Re: Salinger and the Beats
Win Boogie (WinBoogie@aol.com)
Wed, 13 May 1998 22:16:10 -0400 (EDT)
In a message dated 98-05-13 13:39:42 EDT, you write:
<<
To look away from the biographical stuff for a while: I think it's an
important point to recognize the obvious difference in style- language and
composition- at least when
it comes to Kerouac and Salinger.
Tiril >>
Tim makes an excellent point above, Salinger's writing is so precise. He
is a true craftsman, in the best possible sense. That automatic train of
thought stuff probably drives JD nuts. If the reading list in Hapworth is any
reflection of the author's own tastes in literature ( and I believe it is at
least somewhat reflective) I don't see the Beats as a logical extension of it.
It's just my impression, but I always felt that Salinger took more than a
few shots at the type of lifestyle embraced by the Beats. The "unskilled
guitarists, Dharma bums" line has already been mentioned in this string. Is
the guy Holden meets for drinks in the bar another shot? His pseudo-
intellectual talk of things being more Eastern. This sounds like Hippie/Beat
Zen Buddhism to me; all Goodies, with no discipline.
As far as the Beats spawning the American Zen boom ( the Eastern philosophy
Chair in Hell I suppose?) I disagree very strongly. Ginsberg's "practice"
strikes me as the worst sort of sophistry. I think the newfound awareness of
Zen in America in the fifties is probably due more to the success of Daisetz
Suzuki, then these Beats.
Just my thoughts on the subject.
Robert