amlit338

amlit338
This is from Gary:


----At first, “Howl” was very hard to read; now, it’s still hard but after discussions in class, I have a better idea of the context in which to observe this poem. Although I don’t have many connections with the poem’s content, I do enjoy the attempt at what the poem, in my own opinion, is trying to do: it captures the reading audience with its first person perspective and moves the listening audience with its insight on the conditions of the life as seen by the narrative voice.I see the first part of the poem as one stream of thought, the visions of what is happening to the “best minds of my generation.” This first line alone pulls in the reader to give him or her ownership of these thoughts (although not his or her own) and as the section moves on, there are glimpses of something recognizable, creating a greater connection with the poem overall. There is so much information in this first part that it would make it easy for anyone to make a personal connection to any one line because of personal experience or knows someone “just like what Ginsberg describes.” I see his descriptiveness in the first part as a whole as his view of society in general, that these people are being obsessed for discovery, to see “if I had a vision or you had a vision or if he had a vision to find out Eternity.” It reminds me of a journey of self-discovery and the process by which these people were doing it would consume them.There is one part of the first section that caught my attention: “to recreate the syntax and measure of poor human prose and stand before you speechless and intelligent and shaking with shame…” The vision I get is of a man who, as Ginsberg put it, was once a great mind and after being in an institution has become conformed to society’s belief of normality. Another line comes in section two of the poem: “Moloch the crossbone soulless jailhouse and Congress of sorrows!” I feel that here he is referring to the institution of not just the asylums but also government that have, in a way, created this situation for the thousands that came out of treatment worse than they went in, truly, the monster of the problem of mental health in our country during the 1950s. Although the third section begins with the name Carl Solomon, I also believe that Ginsberg is referring to the masses (the other writers and poets, possibly) within the asylum, especially with the line “I’m with you in Rockland where your condition has become serious and is reported on the radio.” I think it is not just a reference of the condition of one person but of all the people within the system. Also, as I mentioned before, returning to the first person voice, the poem gives ownership to the readers, making the reader feel that he or she is with these people – perhaps as a better understanding of what is going on in these asylums.Not quite the most exciting read, personally, but I did appreciate the imagery and truthfulness this poem portrays. I agree with some of my classmates that this poem can speak to audiences of this generation as well because, although perhaps we have become better at treating mental health issues today, many of those suffering today in society can be seen within the lines of “Howl.”