This paper examines the forgotten black roots of rock music in America, its influence on rebelling youth, and the evolution of new popular musical genres.
Abstract Rock and Roll music was both influenced by and influenced the youth movement of the 1960s. The beginnings of Rock music during the 1950s were actually quite rebellious and controversial. This paper puts the development of rock music into a cultural and historical context, drawing on examples such as Wynonnie Harris, Elvis Presley, the Beatles and Bob Dylan. The paper also mentions beatniks and the psychadelic counterculture.
From the Paper "Rock and Roll music broke into the forefront of American culture as the baby boomer generation came of age. During the 1950s, the new musical style helped young people begin to rebel against their parents? generation in a stylistic, subtle, and symbolic way, generating more differences and encouraging a widening of the generation gap. Popular culture tends to disregard the 1950s as a sterile and orderly decade, however, the youth of the 1950s were beginning to rebel much more drastically and blatantly than we are led to believe, and more so than what remains as the lasting image in the historical memory of Americans who were alive at that time. While this music that we now call "oldies" seems so boring and unhip by today's standards, the earliest Rock and Roll music contained sexual implications and a gift of immediate gratification that spoke to the so-called juvenile delinquents of the time. By the early Sixties and the beginnings of the ?movement,? Rock and Roll music had already established itself as a successful form of cultural radicalism, that is, an individuality of spirit and expressive form of defiance against the norm. (The "movement" collectively refers a shift to the "New Left" which supported the Civil Rights Movement, was against the Vietnam War, and opposed the Old Left Liberal methods of working within the system to end poverty and racism by means of a technocracy.) The more the youth rebelled, the more the music changed to suit this rebellion. The lyrics became more overtly political and explicit, and Rock and Roll music began to ?evolve out of artistic necessity,? when new ways to rebel were necessary, in order to keep on rebelling, as it were. Folk musicians began to blend their lyrics and style with Rock music, and wrote songs that were true reflections and reactions to the times and responded to the changing world. By the mid 60s, a youth "counterculture" hit the scene, and Rock and Roll had split into two breeds of music: one which served an industry and popular culture, and another type of music for political activism, which eventually infused itself in the drug-laden hippie subculture."
Abstract This paper examines the novel "On the Road" by Jack Kerouac and in particular, focuses on the character of Dean Moriarty. It seeks to discover the motivation behind this unique and vibrant individual, including psychological analysis of his character. In addition, comparisons are made between the novel and the characters of "On the Road" and many other works of 20th Century American literature.
From the Paper "Whereas Sal sees Dean in such a positive light, there are others who do not. Sal's Aunt calls him a ?madman,? and Major a ?moron and a fool.? This is understandable as they are older and more orthodox characters, with no comprehension of Dean as a counter-culture figure. Sal's aunt's newspaper reading seems to suggest a connection with the values of "Middle America" which would disapprove of such "renegades" as Dean. This is similar to the way in which the infamous outlaws of the West were feared due to their unpredictable and menacing nature and bohemian approach. Kerouac uses these criticisms of Dean ? the embodiment of the Beat lifestyle and "ideology" ? to reflect the sceptical view that many critics took to his, and fellow Beat authors? writings and lifestyles. To relate this to Cassady, he was a member of the Beat Generation along with Kerouac, Ginsberg and Burroughs ? a small group of close friends at first who became a movement later on. Many critics labelled them juvenile delinquents, determined to destroy conventional literature and morality."
Tags:beatnik, cassady, generation, neal, paradise, road, sal
Abstract "Howl", Allen Ginsberg's revolutionary poem, focuses on sex, drugs and misery. The paper shows that, divided into three sections, the poem's raw style and chilling images represent the best model of Ginsberg's writing. Flashes of weakness, brought on by drug misuse, are countered by joyful sexual romps; these two situations create even more despair as the poem continues. What was once passion turns to heartbreak; speed-induced frenzies end in gutters. The paper shows that Ginsberg's strongest message is one against the quintessential oppressor, as personified by the monster Moloch, who is eventually defeated.
From the Paper "Ginsberg, however, does not see "Howl" as a negative poem. Rather, he is "talking about a realization of love. LOVE" (Shadow). "Howl" is considered Allen Ginsberg's howl condemning the ills of society, but with whom does he identify? He addresses himself when he states that whole intellects "howled on their knees in the subway & were dragged off the roof waving genitals & manuscripts" (Ginsberg Collected 128, l.35.) Ginsberg also alludes to his days at Colombia, his trips to Texas, and his obsession with William Blake (Schumacher 202)."
Tags: homosexuality, sexuality, Beatniks, Buddhist
Abstract This paper takes a look at the life of Allen Ginsberg, one of America's most controversial poets of the mid to late 20th century. Ginsberg was made famous by his radical poem "Howl" and his views on American society, politics and the Vietnam War. This paper also takes a look at New Historicism, and Ginsberg's involvement.
From the Paper "Thus, most of the work of Allen Ginsberg can be seen as culturally significant, for it explores through verse and narrative the inner workings of the cities and how the people that worked and died in these cities during the late 1940's and 1950's experienced everyday life. In essence, Ginsberg's poetry and narrative pieces are filled with "cultural poetics," also known as New Historicism, "a theory that emphasizes the importance of history as a standard of cultural value or as a determinant of events" (Schumacher, 56).
Before commencing on the biography of Allen Ginsberg, it seems appropriate to make some brief comments on the status of America during the 1950's, the period which highly influenced Ginsberg and his writings. Following the close of World War II in 1945, America was plunged into a "Cold War" with the Soviet Union, a war based on threat instead of action. Culturally, America was in the throes of massive change, due to the victories over Nazi Germany and Japan and the economic boom that followed in the wake of World War II. For the most part, Americans were experiencing new and at times disturbing cultural trends linked to politics, economics and the rapid development of technology, especially regarding television. Also, as a result of World War II, Americans had a sense of belonging to the greater whole and began to see themselves as conformists, meaning that they never questioned authority and subscribed to "herd mentality."
Abstract This paper traces the life and career of the singer Janis Joplin from her beginning as a 'beatnik' to her early death at the age of 27 from a heroin overdose. It also includes an analysis of the style and lyrics of one of her songs, "Get It While You Can".
From the Paper "Janis's experience in Venice is one that would shape the rest of her life. The beatniks first introduced her to blues music, including one of her greatest influences Bessie Smith. She performed in public for the first time in Venice in 1962. Janis continued to sing publically in coffee houses and bars and recorded her first song, a jingle for a local bank. While in California Janis met a man by the name of Jorma Kaukonen, the future guitarist of Jefferson Airplane. "Janis began singing at The Coffee Gallery, occasionally at Coffee and Confusion. She sang alone, using her autoharp or backed by an accompanist, who was sometimes Jorma Kaukonen, later of the Jefferson Airplane. Word spread fast in North Beach."
