Alcohol and Excess

Drinking is a pervasive element of campus life, symbolizing both rebellion and escapism, with characters using alcohol to recapture youthful thrills or cope with emotional turmoil.

Though not explicitly about alcohol, the smoker rally features excessive smoking, a form of indulgence and excess typical of college life at the time.

Alumni and undergraduates get drunk to celebrate the moon before the game, reflecting the culture of excess surrounding the big event.

The dance is marked by widespread drunkenness among both men and women, with Hugh repulsed by the whisky breaths, vomiting, and 'crying jag,' highlighting the theme of alcohol-fueled debauchery.

Hugh's drinking escalates due to Vinton's constant offers of Scotch, and the fraternity's failure to ban liquor highlights the pervasiveness of excess.