Overview

Although punk was not used as a signifying term for a subculture or its cultural production until the 1970s, the punk spirit can be identified within cultural texts that precede the term. A punk aesthetics includes rejection of societal norms, class consciousness, and spontaneity, or a do-it-yourself (DIY) approach that is antagonistic toward the modes of production. West claims and develops a concept called the punk unconscious; in the texts he examines, punk aesthetics can be found just below the surface through the employment of specific theoretical frameworks, namely Fredric Jameson's theory of the political unconscious and Mikhail Bakhtin's dialogic imagination. West's study examines the works of three major movements of the twentieth century: the Lost Generation, the Beat Generation, and the Blank Generation. In his analysis, texts by Ernest Hemingway, Jack Kerouac, William S. Burroughs, and Richard Hell are read through the lens of the punk unconscious. Additionally, punk songs inspired by the assassination of President John F. Kennedy are analyzed to establish a shift in mindset and consciousness. The goal of this book is to help readers recognize the role of the punk unconscious within these movements, as well as the shift from unconscious to conscious acts that fit within a punk aesthetics and sensibility.

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9781533682932

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Joel R. West is a writer, educator, and father of three daughters: Kate, Gillian, and Vivienne Since his introduction to punk rock as a skater kid in the late 1980's, he has always found a way to bring punk into the conversation-academic or otherwise. West received his MA in Literature and Cultural Studies and a Mexican-American Studies Certificate from The University of Texas - Pan American in 2015. He currently resides in his hometown of McAllen, Texas, with his fiancee, Katherine, and their two dogs, Zephyr and Phoebe. When he isn't researching and writing, he is likely to be found in the great outdoors or just sitting on the back porch, strumming his guitar and talking about-you guessed it.

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