Summary

In “Vox Clamantis in Deserto,” a narrator named Dana looks back on her first years at Dartmouth College and her friendship with another student, Rae Sullivan. Dana first sees Rae in the post office mailing a package to her boyfriend, and she is struck by the other girl's confident appearance. Dana recalls being a serious student with no social life, and dwelling on an incident at freshman orientation week when the other girls had gone to a fraternity party (which they refer to as a “GFU party” - “Short for Get F---ed Up” (43)), but she had been too timid to accompany them. When Rae begins chatting with Dana and a boy named Isaac after English class, Dana is relieved to finally have friends. The three hang out together for weeks, though Dana and Isaac notice that Rae is self-centered...