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Hunter s. thompson essays
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Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas: A Savage Journey to the Heart of the American Dream by Hunter S. Thompson is a semi-biographical wild and drug filled odyssey between Raoul Duke and Dr. Gonzo, also referred to as, Duke’s “attorney”. Raoul Duke and Dr. Gonzo are based off of Thompson himself and attorney and Chicano activist Oscar “Zeta” Acosta, respectively. The story is partly based off of a trip Thompson and Acosta took in the early 70s when Thompson was interviewing Acosta. When the pair tried talking in public areas around Los Angeles they found it to be difficult because of Acosta being a Mexican- American and there was some racial tension at that time. So they decided to use the trip Thompson was going on to Las Vegas covering the Mint …show more content…
400 as a means to have a discussion for the interview. Before becoming a novel, Fear and loathing started as a two hundred and fifty word photo caption published in Rolling Stone magazine back in 1971, from there it turned into a novel.
The story takes place in Las Vegas and it starts out when Duke is given the opportunity to cover the Mint 400, an off-the-rode race for motorcycles and dune-buggies, he and Gonzo pick up a load of drugs with the three hundred dollars Duke is given and set their sights on the “American Dream”, Las Vegas. But when the two get there, the drugs distract them from their initial goal, which is covering the story. The “American Dream” in which Duke commonly refers to is not what the common idealism for the American dream is. For Duke it engaging in drugs, alcohol, violence, sex and commercialism. The commercialism referred to in the novel is often times the irony of it all. They are in Las Vegas, which …show more content…
is FALL LITERATURE REVIEW one of the biggest advocates for all things commercial. People gamble all their money away and accidently get married. Yet there is some type normality with it all. Las Vegas was also a backdrop for the Manson murders which Thompson refers to in the beginning of the story after Duke and Gonzo pick up the hitchhiker. He says,” This lonely desert was the last known home for the Manson family. Will he make that grim connection…(Thompson, H.S.1998).” The underline theme of the novel is not just getting high and having a good time. It is finding yourself and figuring out what you truly want in life. The more apparent roles of the novel are the drugs. The role of drugs in the story relate with psychology because of the drugs taken by the two main characters and how it effects their emotions and cognitive reasoning. The drugs taken by the two are, two bags of “grass” or marijuana, seventy-five pellets of mescaline, five sheets of high-powered blotter acid, a saltshaker half-full of cocaine.
Also a quart of tequila, a quart of rum, a case of Budweiser, a pint of raw ether, and two dozen amyls. These drugs have different types of neurotransmitters. Such as the THC or, Tetrahydrocannabinol found in marijuana. THC affects the dopamine or the “feel good” part of our brains and temporarily increases our dopamine levels. Mescaline on the other hand which is a hallucinogen causes visual hallucinations and radically altered states of consciousness, often experienced as pleasurable and illuminating but occasionally is accompanied by feelings of anxiety or revulsion. Other effects include, open and closed eye visualizations, euphoria, dream-like states, laughter and a psychedelic experience, much of which the two main characters experienced throughout the entire book. Another one of the stand out drugs taken by
the FALL LITERATURE REVIEW pair is ether. Ether, which was taken in its raw liquid form, made the two’s drug induced experience heightened and brought them a great deal of paranoia. Personally it got me thinking about the brain and how the neurotransmitters in drugs can affect the mind depending what drug the person is using. Also the differences between using it recreationally and for medical uses and how people are fighting for drugs to be legal in some places such as, here in Oklahoma or for them to stay illegal. As well as how people who are open to recreational drug use or drug use in general are more open to new experiences and have a more open mind unlike people who think drugs should be illegal and how they perceive people who use drugs. People like Thompson used drugs for a recreational use even when he was working. It seems to me that it may of helped him loosen up as it does for some people or to also help increase his dopamine levels. Also a quote that impacted me personally was when Duke says,” All those pathetically eager acid freaks who thought they could buy Peace and Understanding for three bucks a hit (Thompson,H.S.1998).” It makes me think of all the people who use drugs as an escape from reality because they feel the world can be too much. Whether they think in terms of the world being an evil corrupt place or just it being to difficult or unfair time. Sometimes the naivety people can have clouds their judgment and keeps them from being happy and from what they think their “ American dream” really is, which is being eternally happy with yourself.
In the article “Outrage over Las Vegas must outlive news and election cycles” Don Kusler believes that strict gun control laws should be put into place. His reasoning behind this is that the 2nd Amendment was written a long time ago and they did not have police nor did they have automatic weapons that were easily accessible. Expressing his opinion on the 2nd Amendment, Kusler writes “The 2nd Amendment was written in a very different time: there were no public safety systems, like police, and there were no automatic weapons available.” In this excerpt from his article, you can see that Kusler claims the police are able to protect everyone therefore eliminating the need for people to have their own guns for self protection. Kusler criticizes
The almighty American dream, commonly misconceived as the property of those who reap great materialistic wealth, has been analyzed and sought after through generations. However, this dream, “could come from anywhere and be anything you want in this country” (Goldberg), and the numerous success stories of impoverished beings proves this. This subjectiveness stems from the great diversity within human nature and the variation of goals and pleasures. The characters in novels such as The Glass Castle, To Kill a Mockingbird and the play, The Crucible, act to portray several attempts towards achieving this dream. Ultimately, the almighty American Dream manifests itself through the novels as the desire to accomplish stability and content within one’s
In the poem “Fear and Fame by Philip Levine, readers gain insight into the struggles of a blue collar worker. The intimate description of the worker not only highlights the dangerous and monotonous work he performs but also accentuates how the worker takes little pride in his occupation. Levine’s use of meter and rhythm, irony, figurative language, and tone provide an understanding of the difficulties faced by blue-collar individuals both at work and in society. The majority of the lines contain a sort of syllabic meter, which evokes a lulling sense of monotony as the speaker describes his work.
While reading this book, I really was able to put myself in the story, and live Dick’s life with him. This typical story of “Rags to Riches”, is a general theme for many people’ lives. Today, as well as back in the 1800’s when the story was written, many everybody’s dream is to achieve success. This formally became known as “The American Dream”. Although this may seem strange for everyone to have the same idea, it really isn’t when you look at it with an open perspective.
The third, fourth and fifth chapters chapter are talking about two differents drugs. One that is considering licit: alcohol and the other one illicit: marijuana. According to the book, alcohol is identified as a drug of the same sense that LSD, heroin and cocaine: they are all psychoactive. It is a recreational drug and is addicting. The chapter explain that alcohol existed throughout human existence and how it was made by fermentation in early history. The chapter also talk about the effects of alcohol on the body such us dehydratation, gastric irritation but it also affect the ability of the brain to process and utilize information.
Las Vegas symbolizes the American Dream and shows the corruption of society. When Duke and his Attorney, Dr. Gonzo, are at the Merry-Go-Round Bar, Dr. Gonzo expresses that the counter-culture of Las Vegas is getting to him. Duke struggles to accept what his Attorney says because he desires the Las Vegas lifestyle. Duke explains to Dr. Gonzo that they cannot leave Las Vegas, “…we’re right in the vortex [and] you want to quit….you must realize...that we’ve found the main nerve’” (Thompson 47-48), but Dr. Gonzo has already realized “…that’s what gives [him] the Fear” (Thompson 48). Duke and his Attorney thought that once they were in Las Vegas, the American Dream would be remarkable; but they realize that the American Dream is not magnificent, there are downsides to it. Witnessing how society acts in the “main nerve” of the American Dream, Dr. Gonzo is stricken with fear because he knows the American Dream is not benefitting him. When Duke looks back at his memories of his journey in...
While everyone has a different interpretation of the "American Dream," some people use it as an excuse to justify their own greed and selfish desires. Two respected works of modern American literature, The Great Gatsby and Death of a Salesman, give us insight into how the individual interpretation and pursuit of the "American Dream" can produce tragic results. Jay Gatsby, from F. Scott Fitzgerald's The Great Gatsby, built his "American Dream" upon the belief that wealth would win him acceptance. In pursuit of his dream, Gatsby spent his life trying to gain wealth and the refinement he assumes it entails. Jay Gatsby, lacking true refinement, reflects the adolescent image of the wealthy, and "[springs] from his Platonic conception of himself" (Fitzgerald 104).
The American Dream is an ethos idealized by millions of people. It is an attitude and mindset that can promote success and prosperity throughout life. When it comes to the American dream, a significant part is the quest for money. As shown in classic American Literature such as The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald and A Streetcar Named Desire by Tennessee Williams, the influence of money plays an important role throughout both novels. There are characters in both books that use money as a way of representing what their morals and values are. The decline of the American Dream is evident in both novels considering the negative effects money has on certain characters.
The American dream has been a tangible idea, greatly sought after by many over the course of American History. The dream has eluded many, to strive for achieving in America’s open markets, and become a self-made man from the sweat of one’s brow. The idea of become self-sufficient, and have limitless dreams that take one as far as they are willing to imagine is captured very differently from The Great Gatsby to A Raisin in the Sun. Both novels seem to have the American dream as their subject, but both end up having very different outcomes to how one achieves it, and if the dream is truly in existence, namely with the characters of Jay Gatsby and Walter Younger. The books mainly brushes upon the idea of what the American dream truly is, how one achieves the dream, and what the real fulfillment the dream encompasses.
Twilight: Los Angeles also utilizes race in a metaphoric way, which can be seen clearly in the characters portrayed by Smith. Smith herself does not put on makeup to portray a certain race deliberately to show the commonalities that can be found in differences, however, it is easy for the viewer to distinguish which character is which race and class. This can be seen not only through the specific values and ideals that are revealed by the characters’ verbal language and body language, but also through the way that they discuss the Rodney King event; it speaks to how race metaphorically translates into other aspects. The contrast Morrison speaks about with whiteness correlating with power and purity and blackness with disorder and darkness can be seen clearly in the interviewees. A specific instance of this can be seen when comparing Deveare Smith as she’s portraying the LA police chief, who utilizes language that further dehumanizes Rodney Smith and causes the officers to be the victims of the situation, and as she’s portraying Rodney King’s aunt, who utilizes language that victimizes her nephew. The difference in values attached with the stereotypes that race metaphorically speaks to can be seen clearly in the video when discussing the differences in rooms between Reginald, the white truck driver who was severely beaten—who says that he wants to have a room with the cards and notes and fame he has a received as a result—and Paul Parker, a black local activist —who says that he wants to have a room to remember the injustice that was faced in the black community. This huge contrast shows the difference in ideals and values that result from living in a racially, metaphorically oriented
The American Dream is a concept that has been wielded in American Literature since its beginnings. The ‘American Dream’ ideal follows the life of an ordinary man wanting to achieve life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. The original goal of the American dream was to pursue freedom and a greater good, but throughout time the goals have shifted to accumulating wealth, high social status, etc. As such, deplorable moral and social values have evolved from a materialistic pursuit of happiness. In “Advertising the American Dream: Making Way for Modernity”, Roland Marchand describes a man that he believed to be the prime example of a 1920’s man. Marchand writes, “Not only did he flourish in the fast-paced, modern urban milieu of skyscrapers, taxicabs, and pleasure- seeking crowds, but he proclaimed himself an expert on the latest crazes in fashion, contemporary lingo, and popular pastimes.” (Marchand) This description shows material success as the model for the American Dream. In his novel The Great Gatsby, Fitzgerald reveals the characterization of his characters through the use of symbols and motifs to emphasize the corruption of the American Dream.
Although most public information on drugs is funded by anti-drug organizations, hopefully we will still learn the true facts about marijuana. The brain is the most complicated part of the human body. I will begin by explaining certain parts and their functions. In doing this I hope to give a better understanding of our brain while implicating the possibilities of chemical induced complications “The brain with its 15 billion neurons and nerve cells operates using chemical and electrical messages” (Swanson, 1975).1 This is how we perceive our senses. Differences in the way our brain translates these messages can impair perception.
Each character in the novel has their own interpretation of the ‘American Dream – the pursuit of happiness’ as they all lack happiness due to the careless nature of American society during the Jazz Age. The American Dreams seems almost non-existent to those whom haven’t already achieved it.
As people go throughout their life, they strive to make dreams they believe are unachievable, come true. The iconic American Dream is a symbol of success within the United States that many people aim to secure throughout their lifetime at any cost, even compromising their true identity. In Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby and Lorraine Hansberry’s A Raisin In The Sun, both authors work to display how Jay Gatsby and Walter Younger work towards obtaining their dream, but fall short due to society and timing. By attempting to reinvent themselves through money, gaining power within their personal life, and their image, Jay Gatsby and Walter Younger aim to complete their American Dream to become successful in their lives.
The psychological reaction, known as a high, consists of changes in the user s feelings and thoughts. Such changes are caused mainly by THC. The effects of marijuana vary from person to person and from one time to another in the same individual. In most cases, the high consists of a dreamy, relaxed state in which users seem more aware of their senses and feel that time is moving slowly. Sometimes, however, marijuana produces a feeling of panic and dread.