The Beat Generation

The Beat Generation
(Beatniks)
Presented by:
Nicholas LaBelle & Zoe Countess
Origins:
● Very start was late 40s in New York and San Fran. (first
happening on Oct. 7, 1955
● movement came from the jazz culture of the 1950s and
1960s
● loss of faith in the American system
● Center of movement in San Francisco (was mostly on
West Coast)
● Jack Kerouac coined the term “Beat Generation”
Typical Beatnik
● usually beatniks were young, white, well educated,
came from a good economic environment
● spoke like black hipsters and black jazz musicians
● critics called them “cool” and detached from “square”
society
● wore black berets, dark turtle neck sweaters, and dark
shades
● rode in limos
● drank alcohol
● stereotype of the rebellious youth
Typical Beatnik
Here is an ad for a beret….
Notice the interesting lingo in the ad….
● lettuce = marijuana
● “kool-like”
● real snazzy
You can get a beret with….
● race car flag emblem
● bongos emblem
● or just plain
Beliefs
● strove for individualism and freedom
● wanted to experiment in new social and
cultural concepts
● experimented with illicit drugs (drugs helped
creativity), free sex, sexual pattern, social
and marital arrangements
● promoted buddhist concepts
Impacts on Society
● Largest impact:
Paved way for hippie movement
● Spread poetry to the masses (Pocket Poet
series)
● Spoke against government actions
● Fought for civil rights
Trends that were later accepted
●
●
●
●
●
●
rock and roll music
long hair
relaxed style dresses
vegetarianism
Eastern religions
extra marital sexual activity
Famous Writers and Works
● Allen Ginsberg:
Wrote Howl and Other Poems
●
Jack Kerouac :
Wrote On the Road
● William S. Burroughs
Wrote Naked Lunch
Allen Ginsberg II
Allen Ginsberg
Society’s Reaction
● Older generation made fun of those in
the movement
● Were criticized for breaking down
social values
● Mainstream media tried to discredit the
movement
● Howl faced immense criticism
Site for Photo
Works Cited:
"A Brief Guide to the Beat Poets." Poets.org. Academy of American Poets, n.d. Web. 11 Mar. 2014.
"CBC Digital Archives Beatniks: The Hippie Forefathers." CBCnews. CBC/Radio Canada, 06 Dec. 2013. Web. 12 Mar. 2014.
Text Citation (Chicago Manual of Style format):
Walsh, Patrick J. "counterculture." In Winkler, Allan M., Charlene Mires, and Gary B. Nash, eds. Encyclopedia of American History: Postwar United States,
1946 to 1968, Revised Edition (Volume IX). New York: Facts On File, Inc., 2010. American History Online. Facts On File, Inc. http://www.fofweb.
com/activelink2.asp?
ItemID=WE52&iPin=EAHIX056&SingleRecord=True (accessed March 10, 2014).
Text Citation (Chicago Manual of Style format):
Burg, David F. "Beat movement." Encyclopedia of Student and Youth Movements. New York: Facts On File, Inc., 1998. American History Online. Facts On
File, Inc. http://www.fofweb.com/activelink2.asp?
ItemID=WE52&iPin=student00081&SingleRecord=True (accessed March 10, 2014).
Work Cited:
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