Visions of Gerard
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Visions of Gerard | |
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| Author | Jack Kerouac |
|---|---|
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Genre(s) | Novel |
| Publisher | Farrar, Straus and Company |
| Publication date | 1963 |
| Media type | Print (Hardback & Paperback) |
| Pages | 144 pp |
| ISBN | ISBN 0-14-014452-8 |
| Preceded by | Big Sur (1962) |
| Followed by | Desolation Angels (1965) |
Visions of Gerard is a 1963 novel by American Beat writer Jack Kerouac. Unique among Kerouac's novels, Visions of Gerard focuses on the scenes and sensations of childhood as evidenced in the tragically short yet happy life of his older brother, Gerard. Kerouac paints a picture of the boy as a saint, who loves all creatures and teaches this doctrine to four-year-old Jack. Set in Kerouac's hometown of Lowell, Massachusetts, it is a beautiful but unsettling exploration of the meaning and precariousness of existence.
[edit] Explanation of the novel's title
The novel inspired, in the very least, the title of Bob Dylan's song Visions of Johanna on his 1966 album Blonde on Blonde.
[edit] Character Key [1]
"Because of the objections of my early publishers I was not allowed to use the same personae names in each work." [2]
| Real-life person | Character name |
|---|---|
| Jack Kerouac | Jack Duluoz |
| Leo Kerouac | Emil "Pop" Duluoz |
| Gerard Kerouac | Gerard Duluoz |
[edit] References
- ^ Sandison, Daivd. Jeck Kerouac: An Illustrated Biography. Chicago: Chicago Review Press. 1999
- ^ Kerouac, Jack. Visions of Cody. London and New York: Penguin Books Ltd. 1993.
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