The Joys of Reading Jack Kerouac in Youth

In the third of what has turned out to be a trio of recent posts on Beat literary heroes (Allen Ginsberg’s “Howl” on 10/3/10; Lawrence Ferlinghetti on 10/5/10), today I am remembering the liberating influence of the novels of Jack Kerouac. Of course the iconic novel is "On the Road," but in my teens and twenties I read many of his other novels as well: "The Subterraneans," "The Dharma Bums," and "Desolation Angels," among others. For a young person especially, these novels were intoxicating, with their evocation of feelings of freedom, Bohemianism, thumbing one’s nose at the establishment, and living authentically. At the time I read them, my generation was creating its own version of all that in the excitement of the late 60s and early 70s: the “hippie” era, with its proverbial “sex, drugs, and rock ‘n roll,” along with the era of political protests, the Civil Rights movement, the beginnings of the women’s movement and the gay rights movement, and more. Other signs of the more liberated times included our colorful clothing and long hair, our willingness to “take off” on trips to various places with only a backpack (although perhaps with our parents’ financial support…), and the increasing acceptance of couples living together without marriage. Although I now have trouble re-reading Kerouac – partly because of my age, partly because of knowing about his later descent into alcoholism and a sad end – I honor and remember with joy his contribution to opening up the world for many young people. And on a quick personal note: it still makes me happy to remember being young in the sixties/seventies; one representative memory (among many!) is my first big trip on my own, my trip “out west” (from Michigan to British Columbia) on my own, wearing jeans, a fringed vest, and a floppy hippie hat, feeling like the ultimate free spirit. Although it was actually quite a tame adventure, for me it felt liberating and joyous!