Family in Contemporary Fiction

Janet Cosbey, a sociology professor, claims that she has been using contemporary fiction novels to illustrate her lectures on family for years. As stated in her article, “Using Contemporary Fiction to Teach Family Issues,” Cosbey believes that “using contemporary novels is one way to supplement textbook reading assignments in a way that allows students to apply what they have learned, and at the same time, broaden their understanding of family issues.” (Cosbey 227) After reading numerous works of contemporary fiction, it’s clear why Cosbey frequently incorporates literature into her sociology classes. In many contemporary fiction novels, different aspects of family are used as main themes throughout the stories. For example, in The Secret Life of Bees and Breath, Eyes, Memory, and White Noise, traditional families may not only refer to parents and their offspring. Family may include other relatives, such as aunts and cousins, and even those who are not blood-relatives. In Interpreter of Maladies, different cultural family traditions are depicted throughout the stories.

Contemporary fiction often illustrates the fact that society has strayed away from the “traditional” family, consisting of a mother, father, and their children. In The Secret Life of Bees by Sue Monk Kidd, it’s obvious that Lily desires the emotions and experiences only a mother can provide. Readers learn early on that Lily’s mother is absent from her life when T. Ray tells her, “the truth is your mother ran off and left you” (Kidd 39). Lily frequently struggles with her lack of a mother figure. In this novel, family members do not always have to be blood relatives. For Lily, her two “motherly” figures are Rosaleen and August. Although Rosaleen’s love for Lily is apparent, she lacks the compassion and gentle nature Lily believes a mother should possess. August’s love, guidance, and understanding provide Lily with her idea of a mother’s love. Like Lily, Sophie in Edwidge Danticat’s Breath, Eyes, Memory, does not have a functioning relationship with her mother. Raised in Haiti by her Aunt Atie, Sophie only begins to have somewhat of a relationship with her mother when she is flown to New York to live with her when she is 12. Sophie is so attached to her Aunt’s motherly aura; she is determined to give her Aunt the mother’s day card she made in class. Despite her Aunt’s protests for Sophie to save it for her mother because she “will only accept a card on Aunt’s Day.” (Danticat 13) As shown in both novels, the motherly character in contemporary fiction doesn’t have to be a mother at all to have a maternal impact on younger characters.

As previously stated, the idea of the traditional American family has become cliché and outdated. With rising divorce rates, many families are single-parent families or step/blended families. In White Noise, author Don DeLillo illustrates the reality of having a blended family. The main character Jack, a professor of Hitler studies at College-On-The-Hill, is married to his fourth wife, Babette. Together, they have four children from previous marriages living under their roof. With consumerism being the main focus of the novel, the aspect of family seems almost material in the sense that you can easily add and subtract members. In chapter 17, Babette comments to Jack that she likes having all the children around the house. Jack responds by saying “they’ll be one more soon” because Bee, his daughter, is visiting in a couple of days. Babette replies, “Good. Who else can we get?” (DeLillo 80) Babette’s casual nature when discussing “adding” children to the household develops a sense of consumerism that’s applied human life, alluding to the fact that children and other family members are sometimes viewed as objects rather than actual humans with thoughts and emotions. Through works of contemporary fiction, the definition and application of family are frequently explored. The aforementioned novels prove that most all people’s ideas of family are different. Family comes in all different shapes, sizes, and colors. Although all families have different cultures and tradition, the purpose of family, for love and support, is universal.

Works Cited

Cosbey, Janet. "Using Contemporary Fiction to Teach Family Issues." Teaching Sociology. 3rd ed. Vol. 25. American Sociological Association. 227-33. Print.

Danticat, Edwidge. Breath, Eyes, Memory. New York: Soho, 1994. Print.

DeLillo, Don. White Noise. New York, NY: Viking, 1985. Print.

Kidd, Sue Monk. The Secret Life of Bees. New York: Viking, 2002. Print.

Postmoderism in White Noise

Postmodernism was a literary movement that succeeded the modernism movement. Two world wars left people shaken, and many shifted from the belief that truth can be found in art to the belief that there is no real truth. Don DeLillo’s novel White Noise is a prime example of a postmodern work.

Postmodernism may stem from modernism but it differs from it in many ways. Instead of mourning the state of the world as modernism did, postmodernism revels in the chaos (Klages). Fragmentation and incoherence are no longer used by authors as mourning mechanisms but instead are used to celebrate the lack of meaning and purpose in the world (Klages). Authors playfully employ such literary devices instead of using them symbolically and despondently. Coupled with the discontinuous style, is inconclusiveness. The human experience is seen as vague in meaning so works of postmodernism often do not have endings (“An Introduction”). Art and literature no longer give these ambiguous lives significance. In fact, nothing does. Western values and consumerism are emphasized in a critical way. In the age of technology consumption and loss of purpose have been taken to a whole new level (Klages). Postmodernism aims to parody the state of our world.

In White Noise Don DeLillo offers up many pointed examples of our society being run by consumerism. Popular culture is sprinkled throughout the work. The constant presence of technology, the television in particular, may be the theme from which the novel draws its name. Jack Gladney, the story’s narrator, constantly mentions the television. The moment when Jack finds his wife’s drug Dylar, a significant moment in his married life, is marked by “the voice at the end of the bed” (DeLillo 178). Dylar is its own is a good example of postmodern themes in DeLillo’s novel as it is used to treat the fear of death, an “illness” from which both Jack and Babette suffer. Another important aspect of postmodernism is represented in White Noise by the character of Murray. His constant philosophical statements illustrate the inability to find a reak purpose in the world.

Consumerism is obvious throughout the novel in the mentions of “shiny bags of potato chips… flip-top rings and twist ties” and other such convenience items (7). DeLillo’s writing style and not just characters and plot line is very postmodern as well. On just the first page the reader is introduced to his fragmented style in the form of a fifteen-line list. DeLillo lists “personal computers… controlled substances… and toffee popcorn” amongst essentials for new college students, placing instant gratification in the limelight (1). The novel ends on a note of small-scaled chaos. With the rearrangement of the supermarket “there is a sense of wandering” (326). This lost feeling underlines the work as a whole.

White Noise stands as a solid example of postmodern literature. DeLillo’s themes and style contributed to the budding trend of postmodern writing.
Works Cited

“An Introduction to Modernism & Postmodernism”
Delillo, Don. White Noise. Penguin Books, 1984.
Klages, Mary. “Postmodernism.” Literary Theory: A Guide for the Perplexed. 2007.

Secret Life of Bees

Unlike most contemporary novels, The Secret Life of Bees, by Sue Monk Kidd, is told form the perspective of a white 14-year old girl. This causes the themes such as racism and religion to be told from a new angle.

The narration sets a new precedent for reading by placing it through Lilly’s eyes. Most times in literature, a child’s view of the world is immature and somewhat naive. It’s obvious that Lilly might not fully understand the issues of world, much as any child would. On page 21 when Lily and Rosaleen are watching TV, for the first time, the Civil Rights Act of 1964 was passes and put into affect. It’s important to note that the two girls have very different reactions. Being an African American, Rosaleen is thrilled. However, Lily is confused on her feelings. She has never been exposed to such a life-altering situation. (Kidd 21) Lily says, “I didn’t know whether to be excited for her or worried. All people ever talked about after church were the Negroes and whether they’d get their civil rights.” (Kid 21) Obviously, Lily is unsure whether this change is a good or a bad thing.

When Lilly and Rosaleen escaped to Tiburon, Lilly again does not know how to feel. When she goes into with Zach, Lilly says that she was so shocked that all she could do was to stare out the windshield like she was watching a test pattern (Kidd 180). When children do not know how to react to a certain situation, they often just “stare in shock.” However, I think Lily’s use of metaphors throughout the novel is advanced for a child her age. Also, a main point to recognize throughout the novel is that, Lily is not totally unaware of the affect of racism and other issues in general, just how the issues affect her. For example, after the Civil Rights Act is put into use; Lily tags along when Rosaleen goes to register to vote. Not realizing what she’s doing, Lily takes Rosaleen into white church.

Although the concept of a child narrator is not common, Mark Twain’s novel, Huckleberry Finn, is somewhat similar to The Secret Life of Bees. Like Lily, Huck tells the story of his journey down river with a black slave named Jim. At first, Huck is only aware of how racial issues affect Jim, not how they affect him. Huck only becomes aware of the affect on him when he grows close to Jim and fears losing him to a slave master.

I think the use of a child narrator in the novel completed the story. The story would not have had the same affect on its readers if the narrator had been an adult. Kidd’s decision to have Lily tell the story was revolutionary and smart.

Works Cited

Kidd, Sue Monk. The Secret Life of Bees. New York: Penguin, 2008. Print

Joan Diddion: New Journalism

Joan Didion, the author of “A Book of Common Prayer,” is actually most known for her personalized and journalistic essays. Her first professional writing job was as a journalist for Vogue magazine. Naturally, she was most comfortable writing in journalistic styles. This is why most of her writings, even her fiction novels, are written with “new journalism” technique.

Tom Wolfe, author of The New Journalism, popularized this style and pointed to the fact that "it is possible to write journalism that would ... read like a novel." New Journalist writers tend to turn away from “just the facts” and focus more upon the dialogue of the situation and the scenarios that the author may have experienced. For example, it’s obvious that the narrator in “A Book of Common Prayer”,” Grace, becomes confused herself while telling Charlotte’s story. The style gives the author more creative freedom and blends elements of fiction, opinion, and fact. For example, in the novel, although it is fiction and set in an imaginary country, many of the facts pertaining to the situations in El Salvador around the time period in which the book was written. Also, as previously mentioned, while Boca Grande is an imaginary country, Charlotte also visits Guadalupe and Antigua, real countries. A prominent characteristic of New Journalism is the author’s mix of fact and fiction. This can help to represent the truth and reality through the author's eyes. Exhibiting subjectivity is a major theme in New Journalism; the author’s voice is critical to a reader forming opinions and thoughts concerning the particular work.

Although most of her works are written with new journalism style, her collection of essays, “Slouching Toward Bethlehem,” is one of her most famous works representative of this style. The book exemplifies much of what New Journalism represents as the essays explore the cultural values and experiences of American life in the 1960’s. Didion includes her personal feelings and memories in the first person narrative, describing the chaos of individuals and the way in which they perceive the world. Didion rejects conventional journalism, and instead prefers to create a subjective approach to essays, a style that is her own.

In essence, Diddion set the stage for experimentation. Her use of new journalism not only prompted writers to use it, but experiment with their own styles as well.

Works Cited

Didion, Joan. A Book of COmmon Prayer. New York: Simon and Schuster. 1977. Print.

Food and Dinning in Interpreter of Maladies

In Jhumpa Lahiri’s collection of short stories “Interpreter of Maladies,” food and dining are a common theme throughout the compilation. Not only do food and dining add details to the developing characterization, they give insight into traditional Indian culture and the assimilation of Indian immigrants.

In “When Mr. Pirzada Came to Dine,” the entire plot focuses on the fact that Mr. Pirzada dines with another Indian family in America after moving from Dacca. The reason Mr. Pirzada dines with the family is that he is currently living in a graduate dormitory and has no stove or television of his own, even though he lived in a three-story house back home (Lahiri 24). This shows that the translation of foreign currency will not produce the same amount of wealth in America as is does in the Middle East. Frequently in literature, the conversation among characters while at the dinner table is almost always significant. Mr. Pirzada and Lilia’s father often engage in conversations about the current war in Pakistan, giving the story a historical context.

Food and dining also plays an important role in “A Temporary Matter.” In this story, the only time Shoba and Shukumar truly engage in conversation is over dinner. Shoba, the wife, works outside of the home all day and Shukumar works as a writer from inside the home. The most important part of the story takes place while the couple is having dinner. Beginning one night a dinner, the couple being to “confess” small things that they had never told each other. One night, months after giving birth to a stillborn baby, Shukumar is finally able to tell Shoba that he had held their son, a secret he had never told anyone (Lahiri 22).

In”Mrs. Sen,” Elliot, the boy she babysits, enjoys watching Mrs. Sen chop vegetables using a special blade that was hinged at one end to a narrow wooden base and a serrated crest for grating (Lahiri 114). She explains to Elliot that whenever there is a wedding, all the neighborhood women bring blades like hers and sit in a circle chopping vegetables all night while laughing and gossiping (Lahiri 115) Furthermore, Elliot’s mother was skeptical about hiring Mrs. Sen because she does not have her drivers license. She refused to practice driving and is scared to drive on the road with other cars. One of the only ways she agreed to drive is so she can go to the fish market to get fresh fish for dinner. However, unfortunately, one afternoon when Mrs. Sen finally decided she wants to drive to get the fish, she gets in an accident. Luckily, she was not injured.

Obviously food and dinning is a big part of Indian culture. Jhumpa Lahiri uses different aspect of food and dinning to add detail and cultural elements to her stories.

Works Cited

Lahiri, Jhumpa. Interpreter of Maladies: Stories. Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 1999. Print.

Haitian Culture in Breath, Eyes, Memory

In the novel, Breath, Eyes, Memory, by Edwidge Danticat, the author, who grew up in Haiti, uses specific details and characteristics of Haiti itself to add detail and creative aspects to the book. One of the first Haitian aspects introduced to readers is the specific language spoken by the Haitian people, particularly, the main character Sophie. Citizens in Haiti speak both French and Creole, although it is considered a privilege to learn English. Most of the dialect spoken amongst the characters is Creole. The origins of Creole are still debated. Some scholars believe that it arose from a pidgin that developed between French colonists and African slaves in the colonies. Others believe that Creole came to the colony of Saint-Domingue as a full-fledged language, having arisen from the French maritime-trade dialect. Whatever its origins, Creole is linguistically a separate language and not just a corrupted French dialect. For example, in the novel the “bólét” man greets Atie and Sophie by saying “Honeneur, mes belles.” (5) Also, the words “non” and “mwin,” meaning “no” and “me, mine, or mine,” respectively.

A famous aspect of Carribean culture is the alluring sounds of calypso music. Calypso is heavily rooted in West African traditional music, and was originally used as a means of communication between slaves, as well as a form of entertainment. Calypso is generally played on folk instruments, including the guitar, banjo and various types of percussion. In the novel, Sophie comments that she and Joseph buy albums at a nearby Haitian record store. They listen to the “drum and conch shell beats” as they eat lunch everyday. (73) Creole food is also an important part of Haitian culture. When Sopie and her mother go out to dinner with Marc to the Haitian restaurant, Miracin’s, Marc complains about his boudin. Boudin is a specialty sausage is made with a mixture of pork, pork liver, green onions, green bell peppers, spices and cooked rice, piped into sausage casing. However, Marc complains that he can “still taste the animal” and Sophie’s mother replies “it is a pig’s blood after all.” (55) This is referring to a different kind of boudin called Boudin Rouge that uses the blood of the freshly slaughtered pig.

When Sophie returns to Haiti, readers are introduced to the “macoutes” which in Creole, translates into “boogeyman.” The Macoutes were the personal police force of dictator Francois Duvalier of Haiti. They were unpaid volunteers who were given virtual license to torture, kill, and extort. They murdered hundreds of Duvalier's opponents, sometimes publicly hanging the corpses as warnings. When Francois Duvalier’s son, Jean-Claude Duvalier, took over, he changed their name to the National Security Volunteers, though they continued to terrorize the citizenry. Even after their disbandment and overthrow, the group continued to spread terror. In the novel Louise claims that the Macoutes murdered Dessalines. Sophie also comments that parents used to scare their children when they were misbehaving by threatening that the Tonton Macoute will take them away. (138)

Works Cited

"Creole Favorites." French Creoles. Web. .

Danticat, Edwidge. Breath, Eyes, Memory. New York: Random House, Inc., 1995. Print.

Haggery, Richard A. "Haiti." Country Studies. U.S. Library of Congress, 1989. Web.

Pre-Civil Rights Era: A Lesson Before Dying and The Color Purple

Before the Civil Rights movement of 1964, African Americans, among other minorities, were treated as inferior. Between 1877 and the mid-1960’s “Jim Crow” laws were enforced to keep blacks from interacting with whites. Jim Crow was more than a series of rigid anti-Black laws. It was a way of life. Under Jim Crow, African Americans were demoted to the status of second-class citizens. Whites were superior to Blacks in all-important ways, including intelligence, morality, and civilized behavior. Basic laws prohibited blacks and whites from eating in the same restaurants, riding in the same train car, even drinking from the same water fountain. There were separate accommodations everywhere, including restrooms, schools, libraries, hospitals, barbershops and movie theaters. In Georgia, retailers selling wine and beer were not allowed to serve to both races. They either served exclusively to colored people or exclusively to white people. African American etiquette prescribed that Blacks were introduced to Whites, never Whites to Blacks. When addressing white person, blacks were always to use courtesy titles, such as Mrs., Mr., and Sir. However, blacks were always called by their first name and were never allowed to be addressed with a title. (Pilgram) In two of African American Literature’s most famous novels, The Color Purple and A Lesson Before Dying, the characteristics of the pre-civil rights era in the south are prominent themes.

In The Color Purple by Alice Walker, a young black girl named Celie struggles to find her identity while overcoming the hardships of abuse, an unwanted marriage, and her relationship with God. Celie begins writing letters to God in hopes of understand why her life is the way it is. She is frequently sexually and physically abused and treated like a slave by her stepfather and later her husband. Towards the middle of the novel, Celie stops writing to God because nothing had changed. Celie claims it’s because even thought God gave her life, he also gave her a “lynching daddy, a crazy mama, a lowdown dog of a step pa, and a sister she probably won’t see again. “ (Walker 199) In her description of God to Shug, Celie explains that God is white man. Although there isn’t a lot of interaction between whites and blacks in the novel, Celie’s angst again God centers on the fact that she believes he’s a white man. During this time period, many African American’s blamed their problems on the oppression of the white man. When Celie found out that God was an old, white man, she said she lost interest in the Bible. (Walker 202) Tangible interaction between Blacks and Whites is more recognizable in Ernest Gaines’ novel, A Lesson Before Dying.

In Gaines’ novel, Grant, an educated black man is given the task of enlightening a black prisoner who was sentenced to death for a crime he didn’t commit. He was practically automatically convicted based on his race alone. Throughout the novel, the prisoner Jefferson is frequently referred to as a “hog” by the white characters. As previously mentioned, he is considered a second-class citizen. Also, being educated created problems for Grant, since he is not allowed to sound smarter than or disrespect a white man, he often has to “dumb him self down” in their presence. When asked by Mr. Guidry, a white man, how long he had been waiting for him, Grant answers “about two and a half hours, sir.” Immediately after, Grant realized that he should have simply said “not long” so he didn’t sound too intelligent. (Gaines 47) Later in the conversation, recognizing that Grant may be too smart for his own good, Mr. Guidry says he doesn’t like Grant’s intelligence. (Gaines 49) Not only does Grant teach at an all-black school within an all-black church, while shopping he is expected to buy items of “colored quality.” While attempting to buy a radio for Jefferson, Grant insists on buying a brand new one, much to the dismay of the white woman working behind the counter. Opposing his request, she is persistent on selling him a used one, based solely on the fact that he is African American. (Gaines 175-176) Although the two novels do not present all the issues present during the pre-civil rights era, both authors perfectly describe the significant trials and tribulations African American’s endured during the time period, just because of the color of their skin.

Works Cited

Gaines, Ernest J. A Lesson Before Dying. New York: Vintage Contemporaries, 1994. Print.

Pilgram, David. "What Was Jim Crow?" Museum of Racist Memorabilia. Ferris State University, Sept. 2000. Web. 25 Feb. 2010. .

Walker, Alice. The Color Purple. New York: Pocket, 1985. Print.

The Color Purple

There are many obvious similarities between the classic novels, Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neale Hurston and The Color Purple by Alice Walker. Not only do the main characters embark on similar journeys towards self-actuality, but the structures of the novels are similar as well. First and foremost, both of the protagonists are African American women who have no sense of self. Both Janie (TEWWG) and Celie (TCP) are forced into marriage at young age. Because of the arranged marriages, both relationships are loveless. Both characters were abuses, physically and emotionally. Janie’s second husband, whom she thinks is somewhat of the “perfect man” begins to yell and hit her when she doesn’t do what she’s told or talks back to him. For example, when Janie doesn’t serve a customer at her husband’s store, Jody tells her not to “stand dere rollin’ yo’ pop eyes at me wid yo’ rump hangin’ nearly at yo’ knees!” (78) Starting at a young age, Celie is continuously raped by her stepfather, and ends up giving birth to two of his children, who Celie believes were killed by him. When Pa is trying to convince Mr. to marry Celie, he openly says in front of her that she’s ugly and that she’s “spoiled.” (9) When Celie marries Mr. he keeps a mistress in the house and continues to treat her as an object. Both women have a very hard time standing up for themselves.

Despite their hardships, both women eventually find their true. Janie finds true love with her third husband, Tea Cake. Janie can finally be herself with him and enjoys his company. Celie finds companionship in a sultry lounge-singer named Shug. At first, the two don’t get along because Shug is sleeping with Mr. However, eventually the two become lovers. Shug empowers Celie and teaches her life lessons about men and God. Both women find senses of self-empowerment by the end of the novel. Both women are able to recognize and appreciate the good things in life and realize that no one can control their lives accept themselves. At the end of “Theie Eyes Were Watching God”, Janie comments that she has been to the horizon and back and she was finally at peace. (191) At the end of The Color Purple, although Celie is now old, she claims she feels younger than ever. (295)

Structurally, both novels are set up the same. Even though The Color Purple is written in the form of letters, both novels tell a story and are written over a long period of time. The dialects of both novels also represent the vernacular tradition native to African American people at the time.

All in all, both novels are classic tales of the hardships endured by African American women and their journeys towards self-independence. Most importantly, both novels will remain classics until the end of our time.

Works Cited

Walker, Alice. The Color Purple. New York: Pocket Books, 1985

Hurston, Zora Neale. Their Eyes Were Watching God. Harper Perennial, 2006.

Character Evolution: Grant--A Lesson Before Dying

At first, in Ernest Gaines’ novel, A Lesson Before Dying, the main character, Grant, is cold and compassionless. However, over the course of the book, because of his meeting with Jefferson, Grant evolves into a man of hope and kindness.

When is first introduced into the novel, it’s clear that he’s not like other African Americans during this time period. He is educated and became a school teacher in an effort to change the educational circumstances of local black children. He is naturally hostile because he has to hide his educated demeanor. During this time period, even if an African American is smarter than a white man, he is not allowed to show it. The fact that he knows he may not be able to get through to his students adds to his frustrations. He says on page 23 that he hates teaching. He knows he won’t make the difference he wants to make. Because of this, Grant is initially hostile and hopeless. Obviously, when he is first presented with the opportunity to help Jefferson, he is reluctant.

When they first begin their meeting, both men are quiet. Just like his students, Grant believes he will not be able to make a difference in Jefferson’s life. This is due in part that Jefferson is accepting of his impending execution and believes he deserves what he is getting. In jail he is frequently referred to as a “hog” and is fed from a bag, like an actual hog. At first, not matter what Grant says, Jefferson is not convinced that he can still change his life. The turning point in their relationship is in chapter 26 when Grant buys the radio. When he and Jefferson are conversing about the radio, it’s the first real conversation they’ve had. When Jefferson begins writing in the diary Grant gives him, he begins to realize that he is allowed to have thoughts and feelings and that they’re not insignificant just because he’s a “hog.” When Jefferson becomes more aware the value of his life, he begins to open up to Grant. This finally gives Grant the accomplishments that he has been hoping for. Since he is unable to make a real difference with his students, it was important to him to make a difference with Grant, especially because he was so unenthusiastic at the beginning. It’s important to realize that Grant’s growth is due in large part to Jefferson’s. If Jefferson had not transformed into a more self-accepting and confident, it’s unlikely that Grant would have become more hopeful and compassionate. At the end of the novel when Grant chooses not to go to Jefferson’s execution, it becomes evident that his relationship with Jefferson has developed into a true friendship. Even though he says he won’t cry, he does, which shows that he truly cares about Jefferson. By the end of the novel, it’s clear that the true “lesson before dying” is not about Jefferson, it’s about Grant.

Works Cited

Gaines, Ernest J. A Lesson Before Dying. New York: Vintage Contemporaries. Print

HOWL: Poetry Explication (Researched)

The poem HOWL, by Allen Ginsberg,, is a very unique and entertaining poem to read. Although who the speaker is specifically is not mentioned in the poem, it is safe to assume that the speaker is Allen Ginsberg himself. Even though specific names are not mentioned, readers know many facts about the narrator. Right off the bat, it’s obvious that the speaker has experienced many different people and situations. He mentions that he’s seen the best minds of his generation in poor neighborhood, looking for an angry fix, and being expelled from universities. (page 9) It’s also apparent that the narrator is very familiar with drugs and homosexuality. The drug “Benzedrine” is mentioned more than once. (page 10) He also provocatively touches on homosexuality by mentioning “endless cock and balls” (page 10) and certain homosexual indiscretions with “saintly motorcyclists.” (page 13)

The poem is bluntly written from the perspective of an outsider who is not content with the way society is running. In the section titled “America”, Ginsberg touches on many aspects he does not approve of, such as the atomic bomb. (page 39) He also alludes to the fact that America is beginning to rely too heavily on technology when he comments that America’s machinery is too much for him. (page 39) He also mentions smoking marijuana every chance he gets. (page 40) Another aspect he frequently criticizes is religion. He says that he refuses to say the Lord’s Prayer (page 40) but also encourages the spiritual aspect of religion, leading the readers to assume that he is not critical of all religion, just those of an organized fashion.

It’s evident that the poem is written in blank verse. Ginsberg’s style closely resembles that of Walt Whitman. Ginsberg even mentions Whitman in the poem. In the section entitles “A Supermarket In California,” he claims to of seen Walt Whitman and rhetorically asks him where they are going. (page 29-30) The diction of the poem is very unique. In some sections, certain words are repeated numerous times. For example, in “Footnote to Howl,” Ginsberg repeats the word “holy” almost religiously. He explains that everything from the world to a typewriter is holy. (page 27) This makes readers wonder if everything is apparently holy, does that demean the privilege of being considered holy, ultimately causing nothing to be holy? Questions like the aforementioned one are frequently raised throughout the poem.

Ginsberg’s word choice is also extremely confrontational, something that readers were not used to during the time period of the Beat Generation. Ginsberg talks about drugs, sex, alcohol, and openly criticizes the American government. Many thought the poem was too obscene, leading to the arrest of the publisher, Lawrence Ferlinghetti. In 1957 a judge ruled that the poem was not too obscene and continued to be printed and sold.

Although Allen Ginsberg’s style of writing and topic choice may seem unconventional at first, the poem opened readers’ eyes to the issues concerning society during the 50s and 60s. If Ginsberg had not chosen to write the poem in this fashion, HOWL would not have had the impact that it did.

Works Cited:

"Allen Ginsberg." Poetryarchive.org. Web. 13 Jan. 2010.

Ginsberg, Allen. Howl. Vol. 4. San Fransisco: City Lights, 1994. Print.