The Beat GenerationThe Beat Generation

An American Literary An American Literary RevolutionRevolution

““Beatnik”Beatnik”

Stereotype: goatees, sunglasses, Stereotype: goatees, sunglasses, poetry readings, coffeehouses, poetry readings, coffeehouses, slouches, and "cool, man, cool" jargon. slouches, and "cool, man, cool" jargon.

Much of Beat culture represented a Much of Beat culture represented a negative stance rather than a positive negative stance rather than a positive one. It was animated more by a vague one. It was animated more by a vague feeling of cultural and emotional feeling of cultural and emotional displacement, dissatisfaction, and displacement, dissatisfaction, and yearning, than by a specific purpose yearning, than by a specific purpose or program. or program.

Beat Generation in the Beat Generation in the MediaMedia

The “Man” is NOT your The “Man” is NOT your friend.friend.

Beatniks launched the anti-Beatniks launched the anti-establishment movement in the 1950s, establishment movement in the 1950s, and Americans began to question and Americans began to question tradition. tradition.

The beat philosophy of anti-materialism, The beat philosophy of anti-materialism, combined with its fundamental soul-combined with its fundamental soul-searching ethos, influenced 1960s searching ethos, influenced 1960s musicians, such as musicians, such as Bob DylanBob Dylan, the , the early early Pink FloydPink Floyd and and The BeatlesThe Beatles..

Jack KerouacJack Kerouac

Novelist, writer, poet, artistNovelist, writer, poet, artist Born March 12, 1922 in Lowell, MABorn March 12, 1922 in Lowell, MA Died October 21, 1969 in St. Petersburg, Died October 21, 1969 in St. Petersburg,

FL; internal bleeding from bad liverFL; internal bleeding from bad liver High school football/track starHigh school football/track star Columbia University- dropped outColumbia University- dropped out The Town and the CityThe Town and the City, , On the RoadOn the Road

(1957), (1957), The SubterraneansThe Subterraneans, , Big SurBig Sur, , Mexico City BluesMexico City Blues, , The Dharma BumsThe Dharma Bums, , Desolation AngelsDesolation Angels, , Satori in ParisSatori in Paris

Allen GinsbergAllen Ginsberg

Poet and political activistPoet and political activist Born June 3, 1926 in Newark, NJBorn June 3, 1926 in Newark, NJ Died April 5, 1997 in NYC, NYDied April 5, 1997 in NYC, NY High school newspaperHigh school newspaper Columbia University- met other Beat writersColumbia University- met other Beat writers Howl (1956)- celebrated friends and Howl (1956)- celebrated friends and

attacked attacking what he saw as the attacked attacking what he saw as the destructive forces of materialism and destructive forces of materialism and conformity in the United States at the time.conformity in the United States at the time.

William S. BurroughsWilliam S. Burroughs

Novelist, essayist, social critic, painterNovelist, essayist, social critic, painter Born Feb. 5, 1914 in St. Louis, MOBorn Feb. 5, 1914 in St. Louis, MO Died August 2, 1997 in Lawrence, KS; Died August 2, 1997 in Lawrence, KS;

heart attackheart attack Harvard UniversityHarvard University Naked LunchNaked Lunch (1959)- deemed obscene (1959)- deemed obscene Lived in NYC, Paris, London, Vienna, New Lived in NYC, Paris, London, Vienna, New

Orleans, Mexico CityOrleans, Mexico City Opiate addiction among other drug useOpiate addiction among other drug use

Gregory CorsoGregory Corso

Poet, youngest of the Beat “inner Poet, youngest of the Beat “inner circle”circle”

Born March 26, 1930 in NYC, NYBorn March 26, 1930 in NYC, NY Died Jan. 17, 2001 in Robbinsdale, Died Jan. 17, 2001 in Robbinsdale,

Minnesota; prostate cancerMinnesota; prostate cancer Jailed at 13 for stealing a toasterJailed at 13 for stealing a toaster BombBomb (1958) ; (1958) ; MarriageMarriage (1958) (1958) Tragicomic poetryTragicomic poetry

Thoreau InspiredThoreau Inspired

Anti- mainstream, materialism, Anti- mainstream, materialism, conformityconformity

Transcendental-Lost Generation-Transcendental-Lost Generation-Beatnik-Hippie-IndyBeatnik-Hippie-Indy