FAS 170 - Transnational Beat, Jack Kerouac

Jack Kerouac has often been studied as the quintessential American writer. Yet Jack Kerouac was the son of French Canadian immigrants, spoke only French until he was six, wrote an early draft of his famous On the Road in French, sprinkled passages in French throughout all his writing and cited French writers as important inspirations. This course will explore the ways in which Kerouac straddle cultures and how this transnationalism infects, determines and interrupts both the content and the style of his writings. We will read excerpts of Kerouac’s lesser-known writings, some of his writings in French (in translation) and of course parts of On the Road. This class will run as a seminar; no prior knowledge of French is required.

General Education Requirements: Western Cultural Tradition and Cultural Diversity and International Perspectives

Course Typically Offered: Spring

Credits: 3