Analysis Of Coming To Acceptance In HOWL By Allen Ginsberg

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Coming to Acceptance For most people, their personal journey to self-acceptance happens throughout their adolescence. It is a private experience that most don’t write down and publish. For Allen Ginsberg, it’s a different story. In HOWL, Ginsberg tells of him and his friends’ voyage through criticism and judgment. Many can relate to what Ginsberg and his friends have been through, also having experienced the same struggles. The journey begins with thinking you’re the one with the problem, when in reality, society is the one at fault. Following this comes anger, to point the finger at someone other than yourself. Lastly in the process is acceptance and clarity. You come to realize that you do not need to be angry but you need to be supportive …show more content…

Throughout the entire piece, there is an obvious progression in Ginsberg’s emotions that he allows the audience to feel. The “Footnote to HOWL” has been previously viewed as a breakthrough moment for Allen Ginsberg. It has also been said that this end piece is Allen Ginsberg recanting his ideas that he poured his heart and soul into in the previous three parts, disclosing personal information. Another idea that sprouted from listening and analyzing this entire piece of which was crafted by Allen Ginsberg is that the footnote is merely a change in his mindset. Ginsberg has a far different way of thinking in which he claims that every being is holy; “Everything is holy! everybody’s holy! everywhere is holy! everyday is holy! everyday is an eternity! Everyman’s an angel!” (line 114). The change in mindset that the reader can see from Allen Ginsberg is like the afterthought of a soul that has just reached enlightenment. After going through the steps to self-acceptance, he now makes the connection that he too needs to not be judgmental, but accepting. This was all not just a journey for one man’s wellbeing, for it is a journey for this one man to reach the concept of acceptance. Allen Ginsberg not only accepts himself for who he is, but he now accepts the thoughts and feelings of those around him, even those that he previously scrutinized, “Holy time in eternity holy eternity in time holy the clocks in space holy the fourth dimension holy the fifth International holy the Angel in Moloch!” (line 123). This is the end piece that some critics believe is Allen Ginsberg recanting his previously made statements. It could also be said that those critics need to be more

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