William Ginsburg Howl Analysis

HIUS History II

History Notes Class 12

In Howl by Allen Ginsburg, he speaks about the scenery of the world he lives in. Jazz and drugs circulated in a seemingly grim setting. He praises poets as some of the greatest minds of his generation and spoke about homosexuality and graphic sexual descriptions. The Port Huron Statement by Students for a Democratic Society spoke about race and alienation as two focal points to improve and be wary about for a better America. Racism and discrimination have been around since Columbus’ discovery of this continent and not all too much has changed since. There is a decline of utopia and hope in our social society. The horrors of the twentieth century, symbolized in the gas-ovens
and concentration camps and atom bombs, have blasted hopefulness. To change things, universal controlled disarmament must replace deterrence and arms control as the national defense goal. Universities also need to play a larger part in social change as that is where learning heavily takes place among young adult minds. In The Ballot or the Bullet by Malcolm X, he begins his speech by explaining that he is still Muslim, but that is not the focus of what he wants to convey to the people. He speaks on the unfulfilled promises of the Democratic Party for civil rights and the need for change taking initiative. African-Americans were becoming more politically-mature and that they could be the swing vote in an election. Malcolm X spoke about how their votes can be utilized “A ballot is like a bullet. You don't throw your ballots until you see a target, and if that target is not within your reach, keep your ballot in your pocket.” The African-American community needed to ease themselves of their vices like alcohol and drugs to become a more conscious individual. The bullet he talks about is symbolism for no longer turning the other cheek and for African-Americans in this country to take action with action. If there wasn’t a Civil Rights bill by 1964, X threatened to have another march on Washington, but this time with a non non-violent army. In “Past as prologue” The 1950’s as an Introduction to the 1960’s, The imagery of a good economy, peace, happiness, etc. transform into images of violence, consciousness, protests, and revolts. African-Americans took on civil rights questions with a new behavior. The virtues of suburban life became less appealing to the younger generation and the problems of America more compelling. Women also became more conscious of their role in life, wanting more than the socially accepted norms of being a wife and mother. Men found the pressures of their role to be overwhelming as the sole earner of the family.
Gay Power Comes to Sheridan Square by Lucian Truscott IV, it recalls a night of protesting for Gay pride and equality. Police were quick to intervene as they essentially assaulted these citizens as a riot began to happen. Protesting continued the next day and homosexual women showed support as well. Police once again would come and enforced order with arrests and assault, but as protesting grow the overall message grew stronger and liberation began. The AIDS perplex by David Kirp provides an analysis of a growing and deadly disease that was relatively unknown to the world. AIDS is a plague that many scientists 15 years ago believed wouldn’t trouble us again, but federal agencies mismanaged the disease. Homosexuals began to be blamed for the origin of the disease. We must be more socially aware of such things and live a safer life among ourselves and our peers. In Gay Is Good by Martha Shelley, She speaks about wanting social equality for homosexuals. She makes a point to use their sexual orientation to develop a radical mind. In Prescribing the Pill: Politics, Culture, and the Sexual Revolution in America’s Heartland by Beth Bailey, she writes about the “Sexual Revolution” and how contraceptives,
namely the birth control pill overtook behavioral and cultural changes in America. The pill was created not because of sexual desire from unmarried women, but rather because of population growth and the extension of the role of the federal government in Lyndon Johnson’s Great Society. Planned Parenthood was created and information and distribution on birth control and sexual safety started becoming widely known. Planned Parenthood struggled and eventually the pill could only be prescribed by doctors, but the pill gave women a better sense of control and meaning of sex both inside and outside of marriage.