The Beat Generation
analytical Essay
2378 words
The Beat Generation was an influence on the American society during the twentieth century on how they portrayed the way of the American dream through performing arts. It all began in the 1950’s where a bunch of writers got together to right about how much they resented the postwar society (Sterritt, 1). It was right after War World II had past and the postwar age was very unsettling for the beat writers. It was turning into a conservative lifestyle and the beats wanted a way of showing that there writings would make an impact of what and how they thought of society and postwar. They too, like many others were effected greatly by the war and wanted a way of rebelling towards all the pain they went through during the war. This began the introduction of the Beat Generation.
The Beat Generation Quickly became known by their very aggressive way of writing. Their writing included from what people from the American society thought to be disrespectful and offensive type of writing, where they included Sex, drugs, race, and Rock n Roll in every one of their writings. They did this to simply make a statement. A statement that suggests that they do not care who they offend, they did this to tell their side of the story on how they thought postwar society had turned into, and how they wanted to rebel in regards of how the American culture turned into because of it. They loved that all of their works were involved with drugs, sex, and music because they were fascinated with it all (Sterritt, 2) and once some of their works came out everyone immediately knew who they were. This is what was known as a rebirth of a new world that influenced the twentieth century in a way that no one will ever forget.
After the Beat Generation became Known Ja...
... middle of paper ...
...and the Beat Generation. Jackson: University of Mississippi, 2010. Print.
Jack Kerouac: Road Novels, 1957-1960." Barnes & Noble. N.p., n.d. Web. 07 Dec. 2013.
Kerouac, Jack. Desolation Angels. New York: Riverhead, 1995. Print.
Morgan, Bill. The Beat Generation in San Francisco: A Literary Tour. San Francisco: City Lights, 2003. Print.
Sterritt, David. The Beats: A Very Short Introduction. New York: Oxford UP, 2013. Print.
Raskin Jonah, American Scream: Allen Ginsberg’s Howl and the Making of the Beat Generation Berkeley, CA: University of California Press, 2004.
Stephenson Gregory, the Daybreak Boys: Essays on the Literature of the Beat Generation, Carbondale,
Ill : Southern Illinois University Press. 2009
Whaley Preston, Blows Like a Horn: Beat Writing, Jazz, Style, and Markets in the Transformation of U.S. Culture, Cambridge, Mass : Harvard University Press. 2004
In this essay, the author
- Explains that the beat generation was an influence on american society during the twentieth century on how they portrayed the american dream through performing arts.
- Analyzes how the beat generation became known for their aggressive way of writing. they included sex, drugs, race, and rock n roll in every one of their writings.
- Explains how jack kerouac and the rest of the beat writers became recognized and known after the beat generation became a legacy.
- Explains that jack kerouac wanted to explore the world and experience different aspects of life so he could write about them. one of his first novels was called desolation angels.
- Analyzes how jack kerouac wrote his novels strictly from notes he had taken while being a fire lookout at desolation peak.
- Analyzes how jack discovers what real music is about and how beat writers reflected upon it as music that fit in with their aspect of life.
- Analyzes how jack learned from everyone he met that life was about doing drugs, having sex whenever you wanted, and not impressing anyone at the same time.
- Analyzes how jack's book left a scare on american society because they despised the beat writers because there work is aggressive and offensive.
- Analyzes how jack kerouac grew up with a simple life until he lost one of his brothers through an accident, which brought him down and made him feel helpless, thus began his alcohol addiction.
- Describes william burroughs as the oldest beat writer of the generation. he experienced the wars before and after, so his knowledge of writing and society became more developed.
- Analyzes how allen ginsberg's poem "howl" helped the beat generation take off by reassuring the american society that they were not the ones that destroyed the minds of the generation.
- Analyzes how the beat generation faded out around the 1970's just before ronald reagan became in charge of office. it was a postwar rebellion that will now be seen as tragic error but to others the best thing that ever happened to the american society.
- Opines that the beats were despised by many because they chose a different path to express who they were by speaking what was on their minds and not holding back. they wanted to make an influence in this world by inspiring others with their mission and writings that proved to inspire and frighten others throughout the 20th century.
- Analyzes how jack kerouac, william burroughs, allen ginsberg and all the other beat writers lived a great life. they experienced hard addicting drugs, alcohol, homosexuality, and music throughout their lives.
- Opines that even though some of these men died tragic deaths, they were able to create and inspire many people by their preforming arts.
- Explains charters, ann, and samuel. brother-souls: john clellon holmes, jack kerouac and the beat generation.
- Explains morgan, bill, the beat generation in san francisco: a literary tour.
- States that raskin jonah, american scream: allen ginsberg’s howl and the making of the beat generation berkeley, ca: university of california press, 2004.
- Reviews whaley preston's blows like a horn: beat writing, jazz, style, and markets in the transformation of u.s. culture.
Let Our AI Magic Supercharge Your Grades!
Related
- analytical
- explanatory
- opinion
- Similarities Between Rock N Roll And The Beatsanalytical essayRock n’ Roll and The Beats, challenged and/ or supported 3 topics: segregation and white supremacy, accepted standards of morality, and a growing middle class/ economic power of youth. Rock n’ roll challenged segregation and standards of morality because it challenged people’s beliefs. They believed that the whites and blacks needed to be separated because they thought they were not equal. Rock n’ roll and The Beats challenged accepted standards of morality, because they were singing about being yourself and writing about how you need to feel free, and do what you want to do. Rock n’ roll and The Beats supported the growing middle class/ economic power of youth because teens were now making more money in a week, than a whole family was in a year years ago.
In this essay, the author
- Analyzes how rock n' roll and the beats challenged segregation and white supremacy, accepted standards of morality, and a growing middle class/ economic power of youth.
- Analyzes how rock n' roll challenged segregation and standards of morality by whites singing "black" songs.
- Analyzes how the beats and rock n' roll challenged accepted standards of morality. in david halberstam's the beat, people wrote about being free and being themselves.
- Explains that rock n’ roll and the beats supported the growing middle class/economic power of youth by producing songs, and poems that attracted teens into buying records.
- Analyzes how the music industry has impacted the modern trend by producing songs that people will be attracted to, mostly the younger generation. the beats played a big role in the 50’s because it pushed people to be more open
489 wordsRead More - Essay On The Beat Generationanalytical essayThe Beat Generation was a subculture that arose from the post World War II Bohemian culture in the United States. Bohemians can be defined as persons, artists, who live an unconventional life, usually amongst others also practicing this lifestyle. Bohemianism, as such, has always had a strong affiliation with the development of avant-garde as movements within art; significantly, Bohemia has been called the “underworld of art.” The Bohemian culture itself “is characterized by an active, though perhaps, irregular communalism and group dyn...
In this essay, the author
- Analyzes how the beat generation's literature has had a tremendous impact on the american literary canon.
- Analyzes how the beat generation broke the boundaries of american censorship and opened the doors to all art forms.
- Analyzes how the beat generation sought literary achievement, but contemporary fashion, entertainment, and opinion columnists granted them more notice than did literary critics.
- Analyzes how kerouac's on the road portrays sal as an italian american who wants to relate to minority cultures.
- Proposes that although the beat generation wanted to separate themselves from mainstream american society, they weren't so far from the period regarding their racist views.
- Explains that the beat generation arose from the post-world war ii bohemian culture in the united states.
- Analyzes how the beat generation's appropriation of african american culture is similar to that of the nineteenth-century romantic racialists.
1943 wordsRead More - Bebop In Leland's Kafka Was The Rageanalytical essayIn Kafka Was the Rage, Broyard described his life as a hipster. It was 1947, after the world war II. Brossard chose to live in Greenwich Village with Sherri Donatti, who was an abstract painter, rather than to live with his parents in Brooklyn. The Greenwich Village at that time presented the freedom and new ways of thinking, which was the world of artist and writers. There was peace and prosperity and a bright new world for the young. He insists that he is not the voice of the beat generation, however, his behavior can be regarded as the beat generation. He likes going to clubs and having sex with various girlfriends. “I say that sex used to be more individual, more personally marked, than it is now”(Broyard, p141). He thinks that the topic of sex is much different from the past and there is no shame to talk about the sex. Another hipster, Peggy Guggheim, has many common features with Broyard, since she admits that she has many sexual relation with many artists and writers. From my perspective, Broyard and Guggheim are beatnik since they both being free, believe the sexual liberation and being creative, which match the philosophy of beat generation which is conducting of oneself to reject white society, combining experimentation of using drugs and sexual liberation. Beat is the mindset of the beatnik subculture, which related each other. As Leland mentioned in the book, “The beats prescribed an ethos of lifestyle change”(Leland, p153). Beats generation changed a lot and even can easily tell from the clothing.They prefer to wear unusual or exotic dress. Social responsibility for them means nothing and they hate work and study. They disdain social order, against any stereotypes. Chasing freedom, using drugs and having sex is gradually becoming part of their life. Leland described them in this way, “The beats romanticized black life at the margins, imaging it as
In this essay, the author
- Analyzes how leland described bebop as a self-effacing, unserious term, in the shape of minstrel mask, but doing little to hide the intemperate seriousness underneath the fun.
- Explains that beboppers are fond of creativity and nonconformity and create music based on their own definition and tastes of music.
- Explains that hipsters are mixed by both black and white, and that the africans, or at least the blackface minstrel show, are involved in the flourish of hip.
- Explains that many artists and writers are deemed hipsters. broyard and guggheim are beatniks since they both believe in sexual liberation and being creative.
767 wordsRead More - Kerouac’s Spontaneous Prose and the Post-War Avant-Gardeanalytical essayMacAdams, Lewis. Birth of the Cool: Beat, Bebop, and the American Avant-Garde. New York: The Free Press, 2001.
In this essay, the author
- Opines that kerouac should be taught to teach doctor sax in the beat generation: critical essays.
- Opines that new york stole the idea of modern art: abstract expressionism, freedom, and the cold.
- Explains hunt, tim, and kerouac's crooked road: development of a fiction.
- Cites kerouac's essay "aftermath: the philosophy of the beat generation," which he published in esquire in march 1958.
- Argues that kerouac's "new style for american culture" was the spontaneous prose method, which utilized stylistic strategies drawn from movies, comic strips, pulp fiction, and jazz.
- Opines that it's nothing new to identify kerouac with the technical experiments of parker and pollock, but lacks a concrete demonstration of such technical affinities in his spontaneous prose.
- Describes the style of jazz music that kerouac and his group were listening to in the late forties and early fifties, bebop, which transformed traditional swing melodies into fast, unpredictable, and often radically experimental tunes.
- Analyzes how bebop, much more than swing, embraced the challenge of spontaneous, live improvisation, although many hours of rigorous practice lay behind these often dazzling performances.
- Analyzes how kerouac's writing style is linked to jazz improvisation in his "essentials of spontaneous prose".
- Narrates the horror of the lowell night. they describe how they gulped for fear every time they passed the phosphorescent christ on a black-lacquered cross.
- Analyzes how kerouac's "jewel center of interest" is "the underground rumbling horror of the lowell night." mundane objects in the dark bedroom become ghastly shrouds and ghosts, while religious artifacts assume a nightmarish life.
- Analyzes the connection between spoken language and bop music as suggested by ginsberg in a lecture at the naropa institute. kerouac returned it to speech using rhythms more interesting than existing printed poetry
- Analyzes how kerouac's spontaneous prose, directly influenced by bebop, was not recognized as literature by most of his early reviewers.
- Analyzes how kerouac's desire to represent the creative imagination in action has clear affinities with the abstract expressionists whose work he knew and admired.
- Argues that world war ii must be understood in relation to a cold war ideology that sought to uphold american culture as the proud embodiment of individual freedom and unfettered creativity.
- Analyzes how kerouac was deeply invested in the culturally affirmative mood of the postwar decade.
- Analyzes how kerouac's recording of the creative mind in action, and the accompanying associations of authenticity and life-energy, was the defining element in america’s post-war cultural.
- Analyzes how kerouac, parker, and pollock courageously upheld the integrity of individual vision in a time when self-help book must you conform? topped the bestseller list.
- Opines that it's time to stop endorsing kerouac for "filial and patriotic reasons" and to affirm his creative brilliance as an artist.
- Describes the titles of good blonde and others, and ted berrigan's interview with the paris review.
- Introduces macadams, lewis, and miles to the book, "other: from noun to verb."
3083 wordsRead More - Tytell, John. Naked Angels: the Lives and Literature of the Beat Generation. New York: McGraw-Hill, 1976.
In this essay, the author
- Analyzes the impact of dean on sal in jack kerouac's on the road. he sleeps all day and awakes in time to witness the setting sun.
- Analyzes how kerouac relates his feelings to the dark, soothing atmosphere of the room, which lulls the reader into contemplation concerning their own identity.
- Analyzes how sal adapts his personality to that of dean in part two of the novel. he picks and chooses who and what he wants to follow.
- Analyzes how kerouac throws in phrase after phrase, completely describing the mental state of sal using symbolic images without directly stating anything.
- Argues that sal's loss and change of identity stems directly from kerouac’s natural tendency to switch personalities. his childhood molded him into a schizophrenic.
- Analyzes how the kerouac family lived in lowell, massachusetts for most of jack's young years. they were constantly moving around the city, keeping him from becoming accustomed to one specific location.
- Analyzes how kerouac's brother died from a heart condition when jack was four. the events leading up to the death terrified and overwhelmed him with confusion for years.
- Analyzes how even if the road was in sal's blood, he still needed the character and energy of dean to trigger it.
1030 wordsRead More - A Writers Beat: A Type of Expressionanalytical essayWhen beat was first introduced in the 1950s, it was a big deal. People who were Beat writers then were viewed as different, outcast and overlooked. It started a movement ab...
In this essay, the author
- Explains that beat is not just about the flow of music or to strike another person. it is also about being free or having the freedom to do what is in one’s mind.
- Analyzes how beat writers were viewed as different, outcast, and overlooked. jack kerouac's "desolation blues" is about viewing the world in a different perspective.
- Analyzes how beat has been adapted in many different ways. it has affected the current generation, and how everyone wants to do their own thing.
- Explains that beat has made a huge impact on people and society. it has given people the strength of standing for oneself.
589 wordsRead More - Counter-Culture in the 1950'sanalytical essay...have been nearly as memorable. Their views on homosexuality, drugs, religion, and politics were considered radical and even revolutionary for the time period. It gave them a longevity that would only be matched by the restless individuals of the 1960s individuals influenced directly by the Beat philosophy. The Beat Generation single-handedly paved the path to future waves of counter-culture.
In this essay, the author
- Explains that the 1950s saw a period of extensive contentment within postwar america. a majority of the population adapted to the modern suburban lifestyle.
- Analyzes how the beat generation was a form of counter-culture inspired by discontent with the current state of life in america.
- Explains that beat generation philosophies extended beyond discontent with american society. they rebelled against a negative perception towards marijuana and often used it recreationally.
- Explains that the american response to the beats was not a positive one. they were criticized as lazy and reckless, and just average people trying to be the inverse of american dream.
- Explains that the beat movement encompassed many different types of people, including intellectuals, "junkies", social activists, artists, and writers.
- Explains that william burroughs was an important writer of the time. he was born in missouri to a wealthy family and experimented with his sexuality and drugs.
- Explains that burroughs' cult classic, naked lunch, is one of his most infamous literary pieces.
- Explains that lawrence ferlinghetti, a new york native, wrote poetry that often reflected his views about politics and social issues of the time. he helped popularize the beat philosophy on the west coast.
- Explains that allen ginsberg was a notable contributor to the beat generation. he was respected by jack kerouac, william burroughs, and others.
- Analyzes how ginsberg's biggest success was the poem howl, published by lawrence ferlinghetti. it was considered one of the most remarkable poems to come out of beat generation.
- Describes how allen ginsberg's "the angry streets at/dawn looking for a negro fix" was considered the anthem of the beats. the ruling was repealed and the epic literary piece was embraced.
- Explains that jack kerouac was the most memorable writer of the 1950s' beat generation. he was born in massachusetts to a middle-class family and moved to new york after getting accepted to columbia university.
- Explains that kerouac's most renowned work is his novel on the road, which detailed the plight of the beat generation.
- Analyzes how the beat generation rebelled and challenged 1950s america. without burroughs, ferlinghetti, ginsberg, and kerouac, they wouldn't have been memorable.
- Describes the works of charles, ann, ginsberg, allen, halberstam, david, miles, barry, and parkinson.
1913 wordsRead More - Beating on Against the Currentanalytical essayTo the average American in the 1940’s, “Beat” was a slang term used to describe someone who was down and out, financially physically and emotionally in life. But to Jack Kerouac, Allen Ginsburg, and William S. Burroughs, his friends and major influences of the movement, “Beat” always held a dichotomous positive and negative connotation; in the sense that it was only when an individual reaches the darkest and most desperate moments could one see honestly and speak truthfully (Gewirtz 11).
In this essay, the author
- Analyzes richardson's essay, "peasant dreams: reading 'on the road.'" texas studies in literature and language 43.2 (2001): 218+.
- Explains that 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.
- Explains dardess, george, and gewirtz, isaac. "jack kerouac." the beats: literary bohemians in postwar america.
- Describes magill's survey of american literature, vol. 3, and mcdarrah, fred w., and timothy s.
1267 wordsRead More - Rock N Roll Influenceexplanatory essayRock ‘n’ Roll began to boom in the 1950’s. The music of Jerry Lee Lewis, Buddy Holly, Little Richard and of course Elvis Presley quickly became popular to the younger American generation. As for most parents or older Americans, they were afraid that this new style of music would promote sex and rebellious behavior. Rock ‘n’ Roll music however, did so much more for the United States in the 1950’s and 60’s. Because it started in the black culture, Rock ‘n’ Roll was bound to change American views on race. This music also lead to the thought of children growing up way earlier than they used to, creating the new term, teenager, or the time between being a child and being an adult. It was teenagers out of all the American generations at this time who really became influenced by Rock ‘n’ Roll. Rock ‘n’ Roll was the only kind of music that talked about how they, as teenagers, truly felt about growing up and wanting their independence as an adult. Rock ‘n’ Roll was thought to have changed American society because of the ways it portrayed sexual behavior and black rights, but it simply reflected the changes that were already underway .
In this essay, the author
- Explains that rock ‘n’ roll changed american views on race in the 1950s and 60s. it was the only kind of music that talked about how teenagers felt about growing up and wanting their independence as an adult.
- Opines that while the 1950s and 60s were a time of segregation in america, most americans, especially older individuals and groups found the beat and lyrics to rock ‘n’ roll sickening.
- Explains that rock ‘n’ roll ignited arguments in families about independence and difference, sex and abstinence, work and leisure.
- Explains that the idea of premarital sex, which had already been thrown around prior to the new genre, aggravated parents as they wanted to enforce a better moral lifestyle and stronger house rules.
- Opines that while it was easy for americans to blame rock ‘n’ roll for influencing a change in society, they may have realized that this change was bound to happen.
931 wordsRead More - The Origin Of Rock Music: Rock And Rollanalytical essayFrom it’s slow suggestive tunes to it’s loud and wild beats this music allowed people to go wild with a new kind of swing.“Appalled by the new styles of dance the movement evoked, churches proclaimed it Satan 's music (America Rocks and Rolls) .” Expressing oneself was, and still is/is, the core of rock music and this thrilled the youths because they got to show themselves in a way no one else had before. From the music to the dance moves to the clothes, rock and roll was all about showing off oneself. It was a great breather from before when it was all about fitting in. During the rock and roll era the flamboyantse clothes were the tip top if fashion and was worn by celebrities and fans alike. Rock became itsflamboyant clothing and itsthe clothing became rock. ”It is apparent from Garofalo’s earlier quote that rock ’n’ roll in the 1950s is held to be a watershed moment in the rise to prominence of African American sounds in the pop mainstream. “ Opening up isn’t easy especially with all the segregation that was going on then. The earlier forms of music like jazz and the blues were bringing popularity to the African American community, but they were still considered lower than those with the lighter skinned people. They were fighting for equality and all those feelings transferred to their famous music too. When blues and jazz evolved to rock and roll, those feelings were still there and people of all colors were attracted to it. The more popularity rock gathered, the less, people could stay away and in the end, rock and roll spread like wildfire until it was nationwide. Opening up meant having people listen to and understanding the feelings of another, and those chaotic feelings became the music we know and love today called rock and roll. the melodies of rock created a perfect way to do
In this essay, the author
- Explains that rock and roll started in the early 1940s, but didn't become popular until the 1950s. it was flamboyant, loud, and wild.
- Analyzes how rock music helped young people break boundaries beyond etiquette and to make something of themselves.
- Explains that rock and roll was a watershed moment in the rise to prominence of african-american sounds in pop mainstream.
- Analyzes how the new generation wanted to break the dull peace that fell on america after the war.
- Opines that rock and roll's evolution was caused by humans changing. it was revolutionary, malleable, and could project anyone’s feelings, but at the same time, the parents didn’t approve.
1387 wordsRead More - Rock And Roll Research Papersopinion essayRock and roll is a genre of music that deviated significantly from the norm. Originating in the late 1940s, rock and roll became the coolest social and musical experiment in history. It combines R&B, country, as well as the blues and at the time faced a lot of backlash for being rebellious. Youth listeners were seen as delinquents and older authorities feared an increase in crime rates, rioting, and even tried to censor songs from being played. However, by the early 1960s it became apparent that the new sound of rock and roll identified so much with the younger generation of America, that no amount of censorship could prevent it from spreading worldwide. I don’t believe there has been a better example of a generational
In this essay, the author
- Explains that rock and roll was the coolest social and musical experiment in history. it combines r&b, country, as well as the blues and faced backlash for being rebellious.
- Opines that rock and roll is a music genre that is best enjoyed when you're social. it's thrilling, exotic, and forces you to move your body.
- Opines that if they could, they would enjoy going to a talking heads concert as they are one of their favorite bands.
283 wordsRead More - 1960's Social Changesanalytical essayRock and roll, one of the biggest and most influential parts of music history that came out of the 1950s and continued to change the United States in many ways through the mid to late 1960’s rock and roll had changed American youth drastically, inventing not only new sounds but a new culture. That culture would be known as the youth counterculture which changed the way everything would be perceived for the rest of time. It gave birth to a new, modern thinking, and morally concerned youth. Which is why I firmly do believe that the music of the 1960s wasn't just for entertainment, but for people to get their point across, to let the government and society know that things
In this essay, the author
- Opines that music helped change and define the united states in the 1960s. rock and roll changed american youth drastically, inventing new sounds and a new culture.
- Analyzes how the counterculture of the 1960's was heavily influenced by the music of time. the main opinion of what the politicians were doing wrong clashed with the majority of americans.
- Analyzes how the music of the 60's influenced not only political change, but social change all around the nation.
- Analyzes how personal changes in the 60's were influenced by musical influences, such as the beatles, the united states search for social justice, and spirituality.
- Analyzes how the music of the 60's changed and influenced many different parts of american culture, including politics, social trends, and personal change. the beatles, bob dylan and many more talented musicians/artists of that era helped us discover the importance of our individuality
956 wordsRead More - The Counterculture Movement Of The 1960'sanalytical essayAs a movement, the Beat Generation (late-1940’s through the 1950’s) was eventually absorbed into the American Counterculture movement of the 1960’s (1964-1972), an anti-establishment cultural event that was developed in the United States and Britain and predicated upon a lifestyle of peace, love, harmony, music, mysticism, and religions outside the Judeo-Christian traditions so prevalent in the United States at the time. The application of meditation, yoga, and psychedelic drugs were adopted as ways to expand the consciousness. “It [the counterculture] was an attempt to rebel against the values our parents had pushed on us. We were trying to get back to touching and relating and living” (Lisa Law).
In this essay, the author
- Explains that the beat generation was absorbed into the american counterculture movement of the 1960's, an anti-establishment cultural event that was developed in the united states and britain.
- Analyzes how william burroughs creates a multitude of vignettes that can be read in any order as he was primarily concerned with the experience of the "now."
- Analyzes how the overarching theme of addiction knits the vignettes together in what burroughs called the "algebra of need." each section depicts a progressively more desperate pursuit for heroin.
- Describes the character as a serious and scientific exhibit concerning the locality of the life center.
- Analyzes how burroughs creates scything parable of the great, modern anesthetic in naked lunch. norman mailer once referred to it as a "vision of how mankind would act if man was totally divorced from eternity."
483 wordsRead More - The Beatnik Research Paperanalytical essayThe beatniks or the beat generation was a group of writers that concentrated their work toward commentary on the reality of the American life and the errors in American political and social policy. They were most influential during the late 1950s and early 1960s with the publishing of books like On the Road by Jack Kerouac, Naked Lunch by William S. Burroughs and a poem “Howl” by Allen Ginsberg entered into mainstream media through their publication. Their writings were controversial at the time, deemed too vulgar and band in some areas. Yet, the beatnik’s writing inspired artistic and political movements throughout the latter half of the century(Kennedy). The beat generation affected America during the 1950s and 60s by exposing the horrors of war giving voice to minorities and
In this essay, the author
- Describes the beatniks or beat generation as a group of writers who focused their work toward commentary on the reality of the american life and the errors in american political and social policy.
- Analyzes how the beat generation warned about the negative effects of war on their generation to serve as a warning to future generations about what years of military violence does to people and society.
- Analyzes how the beatniks were one of the first countercultural groups to expose the struggles of minorities in their communities.
- Analyzes how the beatniks challenged the social norms of the 1950s to shift into looser morals in the 60s.
- Analyzes how the beat movement, characterized by smoke coffee shops and bad poetry, played an important role in influencing american culture. the beat generation challenged traditional values and norms from the 1950s to the extent that there is no return to those values until ronald reagan.
894 wordsRead More - Rock N Roll As A Countercultureanalytical essayThe antithesis of Nuclear Family Culture, and the counterculture movement in general, began to flourish during the mid to late 1950s. There were several examples of counterculture that popped up during this time, mainly Rock ‘n Roll, Greasers, and The Beats. In the terms of society, Rock ‘n Roll and Greaser culture helped bring teenagers to the front of counterculture, and gave them an identity outside of the Nuclear Family. Entertainment would begin to be produced towards this audience, showing the growing impact that they were having on society. Movies such as Rebel Without A Cause were hallmarks for rebellious teenagers that wanted a break from the conformity. The Beats were a literary and poetic movement during the same time period. The Beats were generally leftist preservationists, but that is about the entirety of their similarities. Highlighting their general similarities and yet personal differences, the Beats “...literature speaks out against injustice, apathy, consumerism, and war. At an individual level, however, the poets are very difficult to classify. Their political and spiritual views varied to extremes…” (Moran). In general, the resulting counterculture highlighted the importance of anti-conformity,
In this essay, the author
- Explains that rebellion and angst are a right of passage for teenagers. this trend began to pop up during the 1950-60s, when younger generations were becoming more influential into society, entertainment, and politics.
- Explains that the nuclear family culture was characterized by an economic explosion and a moral shift towards materialism after the war ended.
- Explains that the antithesis of nuclear family culture, and the counterculture movement in general, began to flourish during the mid to late 1950s.
- Analyzes how holden caulfield fits the stereotypes of the counterculture movements in catcher. his red hunters cap symbolizes his anticonformity.
- Analyzes how rebellion had not been popularized before the mid 1950s. the quintessential novel of counterculture was published six years after catcher.
- Analyzes how the 1950s and j.d. salinger helped revolutionize teenage rebellion in america.
- Opines that it is impossible to trace the history of the rebel back as far as possible without coming across salinger and caulfield. he is the earliest example of counterculture, and helped popularize it among teenagers.
1090 wordsRead More