The Survival Predicament Of “the Beat Generation”

As one of the representative figures in the Beat Generation,Jack Kerouac presents a real and detailed life of the group in his semi-autobiographical novel On the Road.The uninhibited lifestyle of the young people and their desire for freedom profoundly reveal their perdue fear and discomposure beneath the social prosperity and stabilization in America after World War Ⅱ.The rebellious behavior of the characters in the novel is a way for them to promote individuality and express their true feelings,which reflects their suppressed anger and anxiety.Because this group have been marginalized and stifled by dominant culture,they attempt to explore new lifestyles and values about human beings.With the theory of alienation by Fromm,this thesis aims to interpret the social reasons why the people who persistently pursue independence and freedom end up succumbing to secular discipline.Although this sub-cultural group oppose to the suppression of the society,they all choose to compromise with the community they have revolted.It is argued that the cause of their final choice of life is the highlyinstitutionalized mechanical civilization which condenses humans’ space for personal survival and development.The alienation of labor resulting from mechanization alienated people’s psychology,which leads to alienation of freedom and love.The commodities and prosperity in modern society do not bring about real meaning to them.On the contrary,the illusory happiness beguiles them into instant gratification to such an extent that they abnegate spiritual independence unconsciously.The three chapters of the thesis expound the contradictory behaviors of the main characters in the novel from the aspects of alienation of freedom,love and labor,aiming to clarify the source of their psychological alienation.According to the analysis of the thesis,it is argued that the alienation of labor emerging along with the development of capitalism is the main cause of psychological alienation and the suppressive social environment leads to rebellion of the youth.While as individual resistance and spiritual pursuit are not capable to resist mighty social discipline,they are doomed to compromise with the society.