essay

ENG1B

PROMPT #4

PROMPT In the form of an essay, describe what kind of vision of America is presented

in Allen Ginsberg’s poem, “Howl”? Along with the poem itself, draw on the

historical context surrounding the poem, which is era of the 1950s and the

Beat movement in literature. What does Ginsberg’s poem reveal about the

country that the mainstream history books don’t reveal?

NOTES AND SUGGESTIONS

- In many ways, Ginsberg’s poem is a ‘view from the gutter’ regarding an

idea about America, one that was especially prevalent in the post-war era

and which, one might argue, continues to this day. Consider what the

poem reveals about the country that wasn’t recognized or understood at

the time.

- Ask yourself if Ginsberg’s vision is a more realistic reflection of the

country, compared to the era described as the “consumer culture”

- When finding examples and quotes from Ginsberg’s poem, focus on

single lines and phrases, as opposed to chunks of the poem. By focusing

closely and specifically on the poetic line, you are forcing yourself to

connect specific images and descriptions in the poem to the vision of

America that Ginsberg presents. Remember to explain what the image or

metaphor means to your readers, then explain how it reflects the vision of

America presented in the poem overall.

- Remember, when analyzing lines of a poem, the emphasis is on

‘decoding’ the metaphor. This takes more than just a sentence to explain,

since metaphors tend to be connotative, which means they are suggestive

and rely on what’s implied, and so you have to take the time to explain

what a certain metaphor communicates to you, as the reader.

REQUIREMENTS Essay Length – 6-7 pages, typed, double-spaced, Works Cited page FORMAT - MLA style

DUE DATE TBD