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Lawrence Ferlinghetti's Politics - College Papers

Lawrence Ferlinghetti's Politics

I hope I won't seem too politically incorrect for saying this but after
immersing myself in the writings of the guilt-obsessed asexual Jack Kerouac, the
ridiculously horny Allen Ginsberg and the just plain sordid William S.
Boroughs... it's nice to read a few poems by a guy who can get excited about a
little candy store under the El or a pretty woman letting a stocking drop to the
floor (“Literary Kicks”).
For casual reading, Lawrence Ferlinghetti's poetry is cheerful and
humorous. At best it is a welcome break for the mainstream of the “beat
generation.” Inside his poetry, deep rooted criticisms of the United States
exist. Ferlinghetti has had an anti-government attitude since ...

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whom he was criticizing. Through his
poetry, Lawrence Ferlinghetti blatantly and subtly criticized the American
democratic system and politicians.
In 1957, Ferlinghetti received his first national attention.
Ferlinghetti was arrested and brought to trial as the publisher of a collection
of obscene poetry, Howl and Other Poems by Allen Ginsberg (Alspaugh 1148).
Eventually he was cleared of the charges of “publishing and sale of obscene
writings.” Since his involvement in the obscenity trial, Ferlinghetti became
quite cynical of the government. After the trial ended, Lawrence Ferlinghetti
canceled all government grants coming to him and to any writers under his
publishing house. Currently he still disallows the acceptance of government
grants to any of his writers (Alspaugh 1146). Economically speaking,
Ferlinghetti did benefit from the trial. The publicity created by the trial
attracted new names to New Directions Publishing. The publicity also was great
enough to propel ...

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“
Don't be deceived / It's all based on the two party system / which doesn't allow
much freedom of choice.” The phrase where Ferlinghetti's word choice begins to
hint a theme other than a parody of an underwear advertisement is “...promising
full freedom of action.” Specifically, the choice of the word “freedom” as
opposed to “elasticity” or “range” is ambiguous. In the lines which follow,
Ferlinghetti makes it clear that he is criticizing the government. The reader
is blatantly warned not to “...be deceived / It's all based on the two-party
system / which doesn't allow much freedom of choice.” In this passage, Lawrence
Ferlinghetti is clearly stating what is wrong with the ...

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Lawrence Ferlinghetti's Politics. (2004, February 23). Retrieved January 17, 2026, from http://www.essayworld.com/essays/Lawrence-Ferlinghettis-Politics/3492

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PAPER DETAILS

Added: 2/23/2004 02:45:45 AM
Category: Poetry & Poets
Type: Premium Paper
Words: 1659
Pages: 7

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