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Leile Brittan's Reviews > The Dharma Bums
The Dharma Bums
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This was really a pleasant surprise. After making my way through "On the Road" and a few other things by Kerouac, I had come to the conclusion that the dude is a hack, and that the other Beats were really on some way better shit. I just couldn't feel that "rambling" ass style that he writes in, even though I acknowledge that it was a conscious decision of his to write that way.
I get it -- he writes the way he travels, making quick decisions and trying to be spontaneous and spiritual. But to me it's kind of just a garbage decision stylistically...personally, I like writers to show a little discipline and take heed to the laws of grammar and punctuation. Plus I think he was just drunk half the time. I write a lot of stuff when I'm drunk too -- it doesn't mean I would try and get it published unless I sat down and edited the fuck out of it, with a clear head one day. Drugs and booze can be good for the creative process, but at some point you've got to sit down and get serious, whittle down your ideas to a respectable form.
Which is what I think Kerouac did here. There is some great writing in "Dharma Bums", and even when he rambles, it flows with the ease and beauty of a rolling freight train, or a babbling brook. Finally, you feel like one of Kerouac's characters have gained something useful and spiritual from the life of being a hobo. Ray Smith, the protagonist, embodies the strengths and faults of a lot of guys I know, myself included sometimes. I only wish I could have been around in the days where the happily homeless poets would congregate in San Francisco, and talk about the kind of shit that these guys do. Sadly, the days where stuff like this happens in America are pretty much long gone, I fear.
I think I will take a second look at some more Kerouac after being pretty durn impressed by this. Namely, "Big Sur" is now on the list. After taking in "The Dharma Bums" and the fantastic introduction which was included in the edition I read, I feel a newfound respect for what Jack K did and the legacy he left behind. He was far from perfect, and a lot of the writing and relationships he left behind make this more than evident. But more than anything I think Kerouac was honest (about everything including his own self-demise, which he foreshadows eerily in parts of this novel). If honesty was his main goal as a writer, in that respect he was definitely a success.
One last thing I found cool about "The Dharma Bums" - a lot of American cultural references are derived from this novel. Not only from the hippies and the neo-hippies, but this is a very influential work in terms of modern artistry. The Anticon Records rappers/poets collective (including Dose One, Why?, and others) referenced this book heavily in a lot of their stuff during the late 90's/early 2000's Experimental Hip Hop Rennaissance. Lines like:
"Fresh bus station water...and it all ends up in tears anyway"
were lifted directly from the text, and put onto all these weird hip hop records I've been listening to for the past decade. I had no idea these were quotes from "Dharma Bums", but I guess I shouldn't be too surprised. Life and art tend to have circular qualities, indeed.
I get it -- he writes the way he travels, making quick decisions and trying to be spontaneous and spiritual. But to me it's kind of just a garbage decision stylistically...personally, I like writers to show a little discipline and take heed to the laws of grammar and punctuation. Plus I think he was just drunk half the time. I write a lot of stuff when I'm drunk too -- it doesn't mean I would try and get it published unless I sat down and edited the fuck out of it, with a clear head one day. Drugs and booze can be good for the creative process, but at some point you've got to sit down and get serious, whittle down your ideas to a respectable form.
Which is what I think Kerouac did here. There is some great writing in "Dharma Bums", and even when he rambles, it flows with the ease and beauty of a rolling freight train, or a babbling brook. Finally, you feel like one of Kerouac's characters have gained something useful and spiritual from the life of being a hobo. Ray Smith, the protagonist, embodies the strengths and faults of a lot of guys I know, myself included sometimes. I only wish I could have been around in the days where the happily homeless poets would congregate in San Francisco, and talk about the kind of shit that these guys do. Sadly, the days where stuff like this happens in America are pretty much long gone, I fear.
I think I will take a second look at some more Kerouac after being pretty durn impressed by this. Namely, "Big Sur" is now on the list. After taking in "The Dharma Bums" and the fantastic introduction which was included in the edition I read, I feel a newfound respect for what Jack K did and the legacy he left behind. He was far from perfect, and a lot of the writing and relationships he left behind make this more than evident. But more than anything I think Kerouac was honest (about everything including his own self-demise, which he foreshadows eerily in parts of this novel). If honesty was his main goal as a writer, in that respect he was definitely a success.
One last thing I found cool about "The Dharma Bums" - a lot of American cultural references are derived from this novel. Not only from the hippies and the neo-hippies, but this is a very influential work in terms of modern artistry. The Anticon Records rappers/poets collective (including Dose One, Why?, and others) referenced this book heavily in a lot of their stuff during the late 90's/early 2000's Experimental Hip Hop Rennaissance. Lines like:
"Fresh bus station water...and it all ends up in tears anyway"
were lifted directly from the text, and put onto all these weird hip hop records I've been listening to for the past decade. I had no idea these were quotes from "Dharma Bums", but I guess I shouldn't be too surprised. Life and art tend to have circular qualities, indeed.
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Reading Progress
Started Reading
March 1, 2007
–
Finished Reading
March 27, 2007
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hee hee, duly noted. Good points, all of them. I think in the end I'm just jealous of Kerouac because he had the balls to do exactly what I want to do: hop freight trains, get drunk, and meet people. I'm curious why you'd classify Kerouac as a Journalist rather than a Novelist? Despite the fact that most of what happened in "Dharma Bums" is true, Kerouac did take liberties to change many details of what happened in life to make the book cohesive, a complete vision. In doing so, I feel as though he played the documentary editor exactly in the way you described. He did it well. But Kerouac was a film editor like the rest.
Regarding the critical-ness, I think you're right. Who am I to judge what this guy did? He did a lot, and this is a great book. I just think that Kerouac has a lot of great ideas, and if he had felt the need to sharpen some of these visions into the bling-iest little diamonds, we'd be looking at the best author of the 20th Century. But I understand. That's not what he was about. When he's looked at as a journalist everything makes a little more sense, I think.
But more than anything, he's a poet without structure. In a poem of his, he wrote: "This is prose, not poetry." He doesn't want it to be structured, and that's what makes it perfect.
Yes, that makes sense too. Maybe after everything is considered, perhaps we should just classify him as a "writer"? Or not classify him at all? After all, as Japhy says in The Dharma Bums, "comparisons are odious". By the way, you guys should check out Kerouac's Big Sur if you haven't already. It's sort of the polar opposite of Dharma Bums in many ways, but I found it to be just as enjoyable if not more so...
Big Sur is incredible, and incredibly depressing. I felt kind of disgusting after reading it, if anyone can relate. I think it's also a must-read if anyone wants to get into Kerouac.
i think structure is the demise of the creative process. who says we need structure? stuffy, old college professors? editors? publishers? yes, edit your work and take a gander at it a while later - but never, ever be afraid to write your heart out in as much incoherence as you desire! it's yours to do what you want. and Kerouac did indeed get published and now his books are on the syllabus of american literature courses 'round the usa. so being true to your art and yourself can take you places...
Leile, What a nice review. This book was recommended to me and I wouldn't normally read such a book but so far it is excellent!
I fully agree with this review. Well said. I loved the story (though I often got frustrated by what sometimes felt like simple mundane ramblings) but I felt almost distracted by the story because of Kerouac's style of writing. I do believe he was almost definitely drunk when he wrote it and while I know that the man was a poet and wanted to stand out and sort of give the world the middle finger by writing in this manner, I felt that it detracted from the book rather than added to it. I'm sure there are a million other people that love this style but I prefer to not have to re-read that one sentence three times before I understand what he was trying to say because it is such a garbled mess.
If you're telling me there are great books written in a sober state, I am going to need some proof. I have no idea how is that even important. Jack is heavily vocal about his drinking and substance use in many of his signature works. He self criticizes his alcoholism, but he also glorifies it. He has written in drunk is a hollow criticism, objectively it makes no impact. I would take criticism on the lack of structure and misogyny more seriously.
If thoughs are the flaws you look out for, then you've probably observed alot of great journalists write like that.
Journalist's and author's are different breeds, both capable of the same things but do there work differently.
Author's usually spend a long time writing a story, perfecting it in the comfort of the their own home or office.
though a non fiction writer would dabble somthing down the moment it happens, they still take it home a polish it into a story.
on the other hand,
A journalist has to write everything down almost directly after they've experienced it, that's why tape recorders are useful tools now.
They are also writing every day which is probably what would make him seem more casual, contrary to an author which is generally a more formal style.
I admit he sounds a bit to rambley but he's a fucking journalist!
and a good one too.
I like my journalism as good journalism,
cold.
hard.
ruff.
and true.
if I want an interperted story, I'll read an auto-biography.
Say if you were to travel across country (like Kerouac did) only instead of writing it, you were going to film it as a documentry.
once you got done, and started editing; what are you going to edit out?
what parts are you going to leave in?
what parts are really unneccesary and neccesary to have?
and how much can you edit until you feel the story in your film is completely different than the actual experience?
I'm sure this goes through alot of Journalist's heads.
also
The drunk suspicions you have of him are likley to be true.
However I like to read that in the writing because it helps be get an idea of the state of mind he he was in, as I've already made clear.
so don't be too critical man.