Jump to content

Visions of Gerard

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

This is an old revision of this page, as edited by Ptbuddha (talk | contribs) at 14:03, 22 November 2007 (→‎Explanation of the novel's title). The present address (URL) is a permanent link to this revision, which may differ significantly from the current revision.

Visions of Gerard
Visions of Gerard cover
AuthorJack Kerouac
LanguageEnglish
GenreNovel
PublisherFarrar, Straus and Company
Publication date
1963
Publication placeUnited States
Media typePrint (Hardback & Paperback)
Pages144 pp
ISBNISBN 0-14-014452-8 Parameter error in {{ISBNT}}: invalid character
Preceded byBig Sur
(1962) 
Followed byDesolation 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.

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.

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

--Ptbuddha (talk) 14:00, 22 November 2007 (UTC)

References

  1. ^ Sandison, Daivd. Jeck Kerouac: An Illustrated Biography. Chicago: Chicago Review Press. 1999
  2. ^ Kerouac, Jack. Visions of Cody. London and New York: Penguin Books Ltd. 1993.