care of him as he waits to be formally charged with cheating. In the meantime, Adam's article on "The Night of the Skullfuck" is published. The sordid details of sex, violence, bribery, and a high-profile political figure cause it to be picked up by the national media. The governor's Presidential ambitions are potentially ruined, and the job offer/bribe made to Hoyt is revoked, effectively shattering Hoyt's life. Hoyt now faces a post-graduation judgment day, with his family's life savings exhausted in order to pay for his college education, and a college transcript with such bad grades that will effectively keep him from getting a job as an investment banker. Jojo's and Adam's necks are saved, as the liberal college professor decides to drop the entire plagiarism complaint so as to avoid undercutting Adam's credibility in destroying the conservative governor's political career. Adam's self-esteem restored, he begins to bask in the glow as the student who brought down a governor. Adam and Charlotte drift apart and she begins to date Jojo, who keeps his position as a starter on the team, in fact becoming a far better player due to Charlotte's influence and his decision to cultivate his mind. Charlotte ascends to the envied position of girlfriend of a star athlete. One scene at the end has Charlotte in Jojo's Large SUV when 2 of the sorority girls that previously mocked her pull up to say hi to Jojo and see Charlotte in the car and say hi like they are old friends. Later one of them invites Charlotte to join their sorority-when Charlotte says she doesn't have money for that she hints that something can be worked out. Charlotte now reflects upon her first semester with a different view, looking down at her former friends, who gleefully gossiped about her humiliation, and at Hoyt, who casually threw her away. She no longer feels intellectualism is what is most important to her — rather it is being a person recognized as special, regardless of the reason. Major themes The book develops themes Wolfe introduces in the title essay from his book Hooking Up. The novel centers on Charlotte, a naive new student at Dupont University, a school boasting a top-ranked basketball program and an Ivy League academic reputation. Despite Dupont's elite status, in the minds of its students, sex, alcohol, and social status rule the day. The student culture is focused