The lithograph Where Do We Go? was reproduced prior to its inclusion in Eby’s book, appearing in The New York Times Magazine (on September 9, 1928) with an alternative title Heavy Artillery, Mud and Dawn. The print depicts a long, anonymous line of soldiers trudging along parallel to the picture plane, in a frieze-like configuration. They wear the typical gear of the doughboy, including the characteristic helmet, and they shoulder their rifles and packs. There is a numb quality to this mass of men, recalling Eby’s reference in his essay to “men like maggots in a cheese—and seemingly moving as aimlessly.” Just one soldier, near the center, peers out of the picture space. As noted, Eby’s images were all based on his own experience, a point he emphasized in his essay, and perhaps the visual engagement of this soldier with the viewer is to underscore that fact.
Next to this man, in the very center of the composition, is another soldier, singled out by the way in which he carries his rifle. He has a cigarette in his mouth, and Eby has given it prominence by making it one of the brightest objects in the gloomy, dark print. During World War I, cigarettes were freely distributed to the doughboys. Their ability to relieve some of the stress of the battlefield was a chief reason that the government made cigarettes so available to soldiers, and in fact, General Pershing gave priority to their shipment to the front. The result of this easy access is that cigarette use among men rose in this period by over 600 percent, and by World War II, they were considered part of the GI’s typical and critical gear. Eby used the particular qualities of lithography (one of the freest of the printmaking media since it is capable of accurately reproducing an artist’s most subtle drawing) to strong effect in this print, not only by highlighting the central soldier’s cigarette, but also by giving an oppressive darkness to the image as a whole, which blurs the individuality of the soldiers and which lends a weariness to all the men and even to the print’s background.
There are 21 academic organizations; 30 theatre, arts, and music organizations; 57 special interest organizations; 16 honor societies; and 12 fraternities and sororities.
After recording 3-1 victories over the College of St. Scholastica and Viterbo University, the Gustavus volleyball team claimed first place at the Gustavus Classic in St. Peter on Saturday. The Gusties' 8-0 overall record is the program's best start since 1984 when Gustavus began the season at 20-0. Bridget Burtzel (Sr., Cold Spring, Minn.) and Emily Klein (Sr., Red Wing, Minn.) were named to the all-tournament team for their efforts over the weekend.
The Gustavus volleyball team recorded wins over Martin Luther College and 20th-ranked UW-La Crosse during the first day of the Gustavus Classic in St. Peter on Friday. The Gusties swept Martin Luther 3-0 (25-14, 26-24, 25-16) in their first match and overcame a slow start to upset UW-La Crosse by the scores of 14-25, 25-23, 25-18, 25-14. Gustavus, which improved to 6-0 this season, will face the College of St. Scholastica and Viterbo University on Saturday in St. Peter.
The Gustavus women's soccer team allowed two first half goals in a 3-1 loss at UW-Stevens Point on Friday afternoon. The loss marks the first defeat of the 2008 season for the Gusties. The Pointers controlled played for the majority of the match outshooting Gustavus 37-5. Sophomore forward Ashley Anderson scored the only goal for the Gusties in the 54th minute.
