Surreal Seemingness in The Things They Carried: The Horrifying, Beautiful Death of Curt Lemon

By Lucy Landry

The beauty of the scene draws the reader in, making one ask “real, or not real?” once more, as they become more aware of the absurd essence of war.

In Tim O’Brien’s memoir The Things They Carried, it is difficult to discern what is real and what is not. What appears to happen in O’Brien’s Vietnam War timeline is not always what exactly happens, even if it feels so to O’Brien and his fellow soldiers. O’Brien seeks this idea out in his work as he writes, “In any true war story…. there is always that surreal seemingness, which makes the story seem untrue, but which in fact represents the hard and exact truth as it seemed” (O’Brien 67-68). The traumatic events O’Brien describes are true to some extent, but the author claims that, in war stories, particularly true ones, what happened is hard to differentiate from what seemed to happen. O’Brien creates this war-clouded vision for his readers. He looks to mirror his own experience of not being able to tell if what he knows and holds from war is fact. A prominent example of this reflection of the bizarre, grotesque essence of war is in the event of Curt Lemon’s death, where O’Brien utilizes descriptive language, juxtaposition, and antiphrasis.

In The Things They Carried, O’Brien paints Curt Lemon to be an aggressively masculine man who always looked to show off to his fellow soldiers, even going to the point of having a healthy tooth pulled out to “renew” his image when the other soldiers began to see him as cowardly. However, Lemon is shown in an entirely different light during the telling of his death. O’Brien employs the use of descriptive, vivid words to transform a horrifying event into a beautiful scene. He writes, “I remember the smell of moss… up in the canopy there were tiny white blossoms… all around us where those ragged green mountains… I glanced behind me and watched Lemon step from the shade into bright sunlight” (O’Brien 67). O’Brien sets the scene for his reader: the air carries the scent of moss and up in the treetops grow small, white blossoms, all surrounded by jagged, green mountains. Lemon enters, clothed in the sunlight, and is lifted up into the treetops to mingle with the tiny flowers. O’Brien’s descriptive language creates an illusion for the readers as he looks to mirror his same experience and feelings in war. What O’Brien illustrates is exactly what seemed to have happened in the moment. Although what is described might not be factually correct, and it wasn’t the sunlight that took Lemon up, it was what appeared to have occurred to O’Brien. To see the difference between it and the detonator killing Lemon would be especially difficult for him. The language in this scene causes the reader to experience the bizarre and ugly nature of war as they witness a common and beautiful death.

To be able to completely render the effect of the almost unreal nature of war onto his readers, O’Brien uses juxtaposition. He writes, “Up in the sunlight there were tiny white blossoms, but no sunlight at all, and I remember the shadows spreading out under the trees…the way the sunlight came around him and lifted him up and sucked him high into a tree full of moss and vines and white blossoms” (O’Brien 67). Here, O’Brien shifts his perspective. At the beginning, the scene is painted with no sunlight. As the narrative moves closer to Lemon’s death, sunlight suddenly appears and it drips off of Lemon. Lemon is completely wrapped in it and is thrown up into the trees from its force. To be carried from such a dismal scene of shadows and tiredness to a scene of play and glow is especially effective. It creates a contrast for the reader that allows the death to stand out. It’s almost as if Lemon’s death sparked an “awakening” in the dark jungle that caused light to enter. This creates the haze over the question of “real, or not real?” within the reader.

O’Brien completes the extraordinary task of forming a death into something beautiful when he retells the demise of his comrade, Lemon. With antiphrasis, O’Brien uses language opposite that of those common to death. Lemon’s death is written as, “His face was suddenly brown and shining. A handsome kid really… when he died it was almost beautiful, the way the sunlight came around him and lifted him up and sucked him high into a tree full of moss and vines and white blossoms” (O’Brien 67). O’Brien directly calls the soldier’s death “beautiful” – something not typically understood in a person’s passing. Lemon himself is shown as a beautiful figure as well, having tan skin, a slim waist, and a face that glows in the sun. Even what he was blown into is shown in a pretty light: the trees are covered in moss and vines and white flowers. The scene is made so carefully and so attractive that the reader almost wants it to be true. The way death is described as something pretty highlights the absolute horror of war. The beauty of the scene draws the reader in, making one ask “real, or not real?” once more, as they become more aware of the absurd essence of war.

Curt Lemon’s death is created in a bizarre and almost unearthly way. What is a brutal death is shaped into something beautiful and to be in awe at. This is how O’Brien experienced Lemon’s end, whether it be factual or not. Using descriptive language, juxtaposition, and antiphrasis, O’Brien allows the reader to experience and understand the surreal seemingness of war through Lemon’s “beautiful” death.

The Pros and Cons of Nuclear Energy

What is the future of clean energy?

By Joao T. Corbett

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What is Nuclear Energy?

Before entering the discussion on the merits of nuclear energy, it is imperative to have a basic understanding of the science, and history behind it. After the nuclear bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki in 1945, people believed that the power used in the bomb could be diverted into the production of clean, and cheap energy. The only problem was that the research for power plants had not been yet developed, and the money needed for their production was in short stock. This problem continued into the latter half of the 20th century until the Yom Kippur War in the middle east drove up the price of oil. This ushered in a decade of large investments in nuclear energy. The reactor chosen for this task was the relatively basic light water reactor. 

This reactor works by using an artificial nuclear fission reaction to heat up water which then spins a turbine, thus creating energy. The main fuel for this reactor is the very unstable Uranium 235. Within the reactor core, neutrons are catapulted at Uranium 235 atoms until they split into smaller, more stable elements releasing large amounts of energy in the process. 

Although this age saw a considerable increase in Nuclear energy and a heightened amount of investment, it was cut short by two major accidents that occurred within these plants. The first of these was the three-mile Island accident in Pennsylvania, the USA, and the Chernobyl disaster in Soviet-occupied Ukraine. The catastrophes resulted in a mass public disillusionment with nuclear energy resulting in a drastic decrease in funding, and less funding for the research. Today, only ten percent of the world’s energy is produced by about 439 nuclear plants in thirty-one countries. This number is mostly comprised of the aforementioned light water reactor

Cons

Critics of Nuclear energy either believe that nuclear energy is far too dangerous for human exploitation and that its cons vastly outweigh its benefits. The argument against nuclear energy can be relegated to three main reasons. The first of these is the potential for the development of nuclear weapons, in the name of clean energy. The fact is that it is extremely difficult to develop nuclear power plants, without developing nuclear bombs. It is also nearly impossible to distinguish nuclear energy projects from nuclear bomb projects. This worry has already been proven true when countries like Pakistan, India, South Africa, Israel, and North Korea were able to develop weapons in the name of energy. These weapons, if fallen into the wrong hands, could potentially cause the end of human life on earth. The second of these arguments is in regard to the deadly waste produced by nuclear power plants. This waste is not only radioactive but also contains extremely dangerous elements such as plutonium. A milligram can kill a fully grown man, and a few kilograms can make an atom bomb. It is no surprise that this waste is very difficult to dispose of, and of the 31 countries producing waste, only Finland has a permanent, effective institution that takes care of the waste. The final argument is that nuclear reactors are far too dangerous, and have already taken thousands of lives, and rendered large areas uninhabitable for decades. 

Pros

Supporters of nuclear energy believe that the benefits of nuclear energy far outweigh its drawbacks. The argument in nuclear energy can also be condensed into three main reasons. The first of these reasons is based upon a 2013 study conducted by NASA which concluded that nuclear energy saved about 1.8 million lives between 1976, and 2009. All this might seem rather strange, due to nuclear energy’s many accidents, it is important to account for the type of waste produced by nuclear power. Nuclear waste, though extremely dangerous, is a controllable by-product, which can be stored. This is not the same case for the bi-products of other energy sources which are simply pumped into the atmosphere. This reduction in atmospheric pollution has resulted in a considerable decrease in lung cancer, and other conditions derived from said pollution. The second reason further expands upon the previous and is that in relation to CO2 emissions, nuclear energy is the cleanest source of energy. It produces very little emission which not only saves lives but also reduces the effects of climate change and its consequences. Nuclear energy is also the only reliable clean source of energy that can constantly produce energy without being reliant upon controllable factors. The third reason is simply that nuclear energy is an ever-expanding field of research, and most of the reactors of today use outdated technologies employed in the 1970s. An example of this includes the thorium reactor which uses thorium instead of Uranium 235 for its fuel. It is very difficult to make nuclear weapons from thorium, and it produces 200 times the energy and less than half of its waste. Another advancement is the recyclability of nuclear waste, which could potentially eliminate the waste problem altogether.

Sources

Char, N L, and B J Csik. “Nuclear Power Development: History and Outlook.” IAEA, IAEA,1987,www.iaea.org/sites/default/files/publications/magazines/bulletin/bull29-3/29304781925.pdf. 

Kharecha, Pushker, and James Hansen. “Coal and Gas Are Far More Harmful than Nuclear Power – Climate Change: Vital Signs of the Planet.” NASA, NASA, 5 Nov. 2015, climate.nasa.gov/news/903/coal-and-gas-are-far-more-harmful-than-nuclear-power/. 

Zarubin, Bobby. Introduction To Light Water Reactors, 7 Mar. 2016, large.stanford.edu/courses/2015/ph241/zarubin1/. 

*Special mention to Kurzgesagt nuclear energy series, below are links to each of the videos in series.  

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pVbLlnmxIbY

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HEYbgyL5n1g

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rcOFV4y5z8c

Are We in The Midst of The Next Mass-Extinction Event?

By Austin Monestel

If we go extinct, what animals will follow after us? Who knows, maybe a species smarter than us? A species that has all of our virtues and little of our flaws.

Imagine a world filled with only grassy plains and towering trees. Imagine living in this world, being oblivious to the world around you. Now imagine a bright flash of light, the Earth rumbles beneath your feet as the ground splashes like water. This was what happened to the dinosaurs and all the other animals on the planet about 65 million years ago. After a meteor hit the Earth, it created a chain reaction that killed 75% of all life on Earth at the time. We know about this because a crater 150 km in diameter still remains buried underneath the country of Mexico. This was only one of the five mass extinction events in the history of life on Earth. The names of all these events are: The Ordovician mass extinction, The Devonian mass extinction, The Permian mass extinction, The Triassic-Jurassic mass extinction, and the Cretaceous mass extinction. Ironically, the Cretaceous mass extinction (the one that killed the dinosaurs) is the most famous event yet it’s not even the deadliest mass extinction event. The deadliest extinction event was one that killed 96% of all life on Earth. One that had so much death that it even has the nickname “The Great Dying.” This was the dreaded Permian extinction. Okay that’s pretty terrifying, but what if I told you that a sixth corridor is being built in the Halls of Extinction? What if I told you that the next “Dying” is closer than you think? 

Okay, enough fear! Now let’s get to the science! First, we need to define a mass extinction. The scientific consensus is that a mass extinction is an event or multiple events that cause a great number of animals to go extinct. Some articles even say that a mass extinction is an event or multiple that cause 75% or more of the current species to go extinct. However the majority don’t really have a specific number and instead focus on a definition that a great number of the animals went extinct over a short period of time. It’s important to understand that a mass extinction isn’t caused by only meteors like the Cretaceous extinction. In fact, any event that causes a great number of animals to go extinct can be considered a mass extinction. For example, the Permian was thought to be caused by a large number of volcanic eruptions which released a lot of hydrocarbons into the atmosphere and caused the climate to heat up. In addition, the volcanic eruptions also caused toxic chemicals to be released into the air and water which severely poisoned the Earth. Now that we understand what a mass extinction is we can look at how the world around us is following a pattern that leads to a potential mass extinction event.

So right about now you’re probably wondering how we could be in a mass extinction event? Well, it’s mostly our fault. Turns out, it hasn’t taken humans too long to mess up the Earth’s ecosystem. Believe it or not, homo sapiens (Humans) have only been on the Earth for around 200,000 years. To put that into perspective, dinosaurs roamed the Earth for 175 million years before they went extinct. Within 200,000 years we managed to make all sorts of animals go extinct such as the wooly mammoth, the wooly rhino, carrier pigeons, dodo birds, and many more. We even caused our distant ancestors, the Neanderthals, to go extinct. You’re probably thinking that we may have caused some animals to go extinct but that’s no reason to call it a mass extinction. The reality is that so many more animals will go extinct in the upcoming decades. We’ve already found that roughly ½ of land animals have lost 80% of their habitat. A good example of this is the lion habitat. The lions used to be found in the majority of Africa, the Middle East, and even up to Southern Europe. Now, lions are only found in select places of Central and Southern Africa. The IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature) found that 38% of the species assessed are currently threatened with extinction. The majority of these animals are threatened due to human encroachment such as deforestation, overhunting, and toxic pollution. Some scientists say there may be a possibility of ever so slightly turning it around but that, unless we humans get our overpopulation under control, a “biological annihilation” is very likely. “The time to act is very short. It will, sadly, take a long time to humanely begin the population shrinkage required if civilisation is to long survive, but much could be done on the consumption front and with ‘band aids’ – wildlife reserves, diversity protection laws – in the meantime,” Prof. Gerardo Ceballos said in an interview with Guardian News. On the other hand, some scientists say that we’re in the beginning of a mass extinction event and can still easily turn it around. The worst part is, humans may even be on the chopping block. If this “biological annihilation” occurs and a massive amount of wildlife go extinct, then starvation rates may spike as people die of hunger. When this happens the population will be decimated and may even go extinct. In addition, as trees are cut down for human use the amount of carbon dioxide will increase causing the air to become toxic and a climate change similar to the Permian extinction will occur. This climate change will cause fresh water to evaporate as droughts become much more frequent.

That’s pretty scary, but there is a good side to everything, and mass extinction events are no exception to this rule. Mass extinction events may cause a large number of animals to go extinct, but you can also think of it as wiping the slate clean. Often, after a mass extinction event, new animals are given the opportunity to evolve. Before the Cretaceous meteor event, the first mammals were very primitive. They were rat-like ancestors that burrowed deep underground to avoid predators. However when the meteor hit, the first mammals were able to endure due to their ability to burrow and control internal body temperature. After the rubble settled, the first mammals crawled out of their holes to a world that was theirs. Those mammals eventually evolved into primates and then evolved into us. We would probably not exist if it weren’t for the meteor killing our worst predators. Now just think, if we go extinct, what animals will follow after us? Who knows, maybe a species smarter than us? A species that has all of our virtues and little of our flaws. They would probably be able to dig up our fossils. They would probably even figure out that we were advanced by the synthetic plastics that would most likely still exist by then. They would be very confused.

Domestic Violence: The “Shadow Pandemic”

By Helena Barros

The current COVID-19 pandemic has undoubtedly had a global impact on countless areas of our society, such as health, economy, education, behavior, security, and others. One of these outcomes of the Coronavirus was entitled by the United Nations as the ‘shadow pandemic’: domestic abuse. 

Illustration from The Brazilian Report regarding domestic abuse

Above: Illustration from The Brazilian Report regarding domestic abuse.

The Concern

It is estimated that up to 70% of women are affected on a worldwide scale by the ‘pandemic’ in question in the span of their lifetimes. On the grounds of this, the virus’ outbreak striking the world in 2020 and demanding billions to be locked down with their families was untold women’s worst nightmare, for in order to avoid the pandemic’s contamination, they would have to face another one at home. As of June, within approximately 2 to 3 months of quarantine, domestic violence had a global increase of 20% on the report of United Nations Women. 

Naturally, this is not an issue surged in the modern day, as it has been perpetuated in our society for centuries. However, the lawful attempt of protecting the victim is indeed current, taking in consideration that the law officially punishing domestic abusers was only effectuated in 1994 (United States) and 2006 (Brazil) and has still not been duly effective. The RAINN (Rape, Abuse, & Incest National Network) has stated that less than 0.5 percent of people who commit sexual assault are convicted of their crime. 

The ineffectiveness of the system causes large demotivation for women to seek justice, allowing millions of predators to walk free of charge. In general, 60 percent of victims remain silent about the abuse, rising to 77 percent in cases from the United States. The RAINN claims that the number one reason for the unreported instances was fear of retaliation, as the probability of failed conviction is nearly 90%, raising the chances of the recurrency of the event or worse attempts of revenge. 

Although the number of reported cases increased with the disease’s circumstances, intercession from the police and arbitration from the judicial system has been proven even less successful during this required period. Furthermore, the increase of abuse at home has not undermined that of the public areas, and especially through digital platforms. 

Aftermath

The repercussions of this monstrous affair to survivors may include several types of physical, emotional, and psychological damage. Sexually transmitted infections, undesired pregnancy, dissociation, Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, and depression are among the most recurrent. Externally, events of such may bring even more outraging impacts to the victim’s relations, for they are often judged and doubted by surrounders of assorted proximity. 

Even with a generally reduced chance of accusation, the imposed social distancing has caused health services, social services, helplines, and judicial treatment to restrain support to the victims.

EAB’s Response

Before an issue of such, our school will not be silenced. The National Honors Society chapter at EAB has an upcoming project containing a drive for the women’s shelter meant to prevent the prolongation of the ‘shadow pandemic’ among our society. Soon, further information will be shared with the community elucidating the contributions you can make to survivors of domestic abuse.

Works Cited

“The Criminal Justice System: Statistics.” RAINN, http://www.rainn.org/statistics/criminal-justice-system.

“The Shadow Pandemic: Violence against women during COVID-19.” UN Women, http://www.unwomen.org/en/news/in-focus/in-focus-gender-equality-in-covid-19-response/violence-against-women-during-covid-19. 

NWSL Challenge Cup

By Elisa Uccello 

Besides the awe-striking performance of the teams inside the soccer field, these athletes are also stars in the battlefield for equality.

NWSL

In spite of the immense progress of the feminist movement in the last century, female athletes are still consistently subjected to gender discrimination. The lack of coverage and investment in women’s soccer contribute to restraining its development, but isn’t enough to prevent thousands of astonishingly talented women from pursuing their passion. The USA’s National Women’s Soccer League is, hitherto, one of few professional women’s leagues in the world. Besides the awe-striking performance of the teams inside the soccer field, these athletes are also stars in the battlefield for equality.

The NWSL was established in 2012 after the previous female league (Women’s Professional Soccer) folded in April of that year. It originally consisted of eight teams: Chicago Red Stars, Boston Breakers, Western New York Flash, Seattle Reign, Portland Thorns, Kansas City, New Jersey Sky Blue, and Washington Spirit. The minimum salary was no more than six thousand dollars per year and the majority of the teams didn’t have a home stadium.

Eight years after its foundation, the league has seen significant improvements. The minimum salary is now twenty thousand, all teams have home stadiums and training facilities, the average attendance per game has doubled, and major companies have started to invest in the women’s game. The Boston Breakers and FC Kansas City folded, New York Flash moved to North Carolina to form the NC Courage, and the MLS teams Orlando City, Real Salt Lake, and Houston Dynamo have founded women’s sides, Orlando Pride, Utah Royals and Houston Dash. The league now consists of nine teams, with two expansion plans ahead.

Challenge Cup 

Due to the outbreak of the coronavirus, the regular NWSL season had to be cancelled and, for almost three months, the players had to train inside their homes. As the pandemic progressed and the American government failed to combat it, the teams had to measure risks and calculate step by step their return to the field. By May, players were training individually in club facilities. A few weeks later, small group training was introduced. Finally they were able to get back with the team, being tested twice a week and doing their part as to respect quarantine requirements.

In early June Lisa Baird, NWSL commissioner, released the plan for the first and only edition of the NWSL Challenge Cup. It was a month long tournament offered by businessman and owner of the Utah Royals, Dell Loy Hansen, and with partnerships with major companies such as Google, Budweiser, Nike, P&G, and CBS. All the teams went to the so-called NWSL bubble; a complex of fields and housing in Salt Lake City where the players, staff, photographers, and administrators stayed isolated for the duration of the tournament. Everyone in the bubble had to undergo regular testing, successfully summing up over 2100 negative tests by the final whistle. 

Eight teams participated in this cup since Orlando Pride had to forego after a number of players tested positive a week prior to the tournament. This is how the tournament went: in the first round, all teams played four games receiving three points for a win, one for a draw and zero for a defeat. The criteria for point ties was goal differential and then goals scored. After the first round ranking was complete, the play offs consisted of the top scorer of the first round, which was, unsurprisingly, the NC Courage, that won the league in 2018 and 2019, against the last placed team of the first round, which was the Portland Thorns. The second (Washington Spirit) played against the seventh (OL Reign), the third (Sky Blue FC) played against the sixth (Chicago Red Stars), and the fourth (Houston Dash) played against the fifth (Utah Royals). From there on it was win or go home.

Ironically, the only team that was eliminated in regular time was the number one, NC Courage, in an exciting 1-0 match-up. Houston Dash, Sky Blue, and Chicago Red Stars advanced after penalty shootouts. The Red Stars beat Sky Blue on a tight 4-3 match-up, and captain Rachel Daly scored the game winner for the Dash against the Thorns, taking them to their first ever tournament final. 

The Houston Dash faced the Chicago Red Stars in the championship game at Rio Tinto Stadium, July 26th. Less than five minutes into the game, Dash midfielder Kristie Mewis was fouled inside the area, earning a shot from the penalty spot that was converted by Canadian international Sophie Schmidt. The match was tight all throughout, and only in stoppage time was Shea Groom able to make it 2-0 and guarantee the first ever club trophy for the Houston Dash. England national team player Rachel Daly was voted the MVP of the tournament and took home the golden boot after scoring three goals and assisting twice. The NWSL was the first professional sport league to get back in the United States and successfully hold a corona free tournament.

Vintage Clothing: Understand The Hype

Fashion is always fluctuating. But what explains the industry obsession with the past? 

By Fernanda Ferreira 

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Meghan, the ex Duchess of Sussex, was at several times spotted on vintage clothing or accessories. Not only her but also the phenomenon family the Kardashians, which are known for their highly expensive outfits, are often seen on some pieces from earlier ages. Vintage clothing is indeed trending now more than it has ever before. One of the world’s greatest stylists Coco Channel once stated: “Fashion comes and goes, but style lasts forever.” Why does fashion come and go? Why is there an obsession with the past?

Vintage is a word that has a wide variety of definitions. Specifically, when it comes to fashion, it is a quite personal concept since what is considered vintage by someone born in the 70s is not that same as what a Millenium would consider. Fashion experts Scarlet Eden and Stella McClure would refer to any piece that is dated more than twenty years as vintage. Others would consider anything from the past century as vintage. The general idea can be summarized in two main traits of this type of clothes: uncommon and second-handed. Those traits touch on deeper and current issues, mainly sustainability and originality. 

The socio-environmental relevance 

Screen Shot 2020-03-04 at 7.32.57 PMAs consumers become increasingly aware of the environmental impact of fast fashion, they are looking for a more sustainable way to shop. This is the perfect timing when thrift stores and all the vintage fashion arrives at the scene. According to ThredUp’s annual resale report, last year, 64% of women were willing to buy pre-owned pieces compared with 45% in 2016. This represents a behavioral change that begins a necessary revolution in the industry that mostly harms our planet: the fashion industry. Choosing to buy pre-owned vintage clothes is extremely relevant to the 21st-century reality and represents a total match to the growing eco-friendly mindset in the fashion field.

Unique, original and hyped: 

Vintage clothing became highly popular in the past few years more than it has ever been before. Brands such as Brandy Melville – known for its particular vintage style – or even huge fast fashions such as H&M or Forever21 are showcasing mainly pieces that are just like the ones worn decades ago. However, the classic vintage clothes, sold in old thrift stores, are pieces that actually belonged to someone else before. Those types of stores usually sell only one piece of each cloth, making it extremely original. Yet, even though vintage is now more accessible and less unique, it still represents a peculiar and authentic style. As issues such as identity, self-esteem, diversity, and ancestry are currently appearing on (mainly) women’s daily basis, being original is key. 

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Even more, there is the hot word of the moment: hype. It is a slang term that comes from the word hyperbole, and it relates an exaggerate promotion and publicity of some product or idea, according to the Merriam-Webster dictionary. 

Not only in the vintage field, but Fashion, in general, has felt the impact of the hype concept. So many brands are now doing “product drops”, according to Fashion United, as a sale strategy, that it has even become a culture.

In vintage fashion, the hype is more related to its strong popularization which can be attributed to social media influence and affordability. Social media directly impacts popular demand. If any It girl, for instance, Bella Hadid, is spotted on the 5th Avenue on Floss heels, the next day a thousand 17-year-old teenagers will be desperate to have it. With that, popular and affordable brands – the fast-fashion- start producing more of it, which makes other consumers start buying it, creating a cyclical process until it becomes a real trend – just as it’s happening right now. 

VINTAGE CLOTHING INFOGRAPHIC

From its aesthetic hype to its environmental importance, the vintage style popularization is changing the Fashion industry, apparently for good.

Welcome New Bullseye Leadership!

Dear EAB Community, 

It is my pleasure to officially announce the turnover in Bullseye leadership for 2020! 

Cecilia Nakao (‘21) – Co-Editor

Lucy Landry (‘21) – Co-Editor

Kristine Bakker (‘21) – Communications Director

Fernanda Ferreira (‘21) – Creative Director

The new team is a strong, diverse group of people that we are confident will take Bullseye in a new, innovative direction. A new change this year, is that we decided to have two Co-Editors, as we feel that being Editor is a large responsibility, and that the newspaper should have as much support as possible. We believe that, although Cecilia and Lucy are very different, they both have valuable characteristics that will balance each other out and compliment each other nicely.

We have high hopes for the club’s future and what the new leadership will accomplish. We also want to thank you – the readers – for your constant support of our newspaper, and hope you will continue to read and enjoy our material in the coming years. 

Here’s to a great new year, and the successful continuation of one of EAB’s oldest organizations!

– Emma Holm-Olsen. Bullseye Editor, 2019.

“The Power Of”: EAB’s Most Recent Addition to an Inspired Community

By Emma Holm-Olsen

A few weeks ago, EAB hosted the first ever Soapbox. Soapbox, inspired by the TEDxYouth events of the past, is an event that was designed to provide the chance for members of the community to give speeches about topics of importance to them, and to incite their peers to learn, grow, and make change in their world. The idea behind the name Soapbox, is the literal box that traditionally has been used as a makeshift stand for public speeches. We wanted to incorporate this idea of freedom of speech and spontaneity, as well as the understanding that all of our ideas are valid and should be respected. We also wanted to underline the fact that EAB is a safe, judgement free place for us to inspire each other and learn from one another. The theme for the event was “the Power of…” since we believe that power comes from a vast array of outlets, and that lots of small actions when multiplied can bring great change. The event highlighted the topics of growth, activism, and sustainability, however, our speakers presented on a variety of topics, ranging from artistic interpretation to our lives on social media.

The event, which happened on February 8th, was, I believe, a huge success. Although the audience was relatively small, the turnout that we received and the support and engagement of the audience members was more than we could have hoped for. We are so proud of all of the students, teachers, and parents that gathered the courage to get up on stage and speak about things they are passionate about, and we sincerely hope that everyone left the school that day had learned something, and were feeling inspired to grow personally and to help their communities grow as well. 

The leadership team is so grateful to have had the opportunity to plan and host this inaugural event, and hope that EAB will continue this tradition in coming years!

Please refer to the Gallery page of this website to see some photos from this year’s event!

 

HER

Atwood Inspired Piece

By Cecilia Nakao

A bedroom. White tall walls, white ceiling, the smell of a clean home, a clean soul. Mine or hers? Thick glass windows, a grand door and more walls. The smell of an opulent life. I feel dizzy and sick. I am falling. Walls in the room, walls in the house, walls between us. Pictures in a frame, no, paintings in a frame, on the wall, old and forgotten. I am falling like Alice in this feigned grandeur. I have lost myself. Or am I more myself than I have ever been? Is she dead? Has she been forgotten by everyone, including me?

The flowers in my garden give me hope. They are alive and unchanged amidst all the chaos.  They say we have freedom, but free are the flowers, which grow without interference, who share space and breathe the same air. They say we have freedom to be, to want, to have. She tells me this is a lie. The flowers seem to be free without wanting or having. I don’t understand. I believe them, I try to, at least. Should I not? They take care of me. They give me what I need. Or do they? Maybe her voice is of a mare, an evil womanly spirit, in the nightmares we meet. Maybe she is not real. Maybe she never was. 

I look around for an answer, hoping for a sign, hoping to remember her. The pictures. I gently, but hurriedly, open the drawer. Nothing. I hold my breath. I open all the drawers. I am silently screaming. A string is just about to rip apart inside me. I found them. On the last of the twenty one drawers I open. I go through the pictures. They are old, but they are not hers. I don’t recognize that smile, the other faces in the pictures. I don’t recognize any of it. I don’t want my pictures, I want hers. I am spirling. Everything is moving around me, and I am in the dark, in silence. I feel warm petals falling from a white rose and running through my face. I can’t stop. I’m out of breath. I wake up. 

My body hurts. I must have fallen out of bed, or maybe I was never in it in the first place. I see pills. Pills spilled from an open bottle. So round and tiny, harmless, like the muzzle of a gun. Are they my sleeping pills? They say I shouldn’t take pills, though they still give them to me. The bottle says you should take one pill at a time. Wait. They are not sleeping pills. They’re focus pills. They say they are the best thing to help you be successful. She tells me that is a lie. Why was I asleep then? I don’t remember and I can’t tell. The bottle is tinted black and has no labels, like the one you would imagine Rafael got from the apothecary. No, not Rafael, Roberto. I can’t remember. There is your gold. Money is a worse poison, he said. I could get punished for having memories of this. We are not allowed to read that sort of thing anymore. I don’t remember how many I took. Maybe I never took any, the bottle simply fell and opened. My head hurts. I sit at the edge of the bed and look for the gadget. Eleven thirty AM. I should go downstairs. 

Just as I opened the door, I hear screaming. I hear the voice of a woman. My mother. Screaming at the cook. Or, is she whispering? Is there a difference? She is mad, I can tell. That isn’t allowed. The woman does it anyways, sometimes. I feel sick already. Why is it that this makes my stomach churn? One foot after the other, one foot after the other, what feels like burning four hundred fifty one steps, 451 steps that are burning. My hands are tied, so are my legs, so is my mind. I don’t have a way out. The woman is still harrowingly speaking. She knows she shouldn’t. She is angry, she is furious. She shouldn’t be. It isn’t allowed. I know she is not a bad person, but in the heavier prohibition of good, the only thing she has found to cope with is being bad. They say it is an adaptation. Oh hi Daisy, the woman says. Daisy. That is not my real name. At least not at night, when I close my eyes. It is not her name. I start eating. 

I feel the taste of money. 

I remember trying to ask them, my parents. They looked down, changed the subject. But, she knows. Maybe I remember my old life, the life of those that live outside the walls, the life of those who know the ugly pain of a growling stomach. Maybe I still remember the feeling of fresh air, of being alive, of being free. Maybe I was taken away, without a goodbye. But, maybe that’s all a lie, part of a twisted dream. It’s all a blur. 

I hear her mother’s voice. I love you, she says. I remember what that is. It’s one of the few things. We are not allowed to think about it, nor talk about it, though. Relationships are not allowed anymore and neither are parents supposed to demonstrate any sort of affection. 

I lie on the bed. I see her father. Maybe he’s my father? No, my father is rich. Her father is dead. Perhaps not, but it is easier that way. There is no expectation then, nothing to hang on to. Nothing to breathe for, except what they want. Except for what they expect. He is reading a book. It is red. That is all I remember. I swear. This one has been put into flames, as well as all the other ones he used to read. 

Here, I am told I have power. Power to do whatever I want. Power to change the world. What world? Our world? My world? The world of those who, like us, like them, live inside cages, within infinite iron bars. Bulletproof glass. And bulletproof souls. A clean soul though, or so they say. Clean and pure, focused. The soul destined to success. Isolated souls. But, successful. Rich. 

I go up the four hundred fifty one steps again. I enter my room. No pills. Was it all my imagination? I sit down in the corner. I can’t breathe again. This time I open the bottle, I’m not sure which. I open it and put some in my palm and throw them into my mouth. I want to sleep again, as only in my dreams I can remember her. Only in my dreams can I remember the feeling of the soft touch of another hand. Only in my dreams can I remember the sound of laughter, the sound of tears, the sound of truth. My eyes are starting to shut, uncontrollably, like a child who doesn’t stop crying. I black out. 

I see her.