Audrey Green SC ’27 explores Hayao Miyazaki’s “Whisper of the Heart,” and the moments when we are forced from our quietude. She reflects on the parallels of her own childhood writing processes and those of the main character, Shizuku Tsukushima, and what our passions reveal about the self once we share them. “For a young writer such as Shizuku, this step is intertwined with the act of growing up itself, of learning that to be understood, you must first allow yourself to be seen by the world, even imperfectly,” Green writes.
Columns
Office Hours for the Soul: Write like no one is watching
Eight months ago, Siena Giacoma PZ ‘27 got some shocking advice — “You don’t matter.” In her final edition of Office Hours for the Soul, Giacoma reflects on her series of professor interviews from this year, discussing how they taught her to write like no one is watching.
Noise from the Underground: Flea fuses rock and jazz in ‘Honora’
Flea, the founding and long-lasting member of the Red Hot Chili Peppers, just released his first solo album ‘Honora’. Andrea Miloshevska PO’ 28 discusses the unexpected and refined jazz soundscapes, the bassist’s rediscovery of his childhood love for be-bop and the trumpet, and the heartfelt meaning of self-knowledge and discovery, at the heart of the record.
Stories Retold: What makes stories stick? Five authors take on fiction
What is it about great stories that compels us to tell them over and over again? Ava Chambers PO ’28 examines five essential elements of compelling stories from five fiction authors: Donna Tartt, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, Tennessee Williams, Vladimir Nabokov and Chinua Achebe.
Poem of ecstasy: Sakaguchi Ango and ‘Discourse on Decadence’
How does the individual interact with their culture’s moral decrees, and what happens when they decide to tear themselves loose from it? Leslie Tong PO ‘29 discusses Sakaguchi Ango’s Discourse on Decadence and how it relates to the historical context in which it was written.
The Daily Palette: The lasting effects of ‘Atomic Dragons’
Exploring the Cold War and its effects now, Meiya Rollins PO ’29 reflects on the exhibition “Atomic Dragons” at the Pitzer Art Galleries. From her previous readings in her curation class, she was instantly tethered to Judtih Dancoff’s work. Judith Dancoff narrates her own experiences of her father working on the Manhattan Project with Oppenheimer. Rollins describes the letters between Dancoff’s father and Oppenheimer in the piece, “The Dancoff Factor,” where they are a “window into their relationship with each other and their work. It was work that slowly killed them, but quickly destroyed the lives of so many.”
Animated Film Features: ‘The Super Mario Galaxy Movie’ not the smoothest launch
In a departure from the usual anime movie fare, Columnist Joon Kim PO ’26 blasts off into the Mushroom Kingdom and beyond as he takes a look at Illumination and Nintendo’s newest endeavor: the long-awaited sequel to the original “Super Mario Bros Movie” from 2023. He appreciates the creative set pieces and various homages to the video games in “The Super Mario Galaxy Movie,” yet finds that the cavalcade of references ultimately distract from the otherwise barebones plot.
Stories Retold: Can Artificial Intelligence create authentic translations?
How is Artificial Intelligence (AI) being implemented into literary translation? Ava Chambers ’28 discusses the recent implementation of AI in the translation process, impacting affordability and efficiency, but also raising questions about quality and valuation of translation jobs. Nevertheless, translation is an invaluable part of sharing stories that cannot be entirely supplanted.
5Cs After Dark: Hot, horny, and hesitant
Does your “situationship” have a fear of commitment? Arianna Kaplan SC ’27 and Siena Giacoma PZ ’27 have definitely been in your shoes, so they’re tackling everything from dating labels to casual flings this week in their column, “5Cs After Dark.”
Noise from the Underground: Kim Gordon turns to trap with new album ‘PLAY ME’
Since the beginning of her music career with Sonic Youth, Kim Gordon has been an influential figure for the alternative rock scene. At 72, she refuses to give into the forces of mainstream music and releases her third solo industrial trap record ‘PLAY ME’. Andrea Miloshevska PO’28 explores the album’s unexpected highs and lows.