Jack Kerouac's On the Road - Analysis of Language, Desire, and American Culture

Explore a 48-minute lecture from Yale University's "The American Novel Since 1945" course, focusing on Jack Kerouac's "On the Road." Delve into Professor Amy Hungerford's analysis of the Beat Generation's approach to language and lived experience, contrasting it with Modernist perspectives. Examine the novel's structure of desire, uncovering the significant themes of male connection and idealized American domesticity. Investigate Kerouac's unique use of language to mirror the speed of experience and the role of Dean Moriarty as the "Prophet of 'Wow'." Unpack the sexual tensions between characters and explore the hunger metaphor as a reflection of American consumer culture. Conclude with an examination of various modes of craftedness in the novel, including Carlo Marx's papier-mâché mountains.