Culture In The 1960s Research Paper

Literature’s Link to Culture in the 1960’s The 1960’s were a momentous decade in the United States. Notably, the civil rights movement and the activities associated with counterculture–referred to as hippies–were becoming normal. The literature of the ‘60s reflects these new age ideals; but, two books in particular translate this message. To Kill a Mockingbird (which was the literary genius of Harper Lee) tells a tale of racial equality and The Electric Kool-Aid Acid Test written by Tom Wolfe, which is a story about a wandering jaunt through the psychedelic movement. Moreover, both of these books have impacted the culture of the nation over the years and represent what the 1960’s stood for and how people acted at the time. First let’s review the culture in the 1960’s, so we can understand the literature more clearly. At the start of the 1960’s, the stance of of many Americans was that the country was headed toward a prosperous future. They were utterly convinced that they were standing at the dawn of a golden age. John F. Kennedy, the president, was a winsome and trustworthy individual in whom citizens placed absolute confidence. When Kennedy was
Without delay, the book influenced the nation by perpetuating the psychedelic/hippie movement in America. It brought forth a new generation that was unsatisfied with the suburban lifestyle and sought dangerous, potentially precarious, alternatives (Tryin to Go Further: The Electric Acid Kool-Aid Test). As well, participants in the psychedelic movement were frequently organizers of protests against the Vietnam War. The Electric Kool-Aid Acid Test takes you through the culture of the the psychedelic movement in the ‘60s that is an ambiguous, but critical fragment from the decade. Without the psychedelic movement, the dangers of the lifestyle that participants led may be unknown and still practiced