American History

This paper shall attempt to address the issue of gender as it has been portrayed and reflected upon in the Beat generation and its literature. By doing so, the paper shall attempt to achieve its purpose of identifying the contribution that the Beat culture has made to the evolution of the American society and in bringing it to its current standing.

With regard to the commonly considered perspective that questions that Beat attitudes toward gender and seeks to identify whether they differ from those of American society in general at the time, it is apparent that the beat attitude towards gender differs greatly from that which prevails in the modern day American society and is one in that seems to be in adherence to the perceptions of the American woman during the Beat days (Campbell). Women in the Beats generations literature continue to appear in what can best be referred to as infrequent supporting roles to men. The literature is dominated by men and their hip style. The suaveness appears to be restricted to men and women only come in as an element of decoration, an instrument used to entice, a sideshow meant to serve to the main plot the same purpose that the comic relief serves to the stage.

Furthermore, with regard to the Beat culture as it existed in adherence to or in compliance with the common social ideas of that era, the beat generation and the beat literature did anything but express common social ideas of the era. In fact, they chose to go in opposition to the passive silence of the nineties. There was hardly any momentum left for an aggressive addressing of social norms after the Second World War and that is exactly what the Beat generation and its literature provided to the
American society (Johnson and Grace).

If one was to consider whether or not Beat writings prepared the way for new approaches and attitudes to gender, then judging by the literature and the rebellion that it holds, it would be fair to consider that while the role of the women in Beat literature was what can be classified as passive aggressive, it was undoubtedly one that served to shape the frame of mind for future generations regarding gender issues. This is because of the fact that the Beat generation and literature did not simply come forth as a rebellion to traditional and social norms, but as a question against them (Johnson and Grace). A question that demanded answers and induced the positional needed to bring about a change.

However, it is imperative to note that this attribute is one that applies to nothing more than the presence of women in Beat literature. The role of women, on the other hand, is one that is undeniably significant. The position of women in beat literature is one that serves to provide the essential element of revolt and rebellion (Stephenson). Therefore, it would be fair to surmise that the beat record on gender roles is fundamentally one that is aims to set women free in society. Liberty and the right to a chosen lifestyle became symbolic demands for women under the Beat generation.

However, there is no doubt a definite confusion in the Beat generation. The most prominent and clear example of this confusion can be found in the works of Judith Butler and Betty Friedan, both of which presented concepts of gender roles that were in stark opposition to one another (Johnson and Grace).
It can be surmised from the above discussion that the Beat generation and its literature did indeed serve to bring about a considerable change in the commonly prevalent and accepted norms of the American society following the late fifties. The changes in the perception of gender roles that took place in the American society can be justly accredited to the Beat generation and the literature that came forth as a product of the rebellious and questioning culture that it constituted.