Hannah Randall

The Beat Gen. Final

June 13, 2016
Period 1.

The Beat Generation also known as the beats were a generation of people living during
the 1950s. The 1950s was a time when America was a time of change and subtle precautions.
As the war was nearing its end soldiers were returning home to their families and being reintroduced to civilian and familial lifestyles and their norms at the time. Families began moving
to the suburbs. People in the 1950s also lived with subtle precautions hanging over their
shoulders, not really knowing if or when there could be an attack. The 1950s was also a highly
homophobic time in America. It was seen as a sin and looked down highly upon at the time. As
well as the fears of homosexuals, people living in the 1950s also feared communism and saw
that as a threat to their security, sometimes to the point of causing riots. To proclaim, read, write,
or aid in communism was a major offense and caused for reprimand. The beat generation
rejected social norms and expectations, cared about social change and was truthful about their
sexualities and religious and ideological beliefs of the time.
The beat generation was home to a variety of authors that rejected social norms and
expectations in order to influence the lives of others in their time and to make social change
when need be. The beat generation is known to be more raw with emotion and their ability to
write without revision. The beat generation holds the ability to portray their work in an unkempt
and unmainted way that rejects the social normalities of writing. More than mere weariness, it
implies the feeling of having been used, of being raw. It involves a sort of nakedness of mind,
and, ultimately, of soul; a feeling of being reduced to the bedrock of consciousness (Holmes).
John Clellon Holmes was a beat generation writer who was influenced by other beat generation

writers, in which he eventually came up with the title Beat Generation. Another writer from
this generation who rejected the norms and expectations of Americans at the time was Jack
Kerouac.
The style of Kerouacs writing was a portrayal of the rejection of social and material
norms of the time. Kerouac didnt write in the distinguished way at the time. His style of writing
was called spontaneous prose. Spontaneous prose is a style of writing that doesnt use proper
grammar and that is just a script of what goes through his head, all ideas, all thoughts, and it is
not to be changed or altered in any way. Meanwhile Dean had gotten a job in a parking lot, had
a fight with Marylou in their Hoboken apartment God knows why they went there and she
was so mad and so down deep vindictive that she reported to the police some false trumped-up
hysterical crazy charge, and Dean had to lam from Hoboken. So he had no place to live
(Kerouac). Within this excerpt you can see the style of writing is different than which is normally
seen. There is a lot of dashes, and sentence fragments. Kerouacs style of writing rejected the
social norms of America in the 1950s, therefore; making him a Beat Generation writer.
Creating social change and caring about what happens in the world around you is another
quality of the Beat Generation. In the letters exchanged between Kerouac and Ginsberg
throughout the late 1950s - early 1960s the duo talk about the upcoming presidential election as
well as their part in choosing the right candidate. Kennedy is more liberal and for more foreign
wheat aid type and less tied up with phony military patriotic grandeur and less an FBI type, in
intention. Not that it makes much difference America is sunk either way because its just plain
selfish (Ginsberg 5). This shows how the Beat Generation did not fully extract themselves from
regular civilian life and news, they paid attention to what was happening around them and made
decisions, opinions, and beliefs regarding that.

Another quality of the Beat Generation writers is their open admittal to their sexualities
and their ideological beliefs -nothing is hiding behind closed doors- they let it all be known.
According to A Supermarket in California, I saw you, Walt Whitman, childless, lonely old
grubber, poking among the meats in the refrigerator and eyeing the grocery boys (Ginsberg 1012). Ginsberg is calling out Whitman for being gay and idolizing his views and his honesty about
his sexuality. Ginsberg also shared his views on his theoretical beliefs in his poem America.
America I used to be a communist when I was a kid and Im not sorry (Ginsberg 28). Ginsberg
was not afraid to show that he used to be a communist and that he still speaks of their ways and
that although he should be labeled as a traitor and an enemy to America he is unafraid to show it
and that he rejects their opinion on the matter. During the 1950s, other writers such as Kerouac
began following Eastern religion instead of the normal Christian and Catholic beliefs of the time.
In the shared letters between Kerouac and Ginsberg, Kerouac states, ...my discovery and
espousal of sweet Buddha, which has been I guess maybe even you sense my undoing, because,
though I always did suspect that life was a dream, now I am assured by the most brilliant man
who ever lived, that it is indeed so, consequently I dont want to do anything any more, no
writing, no sex, no nothing, I have abandoned and that is, hope to abandon, all evil outflowings
of life for all good non-outflowings of mind essence recognition (Kerouac 1). This shows how
Kerouac began following the Buddhist religion in order to find his true self and rethink his
priorities in life. The Beat Generation was filled with writers who rejected social norms of the
time, thrived to make social change, and were true to themselves regarding their religions,
beliefs, and sexualities, which was a lot more than what other Americans were doing at the time.
The Beat Generation has paved the way for the generation of today. The Beat Generation
is a lot like the generation that I live in and am part of. Just like the beats, my generation rejects

social norms there are those who choose to be single and not get married and have the
stereotypical 4 person family who lives in the suburbs with a dog. There are also artists who are
appraised for drawing a line on a paper and is sold as art for a million dollars, which is not
always seen as the norm for art or familial life. There are also those who thrive for social change.
The ones who promote equality, and stage protests when need be. And regarding the truth about
religion and sexuality. Most religions are accpected in the United States, there are always those
close-minded individuals that may disagree, but for the most part religion in an openly diverse
aspect of life. Individuals can be open about their sexualities and there is now gay-marriage as
well as LGBTQ rights. The Beat Generation has influenced change in America fo the better and
has led to advancements in our country and everyday life.