The Darma bums

             Jack  Kerouac  is no longer  so unknown  to me. I already read "hippos"  and  I'm  finishing  "The Dharma Bums". This last one  seems much better.  It's  an amusing  reading. Particularly I like it very much. There is a taste, a special  flavor  when  we find meaning  in life. As if suddenly  something falls  into place  within us. A sense  thant  both  ends  of a circuit  are  interconnected, and then  what  was once  empty  is now filled in a consistent manner. I think  the excerpt  below  illustrates  what I tried  to express.

             Chapter 9

  

            "Seguimos  em frente,  e me senti  imensamente feliz  pelo fato  de a trilha ter uma espécie  de  aparência  imortal, naquele  já  começo  de tarde, pelo modo  como a encosta  coberta  de capim da colina  parecia estar imersa  em uma nuvem  de pó de ouro  antigo, e os  insetos  se agitavam  sobre as pedras  e o vento suspirava  em passos de dança brilhantes  sobre as rochas  aquecidas, e pela maneira  como a trilha  de repente  entrava   em uma parte  fresca  e sombreada  com árvores altas que se erguiam, e ali a luz  era mais  profunda."

            The conflict  and criticism have their place. Dense novels  are interesting  and can  be quite  rich.  But what  would  become  of  us  poor  readers, if  occasionally someone  does not  remember  writing  a  book  that just to  amuse?  Lightness, joy and  pleasure  do not compromise  the  aesthetic quality  ( damn,  I think  some authors  think so.)

           In both  novel environment  is very  important, since  it almost does change.  Thus it is like the  color  of the narrative. In "The Dharma  bums"  lush  and  green  of   mountains  was a happy  choice.  I confess  I  found  the pilgrimage  from bar to bar, in "hippos" , a little  cloying. Result  perhaps   of a certain  peeve  of mine with  respect  to bars.

           As far as I  understood  the theme  of the book is  something  we can  call  happiness  or at least  well-being. It is not a recipe.  He does  not say: "Dear reader,  go to  mountains and you will be happy",  his  statement is:  " I'm happy  on a mountain ,  I'm  happy  doing  this and that." This is to be happy  for him.  Ray Smith  is happy as he want or can. Afterthought, this is the opposite of  recommendations  or  doctrines, or whatnot.  Happinnes  is so personal, so personal,  that can only be a person  with  herself. The main characters are wandering  vagabond  who live  in a shack, not  believing  in money,  employment, social status, etc.  Although  the criticism  against  these values  was  profound, there isn't a literary  construction  with this speech.  Literally, Kerouac  does not take  this path,  which  could result  in a  repetitive text and  perhaps  without  impact. Fortunately,  here in  this corner,  the text  takes a detour timely  and forget this part. After all, who  can  define  what is appropriate,  right  or wrong  in this life? Who  will have  answers to our  dillemas of any  nature? There  are people everywhere around  happy  or  unhappy being vagabonds wanders, bourgeois, mystics, materialists, etc. And also  I can't  add to this   happiness of Smith  and Japhy what they  have never said:  that happiness is not to cry,  do not pass needs, not have a life full  of  loopholes. These characters, in contrast, do not keep many  expectations to live in this situation.  This would be before  accomodation than  happiness.

          The mains characters, Ray  Smith and Japhy Ryder, report  an  adherence to  Buddhism, Nirvana wish,  and called  themselves  "Dharma Bums".

           I begin  to think  that perhaps  the Beatnik literature  preaches  live as a great religion  or philosophy. And  in this religion  there are  moments  where we see that  there are  no answers. Or at least they are not ready,   far less  an  answer  may  serve for all.

The Dharma Bums

Jack Kerouac