fully developed passion in had experiences that reach far beyond the a subject you didn’t know existed. For many scope of my life back home. Yet as I create my students in this highly motivated and intellectual new life here in Hanover, I remain a mixture environment, the drive to perform at the highest of the worlds of my childhood and the worlds level of academic achievement is nothing new. that I am discovering here on campus — a Suddenly thrust into a world in which little bit of Disney music, and a little bit of pop scholarly excellence is no longer a distinguishing harmonizing to create something new.
The comparisons were too easy to make. citizens, cannot be considered particularly The world watched a charismatic leader democratic. and advocate of democracy released from Freedom of the press has also not years of confinement by an authoritarian undergone the liberalization program that government, who went on to win the country’s observers had anticipated. Rule 66(d), first openly-contested elections. Many which punishes journalists who criticise people, including myself, firmly believed that the government, was only used by the Aung San Suu Kyi’s impact on Myanmar previous government seven times. Suu Kyi’s would mirror Mandela’s reformation of government has already invoked the rule South Africa, that she would eliminate the 89 times, with 10 journalists accused of draconian restrictions of the established defaming Suu Kyi herself. Since Suu Kyi’s military government and herald a new era National League for Democracy took over in of Burmese democracy. This, however, has 2015, 44 journalists have been targeted with not come to pass. Tragically Suu Kyi, now legal action. Recently, three journalists were the country’s de facto leader, has overseen the arrested, under colonial-era legislation that erosion of democratic potential in Myanmar. protects “public tranquillity,” for detailing the The country that so recently carried the misuse of funds for Yangon’s bus network. hopes of the international community has In addition, two Reuters journalists are now regressed. serving seven years in prison for reporting on The most gripping display of Myanmar’s Rohingya abuses in Rakhine state. And of fall from grace has surrounded the treatment course, foreign journalists are prevented from of the Rohingya population. The Buddhist- going anywhere near the former Rohingya majority nation, uncomfortable with the villages, unless they are on manicured state existence of a sizeable Muslim population tours which show just how great everything within its borders, has attempted to do is. The disregarding of personal liberties in away with them. Over 700,000 Rohingyas this way attests to the fact that democracy have fled across the border lacks a true foothold in the into Bangladesh, where “Myanmar was country. they reside in dire refugee S u u Ky i h a s m a d e supposed to be camps, and the UN has a deter mined effort to the poster-child for deemed estimates of centralize power within her 10,000 Rohingya deaths how authoritarian government, creating a tight conservative. It appears governments circle of loyalists around that the Burmese army has can transition to herself. And she distrusts any been given a blank cheque, democracies, and state institutions she believes with free rein to raze and how nonviolent to be loyal to the previous exterminate villages. In resistance can be regime. For example, she the last few years, the used to achieve those withdrew many officials international community the Myanmar Peace ends. Instead it seems from has been saturated with Center, which hoped to that the state just has reports of these human resolve conflict with the rights violations, with the a new veneer.” ethnic-minority insurgents UN correctly labelling in the outer regions of the Myanmar’s actions as “a country. Truces have broken textbook example of ethnic down and fighting has flared cleansing.” And Suu Kyi has done nothing to up again since. stop it, instead backing the army’s actions and Myanmar was supposed to be the refusing to allow human-rights investigators p o s t e rch i l d fo r h ow a u t h o r i t a r i a n into the country. The idea of a Nobel peace governments can transition to democracies, prize laureate allowing genocide within and how nonviolent resistance can be used to her own country has been hard to come to achieve those ends. Instead it seems that the terms with, and has firmly indicated that the state just has a new veneer. Many of the old democratic reforms of 2015 were nothing problems persist, and now exist alongside a but a mirage. host of new issues plaguing Burmese society. The Rohingya crisis has arisen partly due Heated nationalism has run rampant, and to an unforeseen consequence of democracy: the rights of Muslims, and most severely nationalism. Liberated by eased restrictions the Rohingya, have been trampled on as a on speech and media, Buddhist extremists result. The freedoms granted at the end of have grown in number and influence. The the military government were not as plentiful civil rights of the nation’s religious minorities as anticipated, with freedom of press and (primarily Muslims) has suffered as a result, freedom of speech still significantly curtailed. with individuals and their businesses targeted. And Aung San Suu Kyi, the freedom fighter As the government has historically derived who captured the heart of the international its authority from Buddhism, it is reluctant community, has proved to be as susceptible to to act against it. Thus, the government the corrupting influence of power as everyone currently tolerates Buddhist nationalists so else. What the example of Myanmar long as they rally against ethnic minorities ultimately shows is that democracy is a very and not the state. Evidently a situation where hard thing to come by, that even when ideal the newfound rights of the majority are used circumstances appear to arise, things can still to infringe upon the those of the minority, go wrong. Maybe this will end up tempering and where the state refuses to protect its own people’s hopes going forward.
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THURSDAY, OCTOBER 18, 2018
THE DARTMOUTH ARTS
Student Spotlight: Armando Ortiz ’19 inspires with costumes By SHERA BHALA The Dartmouth
Costumes for theater characters reflect their personas and emphasize their individuality. Armando Ortiz Jr. ’19 understands this sentiment exactly. He is a behind-the-scenes costume designer, imagining, creating and perfecting the outfits for many characters. A dedicated member of the theater department, Ortiz began working in the costume shop his freshman year. He started as a wardrobe assistant, tagging clothes and setting up backstage for Dartmouth’s production of “Don Juan Comes Back From The War.” Ortiz said he really enjoyed working as a wardrobe assistant, a position he continued with for the 2016 production of “Chicago.” He also took Theater 48, “Costume Design,” an introductory course that teaches the principles of texture, color
and line. Theater professor Laurie Churba, his teacher and mentor, inspired him to give costume design a try, he said. Immersing himself in the world of costume design, Ortiz has designed outfits for three plays during his time at Dartmouth. “What Every Girl Should Know,” the first play Ortiz designed costumes for, involved early 20th century style gown-type dresses for Catholic schoolgirl characters. “It was challenging to give them personality ... [because] they wore very monochrome Catholic school uniforms,” Ortiz said. However, he said he was still able to create some variety in the uniforms, and found that this was a good exercise in creativity and the use of line and form. During the summer term of 2017, Armando created the costumes for the original play “If It Isn’t You” by Tess McGuinness ’18, outfitting the actors in clothes with a theme
of purple and blue. Ortiz said that this color scheme created “a kind of dream-like, failed love type of feeling” tht he believes was the perfect mood for the play. Jennifer Bilbo, the Costume Shop manager and one of Ortiz’s mentors, worked with him on this show set in college and said she learned a lot from him about the lifestyles and clothes of college students. Most recently, Ortiz designed the costumes for “Hair,” directed by Virginia Ogden ’18, in a large production that involved 90 costumes and more than 100 quick changes. Citing his designs for this show, Ortiz said he finds these pieces to be the ones of which he is most proud. “It made a lot of sense for him to be on that project, and he did such a good job,” Churba said. The costumes were a challenge because so many had to be designed, and Ortiz wanted them to be colorful while retaining a certain individuality
for each character, he said. Bilbo said she believed he was very successful with the costumes and that she admires how Ortiz took time to speak with each actor about their personal social views. This was reflected in the character’s clothing, she said. Although there were challenges, Ortiz said he is very proud of the amount of work that he completed. He found himself inspired by the team for “Hair” and takes pride in the design coherence they created together. Bilbo remembers working with Ortiz when he was a freshman and recalled that “he was excited by all of it.” Applauding him for his attention to personality, she said he thinks deeply about character in a show. Churba said she enjoys working with Ortiz as well, explaining that he approaches each project with infectious enthusiasm. Ortiz said he finds that he has been consistently challenged in designing
costumes and has learned not to hyperfocus on color and to be more cognizant of form and shapes. He has also learned to find a balance between school, work, costume design and extracurriculars. And while he is not designing this fall, he is thinking about it for next term. As for the future, Ortiz is uncertain but excited. He is a psychology major and a theater minor with an effervescent personality and an inspiring passion for costume design. His enthusiasm for costume design is like most passions — an enduring love for a discipline that attracts one’s curiosity and intellect. “I definitely want to be involved with theater after Dartmouth … whether it be through wardrobe assisting or costume designing,” he said. While he may not know for certain what his future entails, it is potentially filled with colorful costumes, a large stage and sparkling lights.
Review: ‘Providence’ is a compelling, unique mystery-love story
By LUCY TURNIPSEED The Dartmouth
Simultaneously making readers want to revel in the narrative as long as possible while also powering on to the end of the tangled story, “Providence,” by Caroline Kepnes is a novel about love and obsession, full of gripping emotional detail and a compelling New England narrative backdrop. The thriller begins in small-town New Hampshire, the day of Jon Bronson’s kidnapping. As he walks the long way to school to avoid bullies, mentally analyzing his relationship with Chloe Sayers and thinking about their shared, secret hang-out spot, Jon is abducted in the woods by an old substitute teacher. Taken while daydreaming about his one friend, he never gets the chance to sort out the complicated, sociallychallenged and possibly one-sided but also potentially reciprocated love story with Chloe that is quintessentially middle school. Kepnes flips between the two kids’ perspectives, so in Jon’s absence, Kepnes fills the time with Chloe’s thoughts. Chloe, who herself was trying to navigate both the tricky balance between spending time with her popular friends and Jon while also attempting to sort out her exact feelings
for her secret friend, is forced to tackle the challenge of moving on. Fast forward to four years later, weeks before graduation, Jon wakes up a changed person. With no memory of the time his peers spent in high school, he emerges from the basement of the local mall transformed from a dorky newspaper-reading and hamsterobsessed pre-teen into a buff, mysterious and, he soon realizes, dangerous man. Jon has no idea what occurred in the last 1,460 days of his life, the only clue is a copy of “The Dunwich Horror” by H. P. Lovecraft with a cryptic handwritten note from his captor, in which he becomes deeply engrossed. Immediately, he goes to find Chloe. But since no time has passed in his world in four years, the feelings between the two main characters are now prominent only in Jon. Chloe was forced to live her life thinking he would never return. She then becomes stuck between two worlds with his reappearance, pulled by Jon in one direction and in the other by what the rest of the people in her life see as reality. The dual perspectives effectively give the reader insights into the complicated web of Jon and Chloe’s relationship and simultaneously makes anyone who can see the inner thoughts of each want to scream the answers at the pair. Soon enough, elevating the mystery,
Jon disappears again, although willingly this time after he finds life in his old town after the extensive absence too difficult to sustain. It is increasingly clear that he has dark powers, the extent of which is unknown to him and that he cannot reveal to anyone without threat of ridicule or further exile. His only clue lies in the Lovecraft short story focused on a monstrous man who let the evil inside him take over, and then eventually destroys the town around him. Jon become manic, fascinated with his inner dark power and attempts to reconcile with the good in him that wishes to restore his relationship with Chloe. “Basement boy,” the nickname the press gave Jon when he emerged from the mall, moves to Providence, Rhode Island, looking for a fresh start, anonymity and a chance to rid himself of the dangerous abilities rooted inside him. Around this point, Kepnes begins to intensify another part of the plot: the story of detective Charles “Eggs” DeBenedictus, based in Providence and attempting to solve the suspiciously sudden cardiac arrest-induced deaths of seemingly unconnected individuals, but which he believes are somehow related. A local with a tragic backstory of his own, Eggs wildly chases the culprit,
eventually tracking Jon. Although every officer and loved one tells him to stop chasing, Eggs’s determination to crack the case is another thread in the compulsive plot stringing the reader along, keeping interest piqued. The detective also provides another view on the loneliness and longing Jon sustains for Chloe and gives an outsider’s look of the relationship between the two childhood friends, straining against the circumstances determined to keep them apart. Chloe, at this point, confused by Jon’s departure, is unable to move on past him, as the reignition of their relationship confirmed the feelings she speculated at years before. The three main characters are constantly being pulled in a million directions, and must pit what many of the supporting characters deem as the real world against their hunches and feelings. This is what keeps the mystery alive. Whenever despair sets in, Kepnes deepens the intensity and ploughs ahead. Although Chloe may seem passive, the actions she takes in her life are nothing but. Since she does not know the dark power Jon is grappling with, she is forced to rationalize his motives for ostensibly abandoning her. All the while she is trying to launch her art career, which began when drawing
sketches of Jon for news outlets after his initial disappearance and integrate herself into a world that can actually reciprocate her interest. On the other hand, though Jon may appear cruel for not informing Chloe of his whereabouts or letting her in on his struggles, he suffered greatly under the weight of the decision he made. He illustrates that protecting a loved one and making them happy is not always synonymous, and often a choice must be made. Constantly one step back from the main relationship between the protagonists, Eggs’ actions reminded me of the importance of one’s instincts, yet also allowed me to critically look at how obsession can too fully takeover. The best part of the story is that it keeps going; whereas a movie or another novel would end and leave the wrap-up and messy aftermath to the viewer or readers’ imaginations, Kepnes delves deeper. “Providence” is the fast-paced, mystery-love story perfect to indulge in while surrounded by the increasingly cold weather in a classic New England town. It pulled me into the present of this story; Kepnes deftly drew me into the web of the tale she spins and pushed me to reflect on the parallels of the deeper meanings and conceptual ideas of knowing and sharing in the book and my own life.