RECORD
The Dharma Bums
- Title:
- The Dharma Bums
- Author:
- Jack Kerouac
- Date of Publication:
- 1958
- Description:
- The Dharma Bums is a 1958 novel by Beat Generation author Jack Kerouac. The basis for the novel's semi-fictional accounts are events occurring years after the events of On the Road. The main characters are the narrator Ray Smith, based on Kerouac, and Japhy Ryder, based on the poet and essayist Gary Snyder, who was instrumental in Kerouac's introduction to Buddhism in the mid-1950s. (Source: Wikipedia)
- Keywords:
- Arts Nature Performance Sexuality Spirituality
- Religions:
-
Buddhism-Mahayana major
- Locations:
-
United States majorMexico minor
- Wikidata Entity ID:
- https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1493270
- Open Library ID:
- https://openlibrary.org/works/OL43537823M
- Item Type:
- Text
- Item Image Format:
- image/jpeg
Keyword Engagements
- Arts
- The characters of Jack Kerouac’s Dharma Bums are resisting conventional societal norms, preferring a life on the road to the comfort of the family values imposed by American society. As Dharma Bums, they wish to preach the message of Buddhism, which they do through poetry, sutras, and painting. Japhy Ryder and Rol Sturlason paint mountains and sea serpents, and Ray Smith and Japhy Ryder shout poetry at each other in the form of haiku when climbing Matterhorn. The goal of these haiku is to capture both the beauty of nature and the intricate simplicity of Buddhist thought and teaching. Nature itself, through Kerouac’s descriptions, presents itself as art; each scene vividly detailed.
- Nature
- Jack Kerouac’s Dharma Bums sees the main character Ray Smith trek across America. Nature becomes a vital part of Ray’s identity as he grows as a Dharma Bum. The teachings of Japhy Ryder on a climb up Matterhorn becomes the catalyst for Ray, who desires to make Japhy proud. Kerouac depicts the shifting landscape of America, not just geographically but also seasonally, as we follow Ray through an entire year, culminating in a summer atop Desolation Peak. Nature is depicted as a living organism, each part of it, animal life included, brought to life and appreciated as part of a greater whole, emphasizing the interconnectedness of all things preached in Zen Buddhism.
- Performance
- The preparation and eating of food are presented as a ritual in Jack Kerouac’s Dharma Bums. Food and drink are always highlighted in social gatherings, and both the act of preparing and the taste are of great importance. Simultaneously, the food and drink are never expensive. The novel depicts simplicity as a feast, highlighting how good company and simple, well-prepared ingredients make for the greatest meals. Sharing is a central part of the novel, not just of food and drink, but of ideas and views. Ray Smith shares food with people he meets, but he also shares Buddhist wisdom, hoping to get others interested in the life of the Dharma Bums.
- Sexuality
- In Jack Kerouac’s Dharma Bums, sexuality is explored both in terms of sexual freedom and asceticism. Japhy Ryder has multiple sexual partners, and participating in orgies is considered completely normal. Simultaneously, nakedness is depicted as a form of freedom, with Japhy Ryder climbing mountains naked, and evening gatherings leading to naked dancing, which is also considered perfectly normal. On the other hand, Ray Smith appears uncomfortable with the idea of nakedness and sex. He hesitantly participates in sexual activities, going so far as to say he is celibate, while also finding the naked adventures of Japhy to be strange, even somewhat uncomfortable. Ray Smith’s background as not only a Buddhist, but also a Chrstian, exposes the challenge of living between two opposing faiths.
- Spirituality
- Jack Kerouac’s Dharma Bums puts the spirituality of Buddhism front and centre. Ray Smith travels America with only a backpack and an adventuring spirit. The conventional family life is forsaken in favour of travel and a minimalist lifestyle. Together with his close friend Japhy Ryder, they learn to live a life of zen: meditating, drinking tea, composing haiku, and being in and with nature. The act of separating from society and instead living in tune with nature becomes a spiritual act for the characters of the novel, who live by the Buddhist notion that all is part of the same void. Kerouac presents a vision of American Buddhism, romanticizing the teachings of zen masters, and exploring how it is to be spiritual and different in a Christian conformist society.
Attribution
- Citation:
- "The Dharma Bums", Mapping Religion in the Global Anglophone Novel (MaRGAN), https://ghjensen.github.io/margan/items/margan017.html
Rights
- Rights:
- Metadata and other content produced by the MaRGAN team for this website is free for teaching and research purposes, provided appropriate credit is given. See https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ for more information.
- Standardized Rights:
- https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/