Allen Ginsberg’s America and Kerouac’s Vanity of Puluoz
Throughout the words and the lives of the Beat Generation, one theme is apparent: America, everywhere from Allen Ginsberg’s “America,” to Jack Kerouac’s love for Thomas Wolfe. Although the views of America differ, they all find some reason to focus in on this land. Ginsberg, in his poem “America,” makes a point that not many of us can see as obvious: “It occurs to me that I am America. I am talking to myself again.” Each and every one of us make up America, and when we complain about something that is wrong, we are complaining about ourselves. Being raised by his mother as a Communist, and being homosexual, Ginsberg found many things wrong with America, and he does his fare share of complaining, but at the end he decides, “America I’m putting my queer shoulder to the wheel.” Ginsberg didn’t want to sit and watch everything go wrong. He was going to do something, despite the fact that he was not the ideal American.
Kerouac’s view of America was completely different from Ginsberg’s view. Kerouac saw America as a beautiful place, with many unexplored regions for himself, and the rest of the people in the country. Kerouac credited his love for America to Thomas Wolfe. In Kerouac’s book Vanity of Puluoz he said that Wolfe made him realize that America was not a dreary place to work and struggle in, it was a poem. If everybody thought of America as a poem rather than a place where we just come to in order to live work and die, this country would be the ideal place that Kerouac wanted it to be.
The “Night of the Wolfeans” was an event in the lives of the Beats that affected them for a long time. It brought together all of the Beat’s feelings toward America. They were put into two categories: “Wolfeans,” and “non-Wolfeans.” Kerouac and Hal Chase were heterosexual, all-American boys who believed in America, the perfect image of the American citizen. The non-Wolfeans (William Burroughs and Ginsberg) were also known as “Baudelaireans” or “Black Priests.” They wanted to destroy the Wolfeans and all that they believed in. The Beats felt that everybody fell into one of these two categories.
One thing that all the Beats agreed upon, was that in order to truly become a great writer, you had to be considered an American writer.
...Sheppard’s translation of the tragedy. It is clearly visible that the tone used in Fagles’ writing is much more vibrant, and carries a lot more emotion than his counterpart. The usage of dramatic tone paves a pathway to more successful and entertaining storytelling that Sheppard lacks. The choices of words and usage of literary devices also raise Fagle’s effectiveness in explaining Oedipus’ tragedy. Sheppard is also at a disadvantage as he does utilize Old English in his writing, and it is obvious the translation would appeal to a different audience than Fagles’. This disadvantage creates a less dramatic tragedy to a more modern reader as the reader will have to consider what is meant. It still is clear that Fagles wrote a more superior translation in comparison to Sheppard’s translation due to more powerful tone, choice of words, and utilization of literary devices.
The women flew 60 million miles in 77 different air craft; maintained a safety record that was slightly better than male pilots; and had even trained male pilots. Yet it took 33 years after being disbanded for the WASPs to be given veteran status. After disbandment some of the women stayed pilots, but not with any of the major airlines. Others attained jobs as stewardesses to stay in the air. The major airlines would not hire these highly qualified and experienced pilots to fly their planes, simply because they were female.9
The WASP exchanged roles with male pilots. Giving the WASP women the opportunity of a lifetime. These women would make sure that those marvelous aircraft built by the "Rosies" were ready for combat service overseas. The “Rosies” was a cultural icon of the U.S. representing women who worked in factories and shipyards during this era. They produced munitions and war supplies for soldiers overseas. (Partners in Winning the War) In 1943, thanks to Jacqueline Cochran the first classes of WASP graduates were awarded wings but, should these women pilots be given Army Air Corps Wings? (Merryman, pg. 208) Cochran knew how important winning the silver wings was to these young women, the wings award was an exchanged for the hard work the WASP’s graduates accomplished. WASP women worked so hard to help the war effort and the war was
...and that it really was their friendship that guided them through their whole life. And that together they really were all one. "I see lightness and ease. I see suffering somewhere in my mother’s [Vivi] eyes, but also I feel the camaraderie, laughter, friendship" (Wells 313). The Ya-Ya’s are very much at ease giving love to each other. That is what helped them to sustain their friendship for so long and helped them throughout their lives to love each other.
John Storey’s text, Rockin’ Hegemony: West Coast Rock an Amerika’s War in Vietnam, outlines the 1960’s West Coast counterculture movement, which had dual aspects of political attitudes, and the music involved with the movement. Storey puts forth the blueprint that resulted in the movement’s failure, plus the subsequent rebirth of legacies by using Gramsci’s theories of hegemony. Storey argues that while the movement had good intentions, the problem that the counterculture faced was the structure of hegemony. Especially within a capitalistic hegemony like America the movement was just another adjustment that was integrated and dealt with by the hegemony. Storey presents his case in three sections including counterculture, resistance, and incorporation.
The dance Fix Me, Jesus was very moving and gave me chills. I think the purpose behind this piece was to convey how many people feel helpless or broken and that they are asking for Jesus to fix them and help them through the hard tribulations that they are facing. The style of dance is modern with some ballet influences. Throughout the dance there is a lot of isolated movements and repetition in the same movements over again. One movement that was isolated and repeated throughout the dance was the reaching of arms up to the ceiling. I believe that Alvin Ailey purposely used movements like these to further convey or confirm the spiritual message behind the movements and music. The lighting in this piece was very dim except for in the spot that the dancers were huddled close together where it was a warm yellow tone. The dancers all wore nude colored costumes to match the theme and lighting of the piece. This piece of Revelations probably moved me the most because of the raw emotion behind the lyrics and
Recently, there has been much debate about universal health care in the United States. Both sides of the issue have many valid points to support their argument. They bring up points about the effect on the economy, individual costs, and whether or not healthcare is a right or not. In two particular editorials, the authors approached the topic with two very different argumentative structures. Both could have been effective in convincing readers to side with them, but one was more effective as it had far more elements of logos and ethos.
Despite the fact that they were granted military status in the late 70s their fight continues, not a single member of the WASPs have been buried at Arlington Cemetery (Weiner). There is less than 300 members left and their ashes are not permitted (Weiner). The WASPs worked just as hard as the men. These woman are still fighting for the right to be buried at a place with other
Dante’s work Inferno is a vivid walkthrough the depths of hell and invokes much imagery, contemplation and feeling. Dante’s work beautifully constructs a full sensory depiction of hell and the souls he encounters along the journey. In many instances within the work the reader arrives at a crossroads for interpretation and discussion. Canto XI offers one such crux in which Dante asks the question of why there is a separation between the upper levels of hell and the lower levels of hell. By discussing the text, examining its implications and interpretations, conclusions can be drawn about why there is delineation between the upper and lower levels and the rationale behind the separation.
Alighieri, Dante. "The Inferno." The Divine Comedy. Trans. John Ciardi. New York: First New American Library Printing, 2003.
In terms of structure, Canto I functions as an introduction, explaining the two major characters and the motivation of their journey. Dante portrays himself as the protagonist and speaks in the first person from a subjective perspective. Through the establishment of such a strong voice, readers are given clear insight into his emotions and motivations. He strikes the contrast between "dark" and "light" to strengthen that he fears the dark and sinful desires within himself but he pursues the hope of light at the same time, which is the key of his spiritual journey. To symbolize the dark side, Dante illustrates his encounter with three beasts while the rescue from Virgil signifies the light side. The image of “light” and “dark” as well as their allegorical meanings is shown through these lively imageries, rich metaphors and strong voice in order to pre...
Dante Alighieri presents a vivid and awakening view of the depths of Hell in the first book of his Divine Comedy, the Inferno. The reader is allowed to contemplate the state of his own soul as Dante "visits" and views the state of the souls of those eternally assigned to Hell's hallows. While any one of the cantos written in Inferno will offer an excellent description of the suffering and justice of hell, Canto V offers a poignant view of the assignment of punishment based on the committed sin. Through this close reading, we will examine three distinct areas of Dante's hell: the geography and punishment the sinner is restricted to, the character of the sinner, and the "fairness" or justice of the punishment in relation to the sin. Dante's Inferno is an ordered and descriptive journey that allows the reader the chance to see his own shortcomings in the sinners presented in the text.
This essay directed the reader’s attention on how Dante’s compassions changed throughout the Canto’s in the Inferno sections in The Divine Comedy with Virgil’s directions along the way to help Dante reach his new direction in his life.
During the 1950s to 1960s, a new cultural and literary movement staked its claim on America's national consciousness. The Beat Generation in sheer numbers was never a large movement, but in cultural status and influence, they were more visible than any other contending aesthetics. The years continuing after the Second World War the wholesale reappraisal of conventional structure of society began. During the time the postwar economic boom was taking place, students in universities were beginning to question the excessive materialism of their society. The product of this question was the Beat Generation. Allen Ginsberg, a founding member of the historical movement, like many saw runaway capitalism as destructive to the human spirit and antithetical
To understand The Divine Comedy and its impact, an understanding of Dante Alighieri’s life of tragic love and civil war can assist in unraveling the truth on Dante’s philosophical epic. Alighieri’s grief of a lost love and his involvement in a civil war led to his philosophical masterpiece, The Divine Comedy, influenced by classical writers like Homer and Virgil, using a distinct style and use of language that reflect Alighieri’s early life and philosophical involvement.