After Ginsberg’s high school graduation in June of 1943 he immediately enrolled in Columbia University in New York City on a scholarship from the Young Men’s Hebrew Association in Paterson. In his early journals, he confessed that one of the primary reasons he applied to Columbia was because his secret crush, Paul Roth, had gone to Columbia a year earlier (Ginsberg). It was this secret, the proximity to his home in New Jersey, its credibility as a university, and the fact that it was his father’s alma mater that made Columbia Ginsberg’s first choice in colleges. He began classes right after graduation during the summer term, endeavoring to become a labor lawyer. He did, however, continue to contribute to literature and worked to pursue his hobby of writing. He not only submitted works for Columbia’s literary journal, the Columbia Review, but he also wrote for the Jester humor magazine, served as president for Columbia’s literary and debate group, the Philolexian Society, and won the Woodberry Poetry Prize in 1946 (Miles). Despite his growing success as a writer, Ginsberg continued pursuing law. One might think that his time as a law student at Columbia was a waste considering his passion for writing and the success it brought him later in life. On the contrary, his passion for law was nearly as powerful as his passion for literature and instilled in him the fierce opinions and beliefs that he used in his work and that he fought for as a social activist. Ginsberg would surely have become a lawyer had he not met the friends that would one day be known as the “Beat Generation” writers that changed the direction of his life forever.
Its no surprise that drugs played an important--whether beneficial or otherwise--part in Ginsberg's adu...
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...nd Ginsberg come to celebrate his triumph over censorship, support of the arts, and the ways “Howl” revolutionized literature and opened doors for individuals who longed to reveal their eccentricities before it was considered “appropriate” to do so. The fact that festivals like these are permitted to exist, that people still gather in Ginsberg’s name, that people are allowed to live with out restrictions because of his work are just some examples of how this man’s legacy lives on far longer than he could have ever imagined. Allen Ginsberg led a band of misfits through a re-imagination of literature and, despite the controversy he inspired and through his determination to avoid censors, those misfits changed the way literature was written and how the world responded to literature forever. There has and will never be a writer to affect as many lives as Allen Ginsberg.
James Alan McPherson was born September 16, 1943, in Savannah, Georgia. He attended Morgan State University in Baltimore, Maryland, from 1963 to 1964 and earned a Bachelor of Arts degree at Morris Brown College in Atlanta in 1965. Afterwards with the intention of becoming a lawyer he attended Harvard University Law School in Cambridge, Massachusetts, the Writers Workshop at the University of Iowa, and the Yale University Law School in New Haven, Connecticut. He also earned a Masters of Fine Arts degree in creative writing from the University of Iowa in 1969. He has taught at a variety of institutions, including the University of California, Santa Cruz; Harvard University; the University of Virginia; and the University of Iowa, where he is currently a professor of English in the Writers' Workshop. McPherson was also given the opportunity to lecture in Japan at Meiji University and Chiba University.
Psychedelic drugs affect more then creativity, they are also known to have the ability to increase the users sense of spirituality and religion. In the academic journal, “Voice of The Psychonauts,” author Levente Moro explores the correlation between spirituality, and psychedelic drug use. He claims that when psychedelic drugs are taken in a “supportive” environment they have the ability to induce “deeply meaningful religious revelations and spiritual awakenings” (Moro et al. 190). Psychedelic drug use in hopes of spiritual revelations is not new, and has actually been going on for hundreds of years. The Native American Church has been known to traditionally use psychedelic drugs for spiritual experiences (Moro et al. 190). Some Mexican tribes are also known to ingest psilocybin mushrooms in order to induce religious awakenings (Moro et al. 190). To further prove his argument, Levente Moro conducted an online survey amongst 667 random people. His results suggested that people still take psychedelic drugs in order to have religious experiences, even though it is looked down upon in certain religious groups (Moro et al. 195). Levente Moro is not the only one interested in psychedelic drugs and religion. Many other scientists have also examined this theory. In the article, “Values and Beliefs of Psychedelic Drug Users,” author Michael Lerner also discusses the relationship between psychedelic drug use and spirituality. Lerner also believes that when psychedelic drugs are taken with the correct mindset, they have the ability to increase ones sense of religion. In order to test his theory, Michael Lerner had 183 volunteers fill out a questionnaire. Even though he conducted the survey amongst people from all over the world...
“I saw the best minds of my generation destroyed by madness, starving hysterical naked, dragging themselves through the negro streets at dawn looking for an angry fix, Angel-headed hipsters burning for the ancient heavenly connection to the starry dynamo in the machinery of night.” The opening lines of Howl, by Allan Ginsberg, melodiously encapsulates the beat generation. The beats alluded to by the verbatim ,“The best minds”, are a group of idiosyncratic poets whom through the instrument of prose(driven by spontaneity and a primal lifestyle) , orchestrated a rebellion against the conservative beliefs and literary ideals of the 1950s. Howl, utilizing picturesque imagery, expounds holistically upon the instigator of the movement in culmination with personal experiences of beat members. Accordingly “Howl” evokes feelings of raw emotional intensity that reflects the mindset in which the poem was produced. The piece is structured into three stanzas, sacrificing temporal order for emphasis on emotional progression. The first sequence rambles of rampant drug forages and lewd sexual encounters, eliciting intonations of impetuous madness, one ostensibly hinging upon on a interminable need for satiation of hedonistic desires. Concordantly the following stanza elucidates upon the cause of the aforementioned impulsive madness (i.e corruption of the materialistic society motivated by capitalism), conveying an air of hostility coalesced with quizzical exasperation. Yet, the prose concludes by turning away from the previous negative sentiments. Furthermore, Ginsberg embraces the once condemned madness in a voice of jubilation, rhapsodizing about a clinically insane friend while ascertaining the beats are with him concerning this state of der...
Individuals in “Howl” are stripped away from claiming ample opportunities of being artistic, free, and have particular aesthetic sensibilities. “Moloch! Moloch! Nightmare of Moloch...Moloch the incomprehensible prison...Moloch whose mind is pure machinery….” (1400) Ginsberg’s poem criticizes the lack of individual expression throughout society. Saying Beatniks who ate, wept, coughed, plunged, cut, balled, hiccupped, howled, broke, burned, cowered, and sank, yacketyyakking, screaming, vomiting, and whispering. Described endless depictions of how Moloch’s power over the lives of the oppressed gave his “filth, solitude, and, loneliness” (1400). Kept consciously destroying the minds of men and women alike. Intellectuals had done nothing wrong, yet vices and society tore them apart and killed them. Moloch from this perspective can be seen as an antithesis to of his generation. A concrete void, one who opposes individual freedom and love. However, Ginsberg’s poem initiated a call for self-expression and the use of rebellious language was a means towards a cultural and political oppression. Stand up against politics, society, and culture that ultimately brought down the youth culture of
Terms like ‘beautifully executed’ ‘the clearest’ ‘readable’ and ‘entertaining’ have been used to describe this novel. This means that he has managed to do what most authors never managed to do in that time, and he did it well, and that the way it was written, as he told the story straight, was clear and readable. Both touch upon the fact that he is an icon of the ‘beat’ generation, and that his writing was entertaining.
Madness is a disease. It’s a disease that can exponentially consume the host and make them lose their minds overnight. Allen Ginsberg, a famous beat poet, was a victim to madness. Under his circumstances, it was a disease that was incurable. Ginsberg, along with the other famous beat poets of his time in the 1950s’, had a remedy to his madness which was what he did best, create poems. In his famous poem, Howl, he vividly and emotionally paints a picture of a horrifying time in his life in which he was consumed and destroyed by madness. In HOWL, it is clear that the three parts of Ginsberg’s poem echoes the theme of madness with the use of form, tone, and language which in turn shows us of how our society really is
Michael Gray’s analysis of Dylan’s lyrics being a contrast between hackneyed expressions and “beautifully done” are exemplified in the song “Just Like a Woman.” Dylan’s lyrics “she aches just like a woman but she breaks just like a little girl” is given the harsh description of “maudlin platitude” and deemed to be a “non-statement.” If Dylan’s lyrics cannot uphold against meaningful music of the same category, how can they be expected to stand against literature written for a different field. John Lennon had his own critiques of Dylan’s works, calling out how the abstract nature of his lyrics, having loose definition, never achieved an actual point. Lennon’s definition of “poetry” referred to “stick[ing] a few images together” and “thread[ing] them” in order to create something meaningful. It once again boils down to the fact that Dylan’s music that was written and intended to be received as a live performance. The acknowledgement that “…you have to hear Dylan doing it” is a recognition of his composition’s failure to come across as a normal literary work. It’s all part of a “good game.” This in itself should disqualify Dylan as a possible candidate for the Nobel Prize.
Throughout America's music history, the use and abuse of illegal drugs has been widespread, and some great musicians' lives have been utterly devistated and ruined by drugs. Often times it seems as though, in studying their histories, many musicians are falsely led to believe that if they use certain drugs, their playing will improve, or become more creative. Many great musician's lives have been tragicly cut short because of their drug use, and God only knows where some of them would be today had they not fallen into the trap of believing a chemical substance can improve their musicianship. The tragic thing is that by the time they realize that the drugs are only hurting their performance, the addiction has already taken control of their lives and their music.
Words can have a profound, meaningful impact that may alter, shift, and even end lives. In “Create Dangerously”, Edwidge Danticat reveals how words crafted her reality and identity as a woman who lived through a dictatorship. “Create Dangerously” is a nonfiction essay and memoir that focuses on the impact of literature not only in dire times, but in everyday life. Through the use of detail, allusions, and vivid recounting of the past in her writing, Danticat reveals importance and valor of creating art in times where art is a death sentence, and how this belief shaped her identity.
When first reading “Sonny’s Blues” by James Baldwin, it may initially seem that the relationship between musicians and drugs is synonymous. Public opinion suggests that musicians and drugs go hand and hand. The possibility lies that Sonny’s passion for jazz music is the underlying reason for his drug use, or even the world of jazz music itself brought drugs into Sonny’s life. The last statement is what the narrator believes to be true. However, by delving deeper and examining the theme of music in the story, it is nothing but beneficial for Sonny and the other figures involved. Sonny’s drug use and his music are completely free of one another. Sonny views his jazz playing as a ray of light to lead him away from the dim and dismal future that Harlem has to offer.
During the 1950’s, a group of young American writers began to openly oppose societal norms in favor of other radical beliefs. These writers believed in ideas such as spiritual and sexual liberation, decriminalization of drugs, and opposition to industrialism as well as consumerism (Parkins). Over time, these writers became known as the Beat Generation and created the Beat Movement. Among the members of this rebellious group was the infamous Allen Ginsberg who is considerably one of the most influential poets of his time. By utilizing tools like imagery, allusions, and symbols, Allen Ginsberg’s “A Supermarket in California” discusses themes such as consumerism, sexuality, and alienation which reflect Ginsberg’s personal beliefs and desire for change.
During their time together, the members of The Beatles experimented with several different drugs. Drugs played a major role in the career of the Beatles as they influenced many of the songs as well as played a significant role on the bonding the band shared. Each band member had his own preference of drugs. However, the most significant impact drugs had on the Beatles were due from Preludin, cannabis, and LSD for reasons that were quite different.
Allen Ginsberg criticizes the popular American culture during the 1950s by personifying them as Moloch. Moloch often represents as a big furnace where people sacrifice their first sons. Ginsberg blames the system that people live in as t...
If it wasn’t for him loving to write, there may not have been these great books in the world today. As an adult, he set his life’s work on exposing social ills, using his boundless talents and energies to spin engaging, poignant tales from the streets (pbs.org). Charles introduced new forms of publishing that became popular and influential really fast. Dicken’s keen observational style, precise description, and sharp social criticism have kept his large body of work profoundly enduring (pbs,org).
The Beat writers formed in New York City, started with only a few members, but grew to have an impact on American society, especially in literature and politics, which still lasts today. Jack Kerouac and Allen Ginsberg were the founders of the Beat G...