Howl By Ginsberg Essay

Howl By Ginsberg Essay
Constraints of Confinement
Trumpets blaring, bass booming, heads swaying to the beat in a tiny jazz club. Creativity is flowing
and the Beat Poets of the 1950s are unknowingly establishing a counterculture movement, one that
challenges the social norms and politics of their time and even transcends generations to remain
relevant today. Poets like Jack Kerouac, William Seward Burroughs, Neal Cassady, and Allen
Ginsberg were heavily influenced by jazz, adopting their "seedy dress, manners, and 'hip'
vocabulary" ("Beat Movement") that changed their lifestyle and helped write their poetry.
Specifically, Allen Ginsberg's poem Howl, is often regarded as "the anthem of 1950s Beats" ("Howl
| Poem by Ginsberg"), a poem unstructured and free flowing to reflect Ginsberg's experiences. In
Howl, Allen Ginsberg uses unique language and changes his tone throughout the poem in an attempt
to break the constraints of confinement and seek his own forms of freedom.
From the outset of Howl, Part I takes on a tone of delirium as the Beat Poets, sometimes referred to
as the 'best minds' or simply 'they', ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
Ginsberg shows that the American river represents capitalism and how it washes away the creativity
by exclaiming, "Visions! omens! hallucinations! miracles! ecstasies! gone down the American
River!" (line 90). Essentially, all 'good' things like the visions and ecstasy has been washed away
and people have become constrained by the capitalist institution that is America. The tone of anger
prevails in particularly in line 91, describing dreams, adorations, and illuminations as "the whole
boatload of sensitive bullshit" that no one seems to care about. This metaphor is extremely important
to the overall theme of breaking the constraints of confinement because the capitalistic society of
America is in itself confining the creative thinkers that make up the Beat
... Get more on HelpWriting.net ...

Degradation of Women in Jack Kerouac’s On The Road Essay
The Degradation of Women in On The Road
An argument can be made that the women in Jack Kerouac's On The Road are not as
characteristically well developed as the men. Through Sal and Dean's interactions with women, the
reader sees that there exist two types of females in this novel – the benevolent virgin/mother figure
or the whore. Women are constantly referred to in a negative way or blatantly degraded and insulted
by numerous characters. However, Kerouac (through the character of Sal) exhibits sympathy for
women. Sal does occasionally participate in female stereotyping, but this is simply because he wants
to fit in. Although Sal may try to make arguments against the poor treatment of women, the novel in
its entirety seems to ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
To Sal's credit though he does ask what she wants or thinks from the start but this sudden care seems
to arise due to his own nervousness and insecurities not any kind of genuine feeling for Marylou.
Her identity as seen through the eyes of men would fall into the whore stereotype of women. This is
the exact opposite from Sal's Aunt. The most apparent treatment of Sal's Aunt as something less than
an equal comes at the end of part one. Sal has just returned from his first trip west. He is tired. He
has been starving for three days now and of course eats everything in the house. Then his Aunt's few
extensive lines in the entire novel occur, and in a decidedly motherly fashion she says "Poor little
Salvatore". She has fulfilled Sal's entire need of her. She has been a mother to cook for him and fret
over him. This passage seems to point out the completely flat identities women were allowed or
perceived to have by the Sal. "Women need few lines because the only thing they need to say is "go
ahead and do me" or "oh, poor baby". The virgin or the whore; the only identities men saw"(Holmes
371). A slight twist on this is the character of Terry. Though only in the book a little while, she has
relatively lengthy dialogue (for a woman) and a very significant role. She was the whore and the
mother figure for Sal. He got to make her in a hotel in California and she also got to cook for him
and fret over him while

Jack Kerouac On The Road
Dorest 1
Erlange Dorest
Professor David Nixon
ENC 1102
11 December 2017
On the Road
Jack Kerouac was an American writer and poet of French–Canadian descent who made a significant
mark in history in writing during the post–World War II era. He was recognized as the leader of the
Beat movement generation and most popular book, "On the Road" which was published in 1957.
The Beat Generation was known as the movement that was started by a group of authors that
researched and influenced American culture and politics at the time. It can be understood to say that
the Beat Generation was the precursor for the Flower Children of the 1960's. These group of authors
of the Beat Generation included Neal Cassady, Allen Ginsberg, William Burroughs, Sal Paradise and
others. Majority of the work of the Beat Generation was recognized and published during the 1950s.
Jack Kerouac's first novel "Town and City" was published in 1950 was an autobiography of small
town values and inspirations city life. Unfortunately, his first novel did not give him much
recognition. Jack Kerouac also wrote The Dharma Bums, Visions of Cody, The Subterraneans,
Desolation Angels, Lonesome Traveler and several other novels. He originally wrote "On the Road"
in 1951 on a single scroll manuscript paper stretching 120 feet long which publishers rejected for six
years. "On the Road" took Jack Kerouac three weeks to write and was an immediate best seller once
it got published in 1957. Jack Kerouac's writing of the book

The Beat Generation's Effect On Jitterbug Perfume
Beat Generation's Effect on Jitterbug Perfume In the Novel Jitterbug Perfume, many themes and
ideas from the Beat Generation can be found. The Beat Generation was a movement developed by
young people who rejected conventional society in the late 1950's. The idea of the generation was
strictly based on modern Jazz, free sexuality, recreational drugs, and rejecting standard ways.
Developing sexuality, depending on drugs and the pursuit in individuality we taken from the
Generation and creativity put into the storyline created by Robbins. These themes are found
throughout the novel and follow the many character that all play important roles in the novel. The
way sexuality, drugs and individuality affected people during the Beat ... Show more content on
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The idea of have multiple wives was very unusual and it was not common and hard grasp by many
of the characters. Just like the homosexual not being normal during the Beat Generation, the idea of
Alobar's open relationship was not normal to the reader. Robbins uses the strange sexuality from the
Beat Generation and put his unique twist on the "open" relationship that was seen in the novel. Later
in the book you see the sexual liberation between Alobar and Kudra's relationship. On page 178
Robbins describes the incredible amount of sex they would have thoughout the day. The interesting
thing that Robbins include was the fact that the would have sex but wouldn't reach the point of
orgasm because it stimulates the brain. This sort of experimentation with sex became popular in the
best generation and then trying to find their preference.
Just the effect sex had on their chance to find their new sexuality during the beat generation, the idea
of drug usage to expand the brain became popular. Drugs have been around for many centuries,
from the early hallucinations to the heavily chemical based drugs becoming popular now and each
one had a specific effect on the brain. These drugs have been and will always be a part of society; no
matter how much the government regulates them. Drugs became very popular during this period
with all of the experiments upcoming drugs

Analysis Of Jack Kerouac's On The Road
Author and Beat literary movement pioneer Jack Kerouac adopts what he calls "spontaneous prose"
as his own unique style in On the Road. Otherwise known as "stream of consciousness," this is a
method of writing that essentially captures the nebulous and unrelated thoughts that cross the
narrator's mind at any given moment, without break for explanation. Critics are quick to point out
that this concept is materialized in the premise of Kerouac's novel On the Road itself, citing the
cross–country trek that is the center around which the novel revolves. It is one of confusion,
calamity, and carelessness, as well as fast–paced, unpredictable change of direction and complete
emancipation of personal responsibility that is the self–proclaimed ... Show more content on
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Neal's attitude towards society is one more of individuality rather than rebellion. As one critic puts
it, "[Neal] doesn't want to overthrow the government, but he doesn't want a government, or anyone
else for that matter, to have control over him" (Napierkowski and Stanley 188). He begins to idolize
Neal and his viral, vivid personality. One critic describes the pair's relationship as one of "lost
brother[s]," and goes on to describe Neal as the like–minded, vibrant wanderer that Kerouac desired
(Cunnel 8). Kerouac even grows jealous when Neal meets Allen Ginsberg, where he writes, "Two
keen minds that [Allen and Neal] are they took to each other at the drop of a hat... the holy con–man
the great sorrowful poetic con–man that is Allen Ginsberg. From that moment on I saw very little of
Neal and I was a little sorry too... Their energies met head–on. I was a lout compared; I couldn't
keep up with them" (Kerouac 112). Kerouac's feelings of inadequacy in terms of the explosive
personalities of the two survive through his strong affinity towards Neal. While in Denver, Neal and
Allen try to "soul–connect," the two of them both having taken Benzedrine and babbling complete
nonsense to each other straight through the night. The pair realize "'[Kerouac's] been awake all this
time listening,'" and

Objectification And Sexism In Jack Kerouac's On The Road
Objectification and Sexism on the Road Jack Kerouac's On the Road, explores the complex worlds
of masculinity, friendship, freedom and the delusions of the American dream. It was extremely
influential to American culture and it spoke to young Americans of that generation as well as the
generations that followed. On the Road is an exploration of the world of the traveler, and from it
Kerouac was able to create a world in his book that illustrates the lives as well as the motivations of
a counterculture he named the 'Beats'. Kerouac saw the counterculture he created as a people who
wanted to escape the restrictions, repressions and conformities of American culture, particularly
white middle class culture. Kerouac was able to describe this ... Show more content on
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His wife embodies the characteristics in a woman Dean values–characteristics which apply even
outside Kerouac's novel and are a large part of the social values the beat generation was trying to
move away from. She is describes as "the sweetest woman in the world" and she smiles and never
asks Walter where he had come from or anything else. Kerouac writes, "Walter's wife smiled and
smiled as we repeated the insane thing all over again. She never said a word. Dean said, "Now you
see, man, there's real woman for you. Never a harsh word, never a complaint, or modified; her old
man can come in any hour of the night with anybody and have talks in the kitchen and drink the beer
and leave any old time. This is a man, and that's his castle" (Kerouac). Look at the terminology used
her to describe her: quiet, smiling, no complaint and real woman. Dean's construction of ideal
womanhood is a woman who is submissive, passive and defers to her man–the ruler of the
household and owner of her mind, body and intellect. This one short description of Walter's wife
illustrates the patriarchy that is woven into Kerouac's On the

The Beat Generation Essay
"The one thing that we yearn for in our living days, that makes us sigh and groan and undergo sweet
nauseas of all kinds, is the remembrance of some lost bliss that was probably experienced in the
womb and can only be reproduced (though we hate to admit it) in death." (Kerouac, Jack. "On the
road."). This quote, from Jack Kerouac's book On the Road, is a brilliant example of the overall feel
of the Beat Generation. Jack Kerouac is one of the most influential writers of the Beat Generation,
rivaled only by the likes of Allen Ginsberg and William S. Burrough. But what exactly is the Beat
Generation? What does it mean? Who of note was involved? When did it take place? The "Beat
Generation" is a play on words, implying that the participants ... Show more content on
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The Beat Generation, a highly rebellious and conflict heavy group were invaluable in our countries
development, without them America would be a completely different place. It is common
knowledge that Jack Kerouac was a key part of the Beat Generation, but why did he matter, what
was his most influential work? Born on March 12, 1922 in Lowell, Massachusetts to French–
speaking parents from the French quarter of Quebec and French was spoken at home, Kerouac was
the final of three children (Jack Kerouac). As a result of his upbringing, Kerouac was not a native
English speaker; he actually did not learn English until the age of six (Jack Kerouac). Kerouac
experienced tragedy at a dreadfully young age, his older brother Gerard died of rheumatic fever
when he was four years old (Jack Kerouac). Kerouac and Gerard had grown close during Gerard's
illness, and Gerard's death left Kerouac feeling exceptionally lost. But the lessons Kerouac learned
from Gerard's death would stay with him forever and shape his future writing, particularly his
"reverence for life" (Jack Kerouac). Kerouac actually coined the term Beat Generation in his highly
influential book On the Road "They were like the man with the dungeon stone and gloom, rising
from the underground, the

Essay The Use of Drugs by 1950s Artists
A movement arose among the artists of 1950s America as a reaction to the time's prevailing
conformity and affluence whose members attempted to extract all they could from life, often in a
strikingly self–destructive way. Specifically, the Beat writers and jazz musicians of the era found
escape from society in drugs and fast living. But what exactly led so many to this dangerous path?
Why did they choose drugs and speed to implement their rebellion? A preliminary look at the
contradictions that prevailed in 1950s American society may give some insight into these artists'
world. At the end of World War II, American culture experienced an overhaul that ushered in a
period of complacency beneath which paranoia seethed. A generation that had ... Show more content
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Times were conducive to materialism and few seemed eager to change anything about their society.
As Halberstam pointed out, it could be dangerous to alter a system that was "working so well" (xi).
Fear of change, as well as fear of a sudden atomic death, led to anxiety within the superficially
satisfied culture. This nebulous fear of change, which needed to be directed at some enemy, found
sanctuary in vehement anti–Communism (McNally 95), most extremely manifested in Senator
McCarthy's witch hunts in the 1950s. Anxiety focused on Russia; as Allen Ginsberg facetiously
wrote in "America," "The Russia wants to eat us alive" (43). The Cold War indirectly resulting from
this anxiety brought with it the constant threat of annihilation. The fearsome power of nuclear
weaponry had been demonstrated against Japan and could at any time be turned against the United
States, whose citizens would then serve as sitting ducks for their own destruction. As tensions
mounted, preparations of sorts were made for nuclear war. Schoolchildren crawled under their desks
during air raids, probably knowing at some level that they could not hide from a bomb. A shelter
was set up in rural West Virginia to which those deemed important to rebuilding the country
(including my grandfather, a Defense Department engineer) would be shuttled in the

Social Pressures Reflected in Ginsberg's Howl Essay
Social Pressures Reflected in Ginsberg's Howl
Post World War II America produced a number of images that will be forever imprinted on the
minds of Americans. Such images as television shows like "Leave It To Beaver" and "I Love Lucy,"
movies such as "An Affair To Remember," and "Brigadoon," are watched frequently even in today's
society. But in this world of fairytale movies and the "American Dream," what about those who
didn't fit into the picture of perfection and prosperity? These men became the basis of an
underground network of dissident writers, teachers, artists and filmmakers. Often a reaction against
the strict standards of normalcy held by the American public and the bureaucracy of the government,
their work not only ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
Such is the same in "Howl."
Ginsberg does not spare the 'innocent' reader. When one analyzes the social power of Ginsberg's
statements, one can come easily to the conclusion that society was not exactly welcoming to
Ginsberg, and he reacted to that through his writing, especially in "Howl."
The second portion of "Howl" is commonly considered by critics to be the most complicated for the
average mind to comprehend. In this section, nearly every thing is described as a 'Moloch.' Moloch,
in mythology was a God to whom children were sacrificed. Now, the term is commonly used to
describe anything responsible for destroying innocence. In Part II, Ginsberg describes nearly
everything about American culture to be a Moloch. Even society's viewpoints are Molochs. In a
way, Ginsberg is calling America itself a Moloch, and then continuing to describe parts of the whole.
"Moloch whose mind is pure machinery! Moloch whose blood is running money! Moloch whose
fingers are ten armies! Moloch whose breast is a cannibal dynamo! Moloch whose ear is a smoking
tomb!" (Ginsberg 21)
America is evil to Ginsberg because of the feelings of hatred and repulsion the society builds in him.
The third section of "Howl" is a striking contrast to the other two parts.

The Beat Poetry Revolution Of The 1950-1960s
Every revolution has begun with a vision. The beat poetry rebellion's just happened to be opioid–
induced. Picture this: the 1950's. With the threat of nuclear war on the horizon during the Cold War,
the citizens of the United States began to detest their government. In 1952, homosexuality was
officially classed as a mental disorder in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders.
In 1955, Allen Ginsberg first performed Howl, which would soon become the most widely
controversial beat poem, including scenes of illegal drugs and illegal sex practices. What is
considered obscene when the government demolishes entire cities without blinking an eye? What
are the limits? The beat poetry revolution of the 1950–60s was influenced by the New Vision, which
compromised the current cultural beliefs of sexuality, religion, and drug use. The beat poetry
revolution (or 'beat generation') was a movement that spread through New York City and San
Francisco during the late 1940's to the end of the 1960's. This movement was created to free poetry
from the strains of academia and therefore, it allowed expressive and sexualized poetry to be spoken
and presented to the public. According to a common dictionary, poetry is a piece of writing that has
the intention of evoking emotion from the reader or listener using style and rhythm. The beats
changed the perception of what was acceptable. Free verse poetry (poetry written without rhyme or
structure) was blended with spoken word to

On The Road Narcissism
Idolatry and fantasies easily turn to disappointment when those people and experiences we have
built up to be extraordinary are revealed to be the product of unrealistic expectations. On the Road
by Jack Kerouac follows Sal Paradise as he and Dean Moriarty chase each other across the country
and back again searching for something, an "it" that is always changing, always moving, and always
hundreds if not thousands of miles away. An experiment in narcissism and the voice of the Beat
generation in a transitory post–World War II period in America, Kerouac's novel depicts a specific
view of American culture from the white male perspective. Sal and Dean are not the only characters
affected by their travels; everyone around them becomes often unhappy ... Show more content on
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Unsurprisingly, there are many who find this to be a lofty sentiment. Published in a 2011 article in
Modern Fiction Studies, Stephen Schryer comments that "[On the Road is] motivated by a fantasy
of white hipsters finding a comfortable home among impoverished minorities" (Schryer). While in
California, Sal believes he can be a savior for Terry and provide for her and her son, yet relies on her
and her child to help him pick enough cotton to earn money for them to be able to eat daily. While
he attempts at living the life for a while, he can always go back to his life of privilege. Kerouac's
"racist romanticism" of the African–American and Latino cultures within America use a privileged
white male lens of idealism "to describe the groups most afflicted by poverty in the 1950s"
(Schryer). Sal's obsession with the vibrant cultures of the so–called "other America" is one example
of how blind he was to the events and people around him. Frequently he reflects on his life and how
he is like a minority, saying he "wished [he] were a Denver Mexican, or even a poor overworked
Jap, anything but what [he] was so drearily, a 'white man' disillusioned," and the ills that befell him
on the trip were a response of his "white ambitions" (Kerouac, 170). Later while walking through
the African–American part of Denver, Sal believes that the "air was filled with the vibration of really
joyous life that knows nothing of disappointment and 'white sorrows'" (Kerouac, 171). Sal's entire
existence seems to be comprised of fantasies that acknowledge reality in measured doses, doctored
to whatever aesthetic he can spin on the situation. The fantasy that Sal has created and his
expectation for how the world will work in his favor sets him

American Literature : The Beat Generation
A form of literature evolved around the 50s that changed the course for all writers to come. This new
style of writing arose from the literature movement known as the Beat Generation. It motivated a
change. During this time the authors questioned societal norms and were unafraid to address
previously forbidden topics such as sex, drugs, and other deviant behaviors or in other words the
"dark" aspects of life. These writers not only wrote but experienced much of what they penned.
They often lived the disapproved lifestyle about which they translated for the public to read. Thanks
to the Beat Generation discrimination and other issues alike were forced to be addressed. They were
the spark for change. The Beat Generation was a generation that wanted to see a change in the
structure of society and significantly impacted different art forms, especially literature.
The Beat Generation was an advancement in societal views. During this time period, many people
began to question the rules of society. The Beat Generation was a movement which propelled
change in the views of conservative America. Many confuse the beatniks of the 60s with the original
beat movement. Actually, the beat generation took place in the 1940s and 1950s right after World
War II ("Beat"). This era was the start of the Cold War which was referred to as the Red Scare. The
Government was worried about loyalty to the U.S. and the threat of communists, also known as
Reds, to American life. This threat did not

The Beat Generation Research Paper
Women of The Beat Generation The Beat Generation, one of the most significant social and cultural
movements of the 1950s, inspired a lifestyle which rejected conformity and focused on individual
freedom. It was America's most celebrated counter–culture and consisted of numerous writers of
which Jack Kerouac, Allen Ginsberg, Neal Cassady and William S. Burroughs are well known
today. One of the key figures, Jack Kerouac, is famous for his work in On The Road which is about
adventurous road trips, thus exploring America and the limits of one's freedom. People are provoked
by the inequality between both genders by the sexual content in the novel. Thus, the literature of the
Beat Generation was expressed predominantly through males and ... Show more content on
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They were marginalized and subject to conformism. Their responsibilities as a mother and a wife
kept them away from participating in the literary world. Also, they were objectified by male Beat
poets who treated them as sexual objects. Their appearance mattered the most to the men as they
were an object of desire. Moreover, they were not highly acknowledged for their work as men were.
Those who had connections with famous male writers through relationships were able to become
involved in the movement. Though many women struggled when they first started their literary
career, few of them like Carolyn Cassady, Joan Vollmer, Diane Di Prima, and Joyce Johnson were
able to participate in the Beat movement, gain recognition, and inspire other writers as they were
daring and used their writing as a means to expressing their ideas by challenging false assumptions
about women in

The Beat Movement: Naked Lunch And On The Road
The "Beat Movement" was the coming together of intellectual minds in the shared interest of
spiritual liberation and self–growth. Writers and scholars started the movement around the 1950's by
doing away with/[challenging the norms of conventional writing]. Troubled by society's
materialistic ideals and flawed social values, they chose to defy the norm. William Burroughs, Jack
Kerouac and Allen Ginsburg are usually the most remembered from the "Beat generation". Kerouac
is the writer who is credited with the naming of the "Beat generation", which describes the down–
and–out status of himself and his peers during the post–World War II years, (Academy of American
Poets). Burroughs and Kerouac are remembered through their works of fiction such as Naked Lunch
and On the Road. Ginsburg is known for famous poems such as "Howl".
Writer William Burroughs lived a very unconventional troubled life with much drug experimenting
and dark self–exploration. Most Beat Movement writers were recognized as odd and withdrawn
characters with high levels of intelligence. Burroughs being particularly troubled, as early as eight
"Billy" (his nickname) was a charismatic force who dominated his childhood playmates' activities.
"Billy was a year ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
Douglas T. Miller and Marion Nowak stated that the middle–class was worried that the Beats would
inspire out–of–control violence, juvenile delinquency and rebellion, (Huddleston 6). This was
mainly due to the fact of impressionable youth with the wrong idea of the Beats. Kerouac countered
these negative depictions of hipsters by asserting that the Beats were mystics on a spiritual quest,
and had no affiliation or like mindedness with juvenile delinquents who he considered to be sinful
and indifferent.(Huddleston

Jack Kerouac's The Dharma Bums
Jack Kerouac is known for his unique writing style of spontaneous prose to tell stories of his own
life experiences. This fast paced style not only catches the attention of his readers, but gives a
depiction of Kerouac as a person. Kerouac's novel, The Dharma Bums, depicts the importance of
pragmatism both in the novel and in Kerouac's life through his non–conformity and simplistic ways
along with his spontaneity and sexual conflict. Ray Smith stands out as a bit of a rebel with his non–
conformist ways just like Kerouac. Quick to move on to different experiences and meet new people,
Ray travels the country. Kerouac starts off the novel with his non–conformist ways as Ray is seen
"hopping a freight out of Los Angeles" (3) and he heads for ... Show more content on
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He even calls his writing style spontaneous prose. So of course Ray is going to have the same
attitude. Ray often feels at home with children and dogs because of their simple and innocent
outlooks on the world. Kids and dogs simply love to exist and have a good time with all their
experiences. When climbing to Matterhorn Peak, Japhy and Ray are making the final ascent and Ray
suddenly becomes afraid saying, "This is too high" (Kerouac, 83). However, by watching Japhy
jumping up the mountain and reaching the top, Kerouac realizes that it is better to simply jump right
in and experience something instead of worrying about it. Kerouac himself took many spontaneous
trips. In a letter to Lenrow, Kerouac describes one of his trips as "a tremendous trip though a little
out of focus, as they say about sprawling novels" (70). Kerouac would even be so spontaneous as to
withdraw from one of Lenrow's classes to work on his novel, On The Road. He even goes as far as
to tell Lenrow that he "suddenly packed one night and went" (78). When Kerouac has a thought, he
is quick to act upon it. This is why Ray admires Japhy so much and is willing to take part in his
spontaneous adventures such as climbing a

The Beat Generation Essay
The "Beat Movement" in modern literature has become an important period in the history of
literature and society in America. Incorporating influences such as jazz, art, literature, philosophy
and religion, the beat writers created a new vision of modern life and changed the way a generation
of people seen the world. The generation is now aging and its representative voices are becoming
lost, but the message is alive and well. The Beats have forever changed the nature of American
literature. They offered a method of escape from the unimaginative world we live in. There are
many different writers who's work contributed to the literature of the beat movement; however; Jack
Kerouac, William Burroughs and Allen Ginsburg were the most ... Show more content on
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This rebellious mindset, coupled with a lack of identity and high tensions, formed a unique set of
conditions that molded the beat generation.
The word beat was coined my Jack Kerouac in 1948 but didn't become a well known expression
until 1952 when John Clellon Holmes wrote an article in the New York Times about it. Holmes
wrote This is the Beat Generation in response to an article previously in published in the New York
Times titled Youth which stereotyped the younger generation. In the article Holmes defined the term
beat as "more that mere weariness, it implies the feeling of having been used, of being raw. It
involves a sort of nakedness of mind, and, ultimately, of soul; a feeling of being reduced to the
bedrock of consciousness. In short, it means being undramatically pushed up against the wall of
oneself. A man is beat whenever he goes broke and wagers the sum of his resources on a single
number; and the young generation has done that continually from early youth" (Holmes). Holmes
claims that the generation was brought to this mindset because the generation was being "brought up
during the collective bad circumstances of a dreary depression, weaned during the collective
uprooting of a global war... This is a post war generation, and, is already being compared to other
post war generations, which dubbed itself `lost' (Holmes).
Jack Kerouac was born Jean–Louis

Perseverance Through Madness In Allen Ginsberg's 'Howl'
There is a stereotype that the best minds of a generation are the heroes of their generations, making
new discoveries that can alter the course of history. While this holds true most of the time, Allen
Ginsberg's 1956 poem "Howl" offers a different perspective. In "Howl," Ginsberg chronicles the
chaotic lives of the "best minds of [his] generation," using graphic language that eventually landed
the publishers of the poem in court for a lawsuit, which was documented in the 2010 film Howl.
Howl suggests that education and intellect provides the ability to persevere through madness as well
as the ability to exhibit resistance to the self–destruction that madness has the potential to invoke.
The poem effectively communicates this message through its repeated refrains, juxtaposition, and
allusion. The theme of perseverance through madness is more prominent in the poem than in the
film, yet it can still be recognized with close attention. The movie also serves as a solid resource in
understanding the context of the poem within Ginsberg's own life. "Howl" is divided into three
parts, with a last section titled 'Footnote to Howl.' Each part of the poem is distinguished by a
repetitive line structure. In Part 1, most of the lines start with the word 'who' which is followed by a
verb in the past tense. The repetitive structure of Part 1 is essential to understanding the theme of
"Howl" as it emphasizes the lifestyle of madness that the great minds are dealing with. This is done

The Beat Movement And Kerouac's On The Road
The beat movement is expressed the social and literary nonconformity of artists, poets, and writers.
The word beat originally meant "weary" but came to refer as well to a musical beat. Followers of
this movement, called beats or beatniks, lived nonconformist lives. They tended to shun regular
work and sought a higher consciousness through Zen Buddhism, music, and, sometimes, drugs.
Works that capture the essence of this era include Allen Ginsberg's long, free verse poem, Howl,
published in 1956, and Jack Kerouac's novel of the movement, On the Road, published in 1957.
Alan Freed's listeners responded enthusiastically, and Freed began promoting the new music that
grew out of rhythm and blues and country and pop. He called the music rock 'n' roll. In the early and
mid–1950s, Richard Penniman, Chuck Berry, Bill Haley and His Comets, and especially Elvis
Presley brought rock 'n' roll to a frantic pitch of popularity among the newly affluent teens who
bought their records. Elvis Presley, the unofficial "King of Rock 'n' Roll," first developed his
musical style by singing in church and listening to gospel, country, and blues music on the radio in
Memphis, Tennessee. Not surprisingly, many ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
One proposed solution to the housing problem in inner cities was urban renewal. The National
Housing Act of 1949 was passed to provide "a decent home and a suitable living environment for
every American family." This act called for tearing down rundown neighborhoods and constructing
low–income housing. Later, the nation's leaders would create a new cabinet position, Housing and
Urban Development (HUD), to aid in improving conditions in the inner city. Although dilapidated
areas were razed, parking lots, shopping centers, highways, parks, and factories were constructed on
some of the cleared land, and there was seldom enough new housing built to accommodate all the
displaced

One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest Madness And Control Analysis
Alexander Castaldo
Beat Generation
12/15/17
Madness and Control in Ken Kesey's One Flew over the Cuckoo's Nest
Ken Kesey's One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest is a story revolving around "Chief" Bromden, a
schizophrenic patient in a ward who pretends to be deaf and stupid. The ward is controlled by a
nurse named Nurse Ratched. Nurse Ratched has a strict system of control over the ward and her
patients, choosing staff members whom follow her loyally. In the ward we have two types of
patients; the Acutes and the Chronics, the Acutes are those whom can still be treated and can
become 'model citizens' while the Chronics are those who the staff believe are long past saving.
Chief, the narrator is a Chronic and looks at the happenings within the ward from a passive point of
view.
One day, Randle McMurphy a newly admitted patient, tears up the place by introducing gambling
and other 'unsightly' games into the ward, he does this to undermine and usurp the staff's control and
order, but in particular Nurse Ratched's authority. This threatens her and she has a momentary break
down.
One can argue that threatened by the patient's and despite her cover of control Nurse Ratched
actually feels out of control inside, and with the possibility she is not so well herself. This is
supported when in the book Nurse Ratched discusses with another nurse what type of person
McMurphy is, she says he's; "controlling and manipulative of others to his own ends, using others as
'stepping stones' to

AP English Literature : The Beat Generation
Vianney Mangyao
Ms. Hamill
AP English Literature
26 October 2017
What's so hip about the Beat? The Beat Generation can be perceived in many ways depending on
how a person may translate the traits characterizing it but the real definition of this generation
remains the same all throughout. The Beat Generation is a literary movement that happened during
the 1950's after World War II and was greatly influenced by a group of artists and authors who
explored. The Beat movement was centralized in certain communities where freedom of expression
was greatly prevalent. The lifestyle in bohemian centralized communities were explored and
described by many authors and some of the most well–known authors of this generation are Herbert
Huncke, Allen Ginsberg, William S. Burroughs, Lucien Carr, and Jack Kerouac. All authors gave
light to what beat generation was like through their work of art. They outlined that Beat Generation
is an approach made by the people to reach a certain goal. Some of the goals are personal release
and purification. Sounds familiar? These goals are more similar to the goals of yoga. These goals
were attained mainly through the use of drugs, sex, and expressed in jazz music.. The Beat
Generation is a rejection of standard narrative values, spiritual quest, rejection of materialism,
explicit portrayals of the human condition, experimentation with drugs, and sexual exploration. All
these components are widely known as the characteristics of "hippies" and

Women And Women In Jack Kerouac's On The Road
In Jack Kerouac's novel, On the Road, women are objectified and sexualized by the men in the story.
Sal, Dean and other male characters use descriptive language to portray a woman's looks and
demeaning language to characterize the women they encounter. The men also disregard any feelings
that the women have while also ignoring any positive qualities they may have. The two women who
are the main victims in this novel are Marylou and Camille, and Dean Moriarty is the source of the
majority of the mistreatment. To begin, I would not recommend On the Road to anyone who is a
feminist. This novel clearly victimizes and objectifies the female characters. Moreover, the fact that
these women are not only characters, but real people who experienced mistreatment from these men,
can be even more disturbing and offensive to not only feminists, but all females. Marylou is first
referred to as "his beautiful little sharp chick." The possessive pronoun "his" refers to Dean; together
with a lacking description of the "chick" aside from her appearance, creates Marylou as simply
someone, even something, that belongs to Dean. She is not described by her personality or height of
intellect, but instead, her looks. From the beginning, Marylou is denounced to nothing more than a
sexual object for Dean to take advantage of. Additionally, it is no secret that Marylou is merely a
consistent hookup for Dean. When Sal arrives at Dean's apartment he says, "Dean had dispatched
the occupant of the

Jack Kerouac 's On The Road
Published in 1957, several years after it was written, Jack Kerouac's On the Road is lauded as one of
the most important literary works of the twentieth century. Praised for its role in the counterculture
Beat movement that helped shape society today, the novel embraces previously taboo themes like
sex, drugs, music, and dissatisfaction with the expectations of ordinary life in early '50's America.
According to legend, after years of real life experience of hitchhiking his way back and forth across
the country with friends, most notably, Neal Cassady, Kerouac came home and wrote the novel in
three weeks, on mimeograph paper he taped together. The result was a typo–littered scroll that few
people read and Kerouac immediately took to ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
While the book has been edited from its original format, typos, excessively long sentences, and
misplaced punctuation still find their way in, and despite presenting a distraction at points, perhaps
in the bigger picture, they are an important part in preserving the novel as it was written.
With its unconventional structure, On the Road actually feels comparable to a road. Kerouac's prose
often paints vivid pictures, allowing the reader to immerse him or herself into the different scenery,
excellent for elements like the music or the difference between cities or even the characters he meets
along the way. According to Mary–Beth Brophy in Re–Remembering Gerard: Using Beat Author
Jack Kerouac 's Letters to Lead Students to a Deeper Understanding of His Novels, Kerouac's style
choices are intentional, proclaimed as spontaneous prose, and inspired by a letter he received from
Neal Cassady in 1950. Brophy later asserts that while Cassady's letter "lacks the poetic style" (3) of
Kerouac's work, Kerouac was impressed with the flow of the writing, adapting that fluidity into his
own "signature prose" (3). There are places within the novel that this works, creating beautiful
imagery of both scenery and the human

Critical Analysis Of One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest
Whissen, Thomas Reed. "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest: Ken Kesey (1962)." Contemporary
Literary Criticism, vol. 341, Literary Resource Center, Accessed 6 Nov. 2017. Thomas Whissen
shares a deeper look into the critically acclaimed, One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest. In Whissen's
writing, he describes how the book is a depiction of a modern morality play. Kesey's writing gives
his readers a relatable, savior of the institution, Randle McMurphy. Kesey also delights his readers
with a mysterious, yet decisive character in Chief Bromden. Whissen gives insight on how this book
became a world renown cult classic representing true evil that lives inside all of us. Thomas is able
to clearly compare the writing of Kesey to the infamous Adolf Hitler and the horrors of the Nazi
concentration camps. Throughout the book the reader is able to realize that Kesey's main idea was to
develop a type of good vs evil or conformity vs nonconformity and Whissen is able to demonstrate
multiple examples through his representation of One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest. One of the many
examples Whissen provides is how McMurphy is able, in such a short time, to change the whole
structure of the ward. McMurphy is able to change the ideologies of all the men in the institution
and encourage non–conformism of the men through a series of protests and strikes. Mr. Whissen is
able to bring this to light by saying that even though someone is condemned by society they can still
rebel and put a dent in society's

Romanticism and Modernism as Strange Bedfellows: A Fresh...
Romanticism and Modernism as Strange Bedfellows: A Fresh Look of Jack Kerouac's
On the Road Bliss was it in that dawn to be alive,
But to be young was very Heaven! O time
In which the meagre, stale, forbidding ways
Of custom, law and statute, took at once
The attraction of a Country in Romance! The Prelude–William Wordsworth
(Come in under the shadow of this rock),
And I will show you something different from either
Your shadow at morning striding behind you
Or your shadow at evening striding to meet you;
I will show you fear in a handful of dust. The Waste Land–T. S. Eliot On 2 April 1951, in a loft in
New York City, Jack Kerouac fed 120 feet of Japanese drawing paper into his typewriter, and for the
... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
. . he created a new symbol of flaming American youth, the American hero of the Beat Generation"
(33). This same "flaming hero" was found in other facets of American culture, more specifically in
American cinema, with the likes of Marlon Brando and James Dean. However, even Moriarty's
flame would flicker at the conclusion of the novel where he is depicted as a gaunt figure in "a
motheaten overcoat" (306) without a car, walking alone in the frigid New York night.
The next subject is the west, the American symbol of autonomy and freedom. The west and its wild,
unbridled spirit have been celebrated as an American utopia in literature, lore, song and cinema.
Paradise states early on "the stars seemed to get brighter the more we climbed the High Plains. We
were in Wyoming. Flat on my back, I stared straight up at the magnificent firmament, glorying in
the time I was making" (30). Even the popular music of the time focused on the romantic concept of
moving west. In his essay, "Free Ways and Straight Roads," Lars Larsen notes how in the late 1940s,
"Nat 'King' Cole's version of Bobby Troupe's 'Route 66' helped redefine Steinbeck's grim migrant
road as a place of 'kicks'" (37). However, the west was not exactly the west of Paradise's dreams.
Not only is Sal disillusioned by the mass commercialism of a Wild West festival, but he spends two
weeks in a migrant camp in California in abject poverty living on fresh picked grapes before fleeing

Countless Times Di Prima Analysis
The historic beat generation served as a bridge to the hippies in the early 1960's. They were radical
poets who opposed censorship. They were outspoken and placed a great deal of emphasis on drugs,
alcohol, and sex. They were known for their eccentric writing styles. "Much of the poetry in the
mid–'50s was in a kind of neoformalist and academic mode that was very tame and highly
intellectual and spoke to a small and elite audience" (Interview). However, the beat generation spoke
to the rest of the population. They were elite, for they came from top notch universities, nonetheless,
they wrote about the forbidden topics. No censorship, everything was placed out in the open for
everyone to see. A prolific figurehead arose, Diane di Prima. She ... Show more content on
Helpwriting.net ...
Those themes are culminated in chapters five and six from Memoirs of a Beatnik through the
Klebert's. The Klebert's are a dysfunctional family, the father is a bipolar drunk and his wife is
forced to put up with him. She is stuck in a loveless marriage. As for the children, there are two:
Tomi, the eldest sister, and William, "oh sweet William" (Memoirs of a Beatnik 36). William's
character is ironic; he is the youngest and portrayed as an innocent little boy in the eyes of his
family. However, he is unmasked by Di Prima when she sees him anally rape Tomi. He defeminized
her, taking her against her will. He caused her such agonizing pain and stripped of her dignity. The
day after the ghastly event took place, she was traumatized. Not speaking, jumping at everything,
and not being able to make eye contact with a single person. No one should live like that, with that
insecurity, with the memory, with the social stigma that comes with it. Even if "he has built altars
beside [her] bed" (An Exercise in Love), his deed will go unnoticed. However, the altar could be
either a blessing or a curse. Altars are made for sacrifices. It represents all of the sacrifices that she
has done to get to where she is at. Di Prima gave up everything; she was like a salmon, swimming
against the current of which is

Literary Characteristics Of Jack Kerouac's On The Road
Jack Kerouac was born in Lowell, Massachusetts, wherein he roamed fields and riverbanks by day
and night. He wrote his first novel written at the age of eleven. He also kept extensive diaries and
newspapers. His parents, Leow and Gabrielle immigrated separately from rural Quebec to New
Hampshire. His family French–Canadian dialect of Joual is used in their home. French was the first
language to Kerouac. He was educated by Jesuit brothers in Lowell. He said that, he decided to
become a writer at the age seventeen under the influence of Sebastian Sampas, New York local
young poet. His literary influences are Saroyan, Hemingway, and Wolfe. Kerouac wished to develop
his own new prose style, which he called ″Spontaneous Prose″. In which, he acknowledged the
life of the American ″traveler″ and ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
Kerouac was ecstatic at having established ″a new trend in American literature″. It is the American
writer Burroughs and Cassady given Kerouac useful models of autobiographical narrative. Kerouac
used first–person narration like that of Burroughs's autobiography and imitates Cassady's
confessional style. He dramatizes the emotional effect of his road experiences in a rapid typist
manuscripts.
Jack Kerouac's On the Road as an example of a work of fiction that approaches autobiography.
Although all Kerouac's main novels contain elements of autobiography, the novel On the Road is
presented as the fictional autobiography of Sal Paradise's road life. Kerouac involves himself in a
"self–interview", that appears similar to Thoreau's heroic reading of his life. Instead of developing
different narrative strategies, Kerouac uses four major trips, he made between 1947 and 1950 to
convey the cultural, psychological, and spiritual changes that occurred. By examining his life as a
fiction, Kerouac effectively frees himself from the confines of the narrator's role in autobiography
and interprets his experiences with Neal Cassady beyond their historical

Allen Ginsberg's Poetry
Allen Ginsberg's work carries strong the themes of the Beat Generation, a rebellious and
melodramatic extravaganza. He grew up protesting World War II, then continued to fill his life with
drugs and rebellion. He wrote much of his work during the Vietnam War, a highly opposed war that
caused much distress especially in the young male demographic because of the draft. While often
containing anti war and anti government rhetoric, his poems usually focus on amorous connections
and the troubles of his time. Ravaged by drugs, depression, and debt, the Beat Generation sees many
of its core themes in the work of Allen Ginsberg.
Ginsberg's anti war sentiments show clearly throughout many of his poems, most notably "Wichita
Vortex Sutra" and, in places, ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
One particular line in the first section of "Howl" is my favorite because of its stark transparency:
"with dreams, with drugs, with waking nightmares, alcohol and cock and endless balls" (Ginsberg).
The first half of this line are beautiful and tragically melodramatic. Finishing with carnality forces
the reader to lower their shock and remember that sexuality really is a part of the big beautiful
picture. Lines like these sparked the actual sexual revolution, the change in thinking during the
1960's, ten years after Ginsberg wrote "Howl". Hand in hand with Ginsberg's free sexuality comes
his open bisexuality. He has a complete disregard of the social norm, writing in his poem
"Message": "man / or woman I don't care what anymore, I / want [the] love I was born for"
(Ginsberg). The ideas in this line reflect the ideas of the Homophile Movement; acceptance of gay
people and focusing on love instead of sex. Ginsberg surely was one of the forerunning poets on this
movement. Ginsberg's work on the folly of the United States government, the horror of war, and
basic sexuality reflects the ideas of the Beats Generation and the movements that went along with it;
the sexual revolution and the Homophile

Neal Cassady Essay
Neal Cassady: The Man Who Set The World Free
Neal Cassady grew up as a quasi–homeless wayfaring boy with his alcoholic, unemployed father in
the projects of Denver. His unconventional upbringing led to adolescence rife with theft, drug use,
and extreme sexual awakening at a young age. Cassady grew up quite quickly and led an
overexposed life, which foreshadows his death at the age of 42 of exposure, next to railroad tracks
in Mexico. His life, however, seems to be regarded by many as the eighth wonder of the world. He
was full of an interminable curiosity and energy, and was considered by many as the herald angel of
the Beat Movement. The oft–used term to describe Cassady, &quot;Damaged
Angel,&quot; has its source in Cassady's ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
Cassady epitomizes these attitudes through his lifestyle, a lifestyle of limit pushing and rule
breaking. From his childhood, he had always been testing boundaries. By the time he was 18, it is
estimated he had stolen over 500 cars, just for fun.
Cassady, through a close friendship beginning at age 20 with Jack Kerouac and a twisted
relationship with Allen Ginsberg, provided much of the inspiration for the quintessential Beat poems
and texts. Even his correspondence with the two of them is considered Beat literature, for it
encapsulates the ideals and attitudes of the counterculture and the Beat Generation. Cassady appears
in Kerouac's On the Road as the legendary Dean Moriarty and Cody in Visions of Cody. Cassady as
Dean Moriarty in On the Road captured the spirit of Neal as the ultimate Beat.
Allen Ginsberg was introduced to Neal Cassady in 1946 in New York City and was instantly
enamored. The young Jewish poet from Paterson, New Jersey saw Cassady as an ideal hero and
mate. Their early sexual relationship and Cassady's later rejection of Ginsberg both had a significant
effect on Ginsberg's writing. (Richman). Jack Kerouac (Sal) tells the story of when Dean (Neal) met
Carlo (Allen Ginsberg) in On the Road, &quot;Two keen minds that they are, they took to each
other at the drop of a hat. Two piercing eyes glanced into two piercing eyes – the holy con–man

On The Road Essay
Jack Kerouac was born in Massachusetts, in 1922. Kerouac quit school and joined the Merchant
Marine, starting the travels which would become 'On the Road' his most acclaimed novel. It is said
to be an account of Kerouac's ("Sal Paradise's") travels with Neal Cassady ("Dean
Moriarty"). According to Allen Ginsberg, Kerouac typed the first draft of On the Road on a
fifty–foot long roll of paper.
On the Road gave an outlet of release for the dissatisfied young generation of the late forties and
early fifties. And although it has been fifty years since the events in On the Road, the feelings, ideas
and experiences in the novel are still fresh as expressions of restless, idealistic youth who need
something more than the ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
It is all focused on the hero, Dean Moriarty. The scene is established, with descriptions of Sal's life
before he met Dean. Sal after splitting up with his wife and recovering from a serious illness feels
depressed, tired and motionless. Sal has always dreamed of the West, which he has never
experienced, when Dean, the personification of Sal's dream of the West, arrives and sparks
everything into motion.
Throughout the novel there is a clear division of ideas of the East (intellectual, stagnant, old,
saddened and critical) compared to the ideas of the West (passionate, young, exuberant and wild).
The characters in "On the road" are often described with the attributes of the places which they are
from, or rather, Sal's idea of that place.
Sal thinks in descriptive and needless to say long, rambling sentences, like the way Sal and Dean
and Carlo talk. The sentences have an abundant quality, cleverly incorporating the excitement and
energy of the characters and events.
Sal describes his friends as earnestly as he can, yet seems to sometimes depict himself self–
deprecatingly. He is the observer, often a little behind and at a distance. He's late starting west, and
can't hitchhike and travel as easily as he thought, and ends up having to take the bus all the way to
Chicago. While, the others, he imagines, are already there, having great fun.
The descriptions of

Essay about Jack Kerouac’s On The Road
On The Road and the American Quest
Jack Kerouac's On The Road is the most uniquely American novel of its time. While it has never
fared well with academics, On The Road has come to symbolize for many an entire generation of
disaffected young Americans. One can focus on numerous issues wh en addressing the novel, but the
two primary reasons which make the book uniquely American are its frantic Romantic search for the
great American hero (and ecstasy in general), and Kerouac's "Spontaneous Prose" method of
writing.
On The Road is an autobiographical first–person book written in 1951 and based on Kerouac's
experiences of the late 1940's. At the time, America was undergoing drastic changes and the sense of
sterility brought on ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
(42)
Dean and Kerouac's alter ego, Sal, represent one of the three main types of character patterns seen in
'50s literature: that of the Rebel. And while representative of the rebellious James Dean–like figures
of literature, they are perhaps even more repres entative of '50s youth culture in their endless
searches. For what? The quest is left open for debate. Tim Hunt suggests that Kerouac could be
searching for several things in On The Road: a father (or brother) figure, the chance to regain lost
joy, or a type of revelation (91). Hipkiss contends that Neal's
speeding dashes down the road are as much flights of panic,
the fear of never making it, the fear of losing all the life
he ever had, as they are quests for ecstasy, which is itself
an escape from fear and the frustrations of desire. (43)
Of course, elements of restlessness surface in earlier American novelists such as Hemingway and
Fitzgerald,
but Kerouac's search for a type of identity in an era of increasing conformity sparked rebelliousness
On The

Road–style and encouraged many to, as Tim Leary would put it several years later, "tune in, turn on,
and drop
out."
As Kerouac's searches for the great American hero and ecstasy in general made On The Road
uniquely American,
so too does his style of writing. Kerouac's "search for ecstasy naturally led to the exploration

Essay on Jack Kerouac's On the Road and Allen Ginsberg's...
Jack Kerouac's On the Road and Allen Ginsberg's Howl
Works Cited
It was a 1951 TIME cover story, which dubbed the Beats a 'Silent Generation, ' that led to Allen
Ginsberg's retort in his poem 'America,' in which he vocalises a frustration at this loss of self–
importance. The fifties Beat Generation, notably through Jack Kerouac's On the Road and Allen
Ginsberg's Howl as will here be discussed, fought to revitalise individuality and
revolutionise their censored society which seemed to produce everything for the masses at the
expense of the individual's creative and intellectual potential. Indeed, as John Clellon Holmes once
noted: "TIME magazine called them the Silent Generation, but this may have been because TIME
was not ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
" Williams' theory therefore suggests that the terms must necessarily co–exist in order to define each
other. The "pervasiveness of consent " therefore characterises the fifties, against which these Beat
texts can be contrasted. Theodore Roszak's 1969 article 'The Making of a Counterculture,' helps
define beat ideology as "heightened self–expression and often a rejection of political and
authoritative institutions... a negative spirit of the times coupled with a specific lifestyle ." Both On
the Road and Howl and their author's lifestyles of their writers reflect this criterion, in idiomatic and
contextual terms, lending to the notion that they are, by the overall nature of their existence,
countercultural texts. Roszak's adolescent counterculture often seems the embodiment of Dean and
Sal's 'beatitude' in On the Road "when they pulse to music...value what is raunchy... flare against
authority, seek new experience, " but it is similarly descriptive of the naked, sometime vulgar
language Ginsberg employs in Howl "who bit detectives in the neck... let themselves be fucked in
the ass." (13) The Beats admire the vibrancy naturally present among youth, and although this is a
style for which their writing has been criticised, it is a move away from the traditionally

Beating on Against the Current Essay
Beating On Against the Current "Each of us inevitable Each of us limitless – each of us with his or
her right upon the earth, Each of us allowed the eternal purports of the earth, Each of us here as
divinely as any is here" (Whitman 27). From out of the jazz soaked streets of New York City, arose a
group of young poets and writers overwrought with the opportunity of their lives, and endeavored to
capture its girth through the honesty and vulnerability of their words. These young bohemians
would later lead the Beat Movement, which inspired young Americans throughout the county in
their search for something more than the consumerism and conformity that plagued their society.
Jack Kerouac's On the Road is a transcendent work that ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
Many found the bleakness and insignificance of modern society enough to merit both withdrawal
and protest.
Throughout On the Road, the influence of the Beat movement's ideals on Kerouac's writing is
overtly apparent. As the narrator meanders up and down the country, both the main characters', and
the lone hitch hikers they pick up contain an attitude of restlessness which can be seen in their
actions and speak. While hitching a ride from a farmer, as Sal and Dean prepare their story to tell the
man, he stops them simply asking, "You boys going somewhere, or just going?" This so elegantly
captures the internal state of the author coming out bluntly in the work. The beat idealism heavily
places importance on personal discovery in any way possible, not necessarily knowing what that
path looks like only knowing that you must travel to reach it. Kerouac was distraught with the
complacency of living in one place, and set out with no real place to go, and as he writes in response
to the farmer "we didn't know the answer to the question, but it was a damn good question"
(Kerouac).
The 1940's, post war America was looking up, the Great Depression was just coming to an end, but
along with those that so eagerly bought into the consumerism of the time, arose a nation's youth that
was "alienated, restless, and dissatisfied." looking for something to experience in a, "frenzied pursuit
of extreme exacerbation of the nerves". (Patrick Julian).
On the

Allen Ginsberg's Relationship With The Beat Movement
The Beat poets, in exploring the limits of the human experience and pushing the boundaries of
literature, often found themselves in stark opposition with the legal system. The poets explored the
boundaries of society, participating in illicit drug use, sexual expression, and other alternative ways
of life. This made the authors targets of the projection of unconstitutional laws based on the
conservative opinions of officials. Allen Ginsberg in particular experienced a arc of respect and
conformity with the law that often left his work the target of obscenity trials. As he grew older Allen
Ginsberg's relationship with the law evolved, taking larger and larger risks, and his indoctrination
with the "Beat Movement" caused increased confrontation ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net
...
The work was met with huge praise from those in attendance and among his cohort. The piece was
originally intended to be a personal piece, not for public consumption. Ginsberg correctly
foreshadowed the backlash that occured after publishing due to the explicit nature of the content and
phrasing (Schumacher). However, Lawrence Ferlinghetti successfully published the work in 1956.
Early the next year, copies of the work were seized for the graphic content. Allen Ginsberg's "Howl"
was subjected to censorship trials shortly after its publishing. While Ginsberg himself was not
charged, the trial was an attack of his work and morals as a beat poet and had the trial been
successful, would have stifled Ginsberg's platform. The trial transcript reveals that while "Howl"
pushed the boundaries of American society, the work did not bear content to be legally defined as
unfit for publishing, but fell victim to the conservative views of law enforcement officials (Morgan).
"Howl" was prosecuted in 1957 for obscenity involving discussions of homosexual and heterosexual
sex, illegal drugs, and other Beat topics. Lines such a "who let themselves be fucked in the ass by
saintly motorcyclists, and screamed with joy" were called out to be damaging to society (Ginsberg).
Book sellers and Lawrence Ferlinghetti were arrested for the distribution of obscene literature. The
American Civil Liberties Union provided legal aid

Ginsberg's Howl: a Counterculture Manifesto Essay
Ginsberg's Howl: a Counterculture Manifesto
Allen Ginsberg dives into the wreck of himself and of the world around him to salvage himself and
something worth saving of the world. In this process, he composes Howl to create a new way of
observation for life through the expression of counterculture. Protesting against technocracy, sex and
revealing sexuality, psychedelic drugs, visionary experience, breaking the conventions of arts and
literature; all basic characteristics of counterculture are combined and celebrated in Howl, as it
becomes `a counterculture manifesto' for the first time. Howl elaborates the results of technocracy,
as it mechanizes the human soul, human creativity. Technocracy takes away the emotion, feeling,
random ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
Howl is meant to appeal to the secret or hermetic tradition of art. This poem liberates readers from
their false self–deprecating image of themselves and to persuade them that they are angels. Howl is
a freedom of language, political honesty, and spontaneous mind. Howl has always been Allen
Ginsberg's masterpiece– a horrifying, funny, surreal, and prophetic poem.
Howl is a proper manifestation of counterculture. Counterculture is a movement, a protest, and a
total rejection of all established assumptions. Counter culture is a culture so radically disaffiliated
from the mainstream assumptions of our society that scarcely looks to many as a culture at all, but
takes on the alarming appearance of a barbaric intrusion. It is the experience of radical cultural
disjuncture, the clash of irreconcilable concepts of life. It started as a movement against government
during 50s and 60s, mainly led by the students of Europe, as a campus rebellion, an act of war
resistance, a demonstration against racial injustice. It goes against the futility of a politics, which
concentrates itself single–mindedly on the overthrowing of governments, or ruling classes, or
economic systems. Counterculture is a healthy instinct, which refuses both at the personal and
political level to practice such a cold–blooded rape of our human sensibilities. It is the young,
arriving with eyes that can see the obvious, who must remark the lethal culture of their elders, and
who must remake

The Electric Kool Aid Acid Test Summary
Analytical Review Sheet for The Electric Kool–Aid Acid Test, by Tom Wolfe
Due date: Any time up to and including Friday, May 5, at 12 noon
Student Name_____________________________________________________
What is the background of the author? What are his qualifications to write this book?
The author of The Electric Kool–Aid Acid Test, Tom Wolfe, was born on March 2, 1931 in
Richmond, Virginia, where Wolfe would grow up to be an all–star student and athlete at St.
Christopher's Episcopal School for Boys. After his graduation from high school in 1947, Wolfe
decided to turn down his admission to Princeton University to attend Washington and Lee
University in Lexington, Virginia. Wolfe majored in English and practiced writing as a sports editor
at the college newspaper, while helping to establish a literary magazine, Shenandoah. Wolfe enrolled
in Yale University's American studies doctoral ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
Wolfe's first main point was to emphasize the psychedelic movement's disillusionment with society
during the 1960s, which is clearly seen by Ken Kesey's urgings to use LSD to transcend reality and
bring a higher state of consciousness to those individuals involved. Wolfe's second main point was
to highlight the desire to escape, which is clearly seen in many of the Merry Pranksters, especially
Mountain Girl, who escapes a mundane life in New York to join Kesey and the psychedelic
movement. Wolfe's last point was to show equally the darkness and light in Kesey's story to educate
people about the good and bad sides of the 1960s psychedelic movement, which is clearly seen by
Wolfe's descriptions of the enlightenment that LSD brings as well as the bad trips that could leave
people wounded for

Essay on Treatment of Women in Jack Kerouac’s On The Road
The Treatment of Women in On The Road
The women in Jack Kerouac's On The Road were, it seems, not afforded the same depth in character
which the author gave the men. The treatment of the women characters in both word and action by
Sal and Dean seems to show that women could only be a virgin/mother figure or a whore.
Throughout the novel there are many instances in which women and their feelings or actions are
either referred to flippantly or blatantly degraded. It can be said, however, that Sal (Kerouac) did not
necessarily agree with this narrow female identity, and there is evidence to support this claim. The
novel also shows though that Sal did participate in this male forced female stereotyping whether he
... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
So, in consequence, there are many instances of the diminishment of the female identity. These can
be seen in the novels treatment of the female characters like Marylou, Sal's Aunt, and Terry.
Marylou is repeatedly talked about, not talked to. In the part in which Dean wishes Sal to sleep with
Marylou the only dialogue that goes on is either Sal's or Dean's. Marylou has no lines. All she really
has is a little "go ahead". That is all and that really does not even imply cooperation; only coercion
like "go ahead and You do Your thing to me". Dean is flippantly wanting Marylou to sleep with his
friend with little regard to anything she feels. She is a women, and, what is more to Dean she is a
whore so of course she will sleep with Sal. To Sal's credit though he does ask what she wants or
thinks from the start but this sudden care seems to arise due to his own nervousness and insecurities
not any kind of genuine feeling for Marylou. Her identity as seen through the eyes of men would fall
into the whore stereotype of women. This is the exact opposite from Sal's Aunt. The most apparent
treatment of Sal's Aunt as something less than an equal comes at the end of part one. Sal has just
returned from his first trip west. He is tired. He has been starving for three days now and of course
eats everything in the house. Then his Aunt's few extensive lines in the entire novel occur, and in a
decidedly motherly fashion she says "Poor little Salvatore". She has fulfilled Sal's

The Beat Generation By Allen Ginsberg
The Beat generation
The Beat Generation, a generation that was sick of its mainstream culture and decided to break
down the walls for individuality of thought, fashion, personal achievement, and poetry. At the end of
World War two, young adults in particularly the east and west coasts of America where left in
questioning thought about their own government as if it was really trying to do what 's best for their
people. And in those upset minds a Beat Generation was born. A generation of tired young poets
eager to open the minds of others through their own thoughts and views. The most influential
figures during the Beat Generation where Allen Ginsberg, Gary Snyder, Jack Kerouac, and William
Burroughs. And although their bold, expressive poetry led to great fame, this generation of poets
gained a new fan base of critics who thought their work was just a way to seek attention and was not
seen as serious art.
Allen Ginsberg, born 1926 in Newark, New Jersey, unknowingly found himself creating a new
generation of people when he was attending Columbia University and met Jack Kerouac and
William Burroughs. There they exchanged and shared common interests and later would become
prominent figures in the Beat Movement. Allen Ginsberg 's rise of fame didn't become apparent until
his book "Howl and other poems" came to the public eye. But what stood out most for Allen was his
poem "Howl", written in 1955, which was written particularly outraged toward the way he saw a
failing society

The Typewriter By Allen Ginsberg: Chapter Summary
The Typewriter is holy begins with a chance encounter between Lucien Carr and Allen Ginsberg on
the Columbia University campus in the spring of 1943. This meeting would soon develop into a
friendship that would be the foundation of a group of writers and intellectuals known as the "Beat
Generation". The first few chapters of the novel focus on the introduction of the wild and erratic
characters known as the "Beats". The readers are introduced to the likes of Jack Kerouac, William
Burroughs, Allen Ginsberg, Edie Parker, and Joan Adams just to name a few. This motley group of
friends quickly adopted a communal lifestyle and became deeply involved in each other's lives.
These individuals were outcasts in the conservative society that ruled the time period. Their views
on sex, drugs, alcohol, and literature differed significantly from the norm.
Writing––Chapters 4–6 ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
Initially, Jack Kerouac is the only serious writer in the group; however, he eventually inspires Allen
Ginsberg and a few others to pursue writing and poetry. This section also introduces the intelligent,
charming, and destructive Neal Cassady. Cassady plays a central role in the lives of both Ginsberg
and Kerouac. Sexuality and substance abuse is a central theme in this section. Allen Ginsberg battles
with repressing his homosexuality and admits himself into psychiatric wards to "fix" his sexual
orientation. William Burroughs pioneers through several different kinds of substances ranging from
amphetamines to heroin. Burroughs introduces these drugs to many of his friends and begins a
dangerous cycle of addiction and

Howl By William Ginsberg
Howl by Allen Ginsberg: A Reflection on Institutions In the midst of radical changes in America
during the 1950s as a result of the Cold War, the Beat Generation came into existence. America in
the 1950s was an age of conformity, something the Beats were against. Individuality was thrown out
the window. The middle class emerged. In the suburbs, every house looked the same and everyone
wanted to buy what their neighbor had and keep up with societal norms. Everyone acted the same
way and shared the same beliefs as everyone else. Society in the 1950s, were "confined" to
institutions in which Allen Ginsberg wrote about in the poem, Howl. In fact, he met some of his
fellow beat poets at his university and a companion whom he dedicates this poem to at a psychiatric
ward. His experiences at these institutions was of great influence to him as a person and as a poet. ...
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They were influenced by jazz, experimented with drugs and wrote obscene poetry to go against
society. The Beats lived in a society where individuality was a negative thing. In the poem Howl,
Ginsberg reflects on a world of madness in which institutions such as universities, the government,
and psychiatric wards created a conformist society that stifled creativity and individuality. Ginsberg
opens the poem with the line, "I saw the best minds of my generation destroyed by madness" (1).
The "best minds" he refers to were not the elites but the outcasts such as poets, musicians, and the
underprivileged. They were against a conformist society that didn't allow them to express
themselves freely. Society rejected them and their attempts to break free from institutions. They
sought many ways to escape this world of

Howl By Ginsberg Essay

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