Buddhism and the Beats

Paper Summary:

This paper is an in-depth examination of the emergence of Buddhism on the American cultural scene in the 1950s. It discusses Beat literature, the origins and aspects of the Beat Generation, and their effect on American culture. The author illustrates the works of Jack Kerouac's "On the Road" and Allen Ginsberg's "Howl". It analyzes the friendship between the close-knit group of friends and their rise to literary fame, both individually and as a group. It demonstrates how personality and drug addiction is seen in their writing style. This paper also describes the permanent place of Buddhism in American society as a result of the culture of the Beat artists

From the Paper:

"Historical events are usually much more complex than the annals of the past can easily demonstrate. The average person has only a cursory knowledge of most historical episodes, leaving intellectual movements like scientific advancements, philosophical developments, and social reforms largely incomplete and misunderstood from a "public relations" standpoint. For example, a common definition for Buddhism might read something like this: A philosophy dedicated to the realization of the essence of life, leading to true selfless enlightenment and the reconciliation of suffering. Now of course that definition leaves an enormous amount of leeway for the real body of experiences and thoughts that are Buddhism. Likewise, the average person might reflect upon the Beat Generation as a social and literary movement motivated by personal escape from the monotony of 1950's American society. But as much as I know about these two subjects (which admittedly I am no expert at but am a learned student of), I cannot develop a brief definition that can come close to adequately representing these topics."

More papers on Buddhism and the Beats:

• Term Paper # 144785 : "Buddhism and the "Empty Person"
• Analytical Essay # 123816 : "Jack Kerouac and the Beat Generation"
• Poem Review # 120525 : "Imagery in "Our Past"

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