November 21, 1985
y. STUDENT NEWSPAPER OF CMOWAN COLLEGE
Look Homeward, Angel
A Review by Ken Wolfskill
Autobiographical works like Look Homeward, Angel are
works of discovery rather than action: not much seems to hap
pen, but a great deal is realized by the author, and the things
that do happen are important for what they show about the
nature of the world or life. In Ketti Frings’ Pulitzer Prize-
winning dramatization, Thomas Wolfe’s novel is given a “plot”
of the young author’s breaking away from his smothering
mother, and the discovery is, I think, that, while we may say
life is meaningless and death is meaningless, we cannot believe
in the nothingness of man; for man is too clever, to think man is
of no consequence.
Mrs. Sandra Boyce and her Chowan Players shared that
discovery in their November production. Perhaps the passion—
especially the lust—was underplayed; perhaps the sickness in
brother Ben was overplayed; but certainly the play’s commit
ment to life’s richness was presented fully. As Eugene Gant,
Scott Canfield was convincingly naive, excited by life, and anx
ious as he looked out at the confusing world. The world has four
major focuses for young Gant: one is new, blind, romantic love
in Laura James (played quietly, unphysically by Tracy Fox);
another is the wise but defeated older brother, Ben (Scot Tan
ner followed his directing well); but the most important focus
for him is actually a blur, a confusion of romantic idealism and
practical realism in his parents. The father (played richly and
exuberantly by Michael Hewitt) wants deeply to laugh, weep,
drink, and die—all appropriate, he thinks, to his miserable con
dition as a failed artist. The mother (played compellingly by
Joyce Elliott) wants just as deeply to buy and sell for profit and
praise; unlike her husband, who is inspired by the poets, she
lives according to the spilled-milk cliches of practicality that
earned the penny buy lost the soul. Having lost his brother and
his girl, and realizing that his parents are merely self-centered
in their advice and admonishments, our hero finally asserts
himself, realizing at last that, while others around him make
life rich, it is only he hinnuself, by himself who will find his own
fulfillment. His own fulfillment may be meaningless ultimate
ly, but we know that his quest is not, because the passion—the
loving, the hating, the conununion, and the loneliness feels so
rich.
Whitaker Library Prepares
For Close of Semester
By Sarah Davis
As students prepare for exams, in addition to studying and pur
chasing the necessary equipment, each one needs to be sure to
clear any obligations to Whitaker Library. All books must be
returned by December 5, and any money owed to the library for
any reason must be paid before the student is admitted to exams.
Approximately 6,000 books have been circulated to students this
fall semester. These books have been checked out for 1-3 weeks and
have been due on successive Wednesdays from September 25 to
November 20 and on Thursday, December 5. If a student has failed
to return a book on time, he has received overdue notices on suc
cessive Thursdays, and a fine of $.05 per day has been charged for
each book. If he paid the fine when he returned the book, the fine
was cut in half. If he did not, a notice for the full fine was sent, and
further notices sent as necessary.
On Monday, December 9, a list of all students who have obliga
tions to the library will be sent to all faculty members. This list will
include the names of those students who still have books out and the
number of books and those students who still owe fines and the
amount. Professors will speak to the students whose names appear
on the list, and students will have until Wednesday, December 11, to
return books and pay fines. After that time a second list is compil
ed, and the students names who appear on it must have clearance
slips from the library before they have exams.
Should a book be lost, if it is still in print, the student must pay the
current price of the book and a $5.00 processing fee. If the book is
out of print, $25.00 plus a $5.00 processing fee will be charged for the
book. In 1^ books purchased for the library cost an average of
$3L19each.
All students will, therefore, wish to be sure they have cleared all
obligations to Whitaker Library.
For the convenience of Chowan students, the library will be open
ten extra hours during exams.
Exam schedule for Whitaker Library:
Friday, December 13
7:30 a.m.-5:00 p.m., 6:00 p.m.-10:00 p.m.
Saturday, December 14
7:30 a .m.-12:00 Noon
Sunday, December 15
2:00p.m.-5;00p.m.,6:00p.m.-10:00p.m.
Monday, December 16 through Wednesday, December 18
7:30 a.m.-5:00p.m., 6:00 p.m.-10:00 p.m.
Thursday, December 19
7:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m.
Life’s richness is further suggested in the supporting roles—
the sensual and receptive earth-mother, “Fatty” Pert (Lynn
Whitehurst); the truly maternal and the real practical force in
the Gant household, sister Helen (Kaytee Bell); the cold con-
niver. Will Pentland (James McDonald); the dull brother-in-
law (Greg Granger) and adventurous brother (Bill Eckstein);
a crowd of boarders, images of nosy, lusty, questing humanity
(Ricky Killian, Betty Batchelor, Patrick Rudolph, Caroline
Stephenson); and the wise doctor (Hargus Taylor) who voices
the play’s wisdom (“Try not to care too much” was an impor
tant impossibility to Wolfe and to many of his generation,
especially Ernest Hemingway and Thornton Wilder).
With the artistic help of Kaytee Bell, Mrs. Boyce created an
impressive set that provided a solid backdrop to the human
drama and a clever stage trick that allowed us to see into
private chambers of the boarding house. Not only does the
device seem clever: it seems to add a dimension to Wolfe’s/Fr-
ings’ attempt to portray the inside and outside of existance.
Clearly, a lot of earnest effort went into this production, and
the result, I feel, was one of the most provocative presentations
from the Chowan Players.
"Got to sit down!! ’ W.O. Gant played by Michael Hewitt, Hugh Barton
(right) Greg Granger, Helen Barton, Kaytee Bell, and Dr. Maquire played
by Chaplain Taylor.
fNtr H ->U5^
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Boapding House f
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K-K-K-Katie strums Jake Clatt, played by Ricky Killian and Mill Brown,
Caroline Stephenson.
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Don t worry Mrs. Gant, he s just passed out. ' Hugh Barton (Greg
Granger), W.O. Gant (Michael Hewitt) and Dr. Maquire (Chaplin Taylor).
f
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"Eugene, stand up, show people that you are somebody" scolds Eliza.
(Ployed by Dr. Joyce Elliott). Eugene is played by Scot Canfield.
Brother talk Ben Gant played by Scot Tanner and Eugene (Scott Canfield)