Beat generation; rebel writers 60s 70s Key Kesey was seen as a Beat writer: The Beat Generation

n was a group of American post-World War II writers who came to prominence in the 1950s, as well as the cultural phenomena that they both documented and inspired. Central elements of "Beat" culture included experimentation with drugs, alternative forms of sexuality, an interest in Eastern religion, a rejection of materialism, and the idealizing of exuberant, unexpurgated means of expression and being. Symbolism was used to get the message across: McMurphy as Christ figure. RPM=R.P. McMurphy: record rotation speed=revolutions per minute He was a livewire character. Book in the 1950s: talk (by Harding) about voting Eisenhower for a third term, which wasnt possible. The 1950s were rock and roll, prosperity, Korean war, affluent country except for the AA.. Country was ruled by a fear of communism, hearings (see the writing in the book) . 1950s was an age of conformity with anxious people wanting to play it safe. Norman Mailer interview. After ww II America was paranoid about communism. That coupled with a strong puritan streak made for the fact that American literature played it safe: in subject and layout it was conservative. Beat generation was the antithesis. Kerouac (1922) : spontaneous prose, wrote fast, showed emotion, was critical of American society. Allen Ginsberg: Howl Irwin Allen Ginsberg ( /nzbr/; June 3, 1926 April 5, 1997) was an American poet and one of the leading figures of the Beat Generation in the 1950s. He vigorously opposed militarism, materialism and sexual repression. Ginsberg is best known for his epic poem "Howl", in which he celebrated his fellow "angel-headed hipsters" and harshly denounced what he saw as the destructive forces of capitalism and conformity in the United States. This poem is one of the classic poems of the Beat Generation.[1] The poem, which was dedicated to writer Carl Solomon, opens: 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...[2 Kesey (1935): embodies a puritan aspect with the fugitive western tradition. He was also a family conservative. With his rebel streak he was also a diary farmer in Oregonduring the second part of his life. He had two side: Stable homelife, good in sports, not much drug use: an all-American boy.

He wanted to become an actor without succes and was then inspired by Jack Kerouac to become a writer.

He was a conservative with an adventurous/experimental side. He took part in experiments with lsd whilst working in a psychological hospital which had war veterans as patients in San Francisco. He was influenced by his drug experiences. In 1964 Ken Kesey embarked on a coast-to-coast-and-back road trip, spreading the word of LSD with a busload of costumed cohorts (the merry pranksters); it is the stuff of pop-culture legend, and the founding gospel of the hippie movement. In the book: NA oppression by the US government (Chief Bromden); AA are unpleasantly portrayed but their background is told (warning Kesey); Big Nurse embodiment of the repressive governmental rules represses her own sexuality, puritanical. McMurphy: fugitive/western hero, rebellious, cowboy Combine American society 21-05 Writers of the Beat generation (late 1940s-50s): - enjoyed adventures on the road - enjoyed life - werent afraid They werent happy about society and its fear of communism. Believed in spontaneity: spontaneous writing (first thought was the best thought, first idea was the best idea). Beats express yourself in writing as honest and open as you can be. Allen Ginsberg: Howl Kesey differed herein, more conscientious writer, crafted his novel. Plot was more conventional, more down to earth. Beat writers were interested in transcendence, transcendental matters. Kesey was more down to earth. Novelists in the 1950s wrote solid conventional novel, war novels were popular like Norman Mailers The Naked and the Dead. The Beat generation changed the conventional way of writing, also poetry. Howl is quintessential Beat poem, it was open about homosexuality and communism. Ken Kesey portrayed American society in the institution: Nurse Reynolds as the emasculatory purist, AAs, Japanese nurse was portrayed humanely (provocative after WW II), NA Chief. Characters were portrayed in a cartoonesk way. American society in general: - 1950s spying community - combine: corporations running America

Black boys: showed how society had deformed them, warning for society , black power came about in the 1960s/1970s. Book is carefully crafted. McMurphy and Nurse Ratchet lose their speech while Chief Bromden regains his speech. Name-giving also symbolic: ratchet is a tool which tightens the nut with a one-way action: she makes people move in one direction. Ratchet: wretched, rat-shed Bibbit: childlike, doesnt grow up, reflected in his name. Bromdens head swells up like Popeye. Cartoon-like comedy: characters sharply defined. Beats were into eastern religion, not to be found in the book. Book does have religious elements: - McMurphy Jesus like: cross, crown of thorns whilst having electr-shock. He is what he is and offers himself for the rest. On the fishing trip you have the 12 disciples (inmates and doctor). Legend of the fisher king: sterile country because he is also sterile. Grail knight brings water and potence. Bromden gets power back also his sexual prowess. A lot of water imagery, after smashing glass. Poem Gregory Corso struggle against conformity: marriage=combine Strange phrases in juxtpositions to get out of the trap of conformity. Message is desire for freedom. Well thought out poem: 1st part: courtship cemetries bathroom

2nd part: see her parents 3rd part: wedding 4th part: honeymoon 5th part: children

She=Ayesha immortal white queen of African tribe waits for her Egyptian lover Picket fence/golf clubs suburbia