The Beat Generation: Finding 'it'

“The only people for me are the mad ones, the ones who are mad to live, mad to talk, mad to be saved, desirous of everything at the same time, the ones who never yawn or say a commonplace thing, but burn, burn, burn like fabulous yellow roman candles exploding like spiders across the stars and in the middle you see the blue centerlight pop and everybody goes “Awww!” - Jack Kerouac, On the Road

I think it can be agreed that the spirited sentiments expressed in Kerouac’s words are ones that we all wish to feel: an unchallenged and fierce desire for life, for the exploration of ourselves and our world, and the radiance that comes along with this indulgence. The Beat Generation of the 1950s represented a literary movement that challenged the bleak constraints of post-WW2 conformist ‘you-mustn’t-rock-the-boat’ America. A precursor to the hippie movement of the 1960s, the Beat Generation of authors brought forth from within themselves the desire to question society’s norms and liberate themselves from the system that beat them down.  

Columbia University’s campus provided the stage for the meeting of Jack Kerouac, William Burroughs, Allen Ginsberg, and Lucien Carr in 1944 — a connection of minds that would look to their teacher’s conservative ideals and respond with a ‘New Vision’ of bohemian quality. This vision focused primarily on what they did not want to be, subsequently promoting a rejection of materialism, an exploration of humanity, and sexual liberation. Kerouac appropriated the term ‘beat’ from its original reference to being ‘beaten down’ or tired, transforming it to include the ideas of ‘upbeat’ mentality and the musical rhythm of being ‘on the beat’. As an apolitical movement lacking in desire for national acclaim, the early literary works of the Beat Generation were merely enjoyed within the group’s circle, reflecting the movement’s inward focus. However, Keroauc’s On the Road and Ginsberg’s Howl would change this when both works reached a wider audience, extending America’s familiarity with the Beat movement. 

On the Road is a semi-autobiographical spontaneous prose novel, written over the course of three weeks on one continuous 37 metre-long scroll. It follows the road-tripping journeys of Sal Paradise and Dean Moriarty, in which the characters leave their restrictions behind in search of something — the ‘it’ that was missing from their lives. It is this journey —  this act of late 1940s rebellion — that lies at the heart of the story, as the search is ultimately fruitless in the end. Kerouac intentionally channelled jazz in his writing style, with its free form and lack of conventionality, and depended on it as inspiration for the themes explored in his novel. The passage of time and the progression of social norms since Kerouac’s era have somewhat clouded the novel’s unique and culturally significant message — it is no longer an earth-shattering idea to find oneself on the road. But, with context in mind and an appreciation for Americana, On the Road is worthwhile. Youth and ignorance help too in this regard. 

The Beats came to have mainstream significance in the 1960s as an inspiration for many popular music artists. The Beatles’ changing of their name to include ‘Beat’ was in part an homage to this generation of poets. Bob Dylan formed a long-lasting and public friendship with Beat poet Allen Ginsberg. The Doors’ Jim Morrison cited Kerouac as one of his biggest influences, with Ray Manzarek stating that without On the Road their band would not have existed. The memory and words of the Beats very much lived within the counter-cultural and socially defining musical phenomena of this crucial decade. They even crop up much later in Lana Del Rey’s 2014 song ‘Brooklyn Baby’. 

Whether or not the words of the Beat Generation hold as much weight now as they did at their conception, the members and their stance against the norm remains a fascinating literary and social statement. And, if nothing else, Kerouac’s celebration of people who enjoy life for life itself is something to cherish.

Image from Wikimedia Commons