Jack Kerouac and The Beat Generation Essay - 1160 Words

Born to die The Beat Generation, made up of writers, artists and misfits, was forged not long after the end of World War II. People wanted change, the old ways and traditions were slowly being neglected and social rules of that time were put into question. The Beat Generation were the ones leading the way in questioning the old rules and regulations not because they wanted to but because America wanted it. The Beat Generation was a bohemian hipster like movement that got its drive and inspiration from sexuality, drugs, booze, crazy people and situations and religions like Christianity, Judaism and Buddhism. The Beat Generation embraced creativity untouched by culture. These artists found inspiration in past and current art movements like†¦show more content†¦Death is a phenomenon that many do not understand in America. America tells many that life should be lived in a certain way in order to live life to its fullest before death comes creeping along. Humans create this false pursuit of happiness before they leave this world. It leaves many in fear of death. Religious beliefs teach humans to embrace death. If that is the case, then why is it that citizens in north America still fear death when living a happy life in a first world country. Jack Kerouac is inspired to write spontaneously through his travels in Mexico because of Tristessa’s junk addiction and how she embraces death even though her life is miserable. The romantic’s wrote many poems about death and many artists from that era embraced death because it evoked a high level of curiosity in humans. Kerouac seems to embrace this notion too because it expresses an essential truth about the human condition. He was inspired by a dove in Tristessa’s house, â€Å"Yet so much like Tristessa’s eyes that I wish I could comment and tell Tristessa: Thou hast the dove’s eyes.†(Kerouac 26) the Dove represents the communication between the two worlds and more importantly it repre sents peace of the deepest kind. It sooths all our worries and troubled thoughts. It helps to appreciate the little things in life. Kerouac wrote in spontaneous prose style at this moment in time because he was captivated by the image of the dove in Tristessa’s house looking over herShow MoreRelatedThe Beat Generation Essay1538 Words   |  7 Pages(though we hate to admit it) in death. (Kerouac, Jack. â€Å"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 â€Å"Beat Generation† is a play on words, implying that theRead MoreAnalysis Of Jack Kerouacs On The Road1694 Words   |  7 Pages Author and Beat literary movem ent pioneer Jack Kerouac adopts what he calls â€Å"spontaneous prose† as his own unique style in On the Road. Otherwise known as â€Å"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. 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Jack Kerouac’s On the Road is a transcendent work that strives to embrace the fullness of life in all of its incoherency by rejecting conformity through the idealism of the Beat movement and the influence of his friend Neal Cassady. To the average American in the 1940’s, â€Å"Beat† was a slang term used to describeRead MoreEssay on The Beat Generation887 Words   |  4 PagesThe beat movement is a literary period born out of World War II. This movement in American Literature has become an important period in the history of literature and society in America. Characterized by personal alienation and contempt for convention, the movement celebrated stylistic freedom and spontaneity. The Beat writers created a new vision of modern life and altered the nature of awareness in America. The Beat Generation was one of the first groups of writers to break down the barriersRead More The Beat Generation Essay850 Words   |  4 Pages The â€Å"beat movement† is a literary period born out of World War II. This movement in American Literature has become an important period in the history of literature and society in America. Characterized by personal alienation and contempt for convention, the movement celebrated stylistic freedom and spontaneity. The Beat writers created a new vision of modern life and altered the nature of awareness in America. The Beat Generation was one of the first groups of writers to break down the barriersRead More Jack Kerouac’s The Dharma Bums Essay803 Words   |  4 PagesJack Kerouac’s The Dharma Bums Jack Kerouac’s The Dharma Bums does not fall too far from a basic description of his life. Kerouac spent the bulk of his writing career riding trains from city to city, meeting people and writing books and poetry. He was among the premier writers of the Beat Generation, a group of primarily urban poets and writers who put the basics of life and their spiritual nuances into poetry with a beat. The book, The Dharma Bums, is a window into the daily structure of theRead MoreThe Hippie Movement and the Beat Movemnt1704 Words   |  7 PagesHow the Hippies got hip with the beat of the Beat Movement Jack Kerouac once said, â€Å"the only people for me are the mad ones, the ones who are mad to live, mad to talk, mad to be saved, desirous of everything at the same time, the ones who never yawn or say a commonplace thing, but burn, burn, burn like fabulous yellow roman candles exploding like spiders across the stars† (Kerouac 5). Kerouac was the symbol of the Beat Movement. He was the rebellious and adventurous man, who during his time wasRead MoreThe Beat Generation Essay1031 Words   |  5 PagesThe 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 Americ an literature. TheyRead MoreThe Beat Generation By Allen Ginsberg1124 Words   |  5 PagesThe 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