A experiência beat em Anjos da desolação, de Jack Kerouac

Abstract

This dissertation develops the concept of “beat experience” through Jack Kerouac's Desolation Angels within the context of the 1950s beatnik literary movement. The study places the author in the historical and cultural setting of the post-World War II United States, characterized by a countercultural effervescence and a critique of the conformity inherent in the American Dream. Unlike approaches that emphasize the fictionalization of life in literature, this work seeks to understand how Kerouac crafts his narrative through a different path—one that goes beyond merely transforming personal experiences into fiction, instead crystallizing unprecedented states of being through writing. For this analysis, the central theoretical framework is Suely Rolnik (1989), particularly her concept of the “crystallization of the instant”, in order to explore how Kerouac constructs a mode of expression that transcends the mere transposition of lived experience into fiction. This transforms moments into existential reflections that acquire their own density in his literary narratives. The work examined, written based on the author’s experience of isolation at Desolation Peak in 1956, is presented as an expression of introspection, reflecting the search for authenticity in life and literature. Kerouac, through the protagonist Jack Duluoz, develops a narrative that, although it can be read as autofiction, operates in a distinct manner by crystallizing unprecedented states of perception and consciousness. The dissertation discusses the development of Kerouac’s creative process, highlighting how he absorbed the influences of beat culture to construct a unique and previously unprecedented literary aesthetic. Thus, the research underscores Kerouac’s importance as a pioneer of beat literature, responsible for capturing the spirit of restlessness and freedom of his generation. The beat experience in Desolation Angels transcends the simple recounting of travel experiences, presenting itself as a deep exploration of the human condition, the search for meaning, and the interaction between external and internal landscapes.