The Dharma Bums (1958) (edit title/settings)

Ridiculously Simplified Synopsis edit

Write a ridiculously simplified synopsis.

Characters/People edit see section history

• Ray Smith: Actually, Jack Kerouac.
• Japhy Ryder: Actually, Gary Snyder.
• Henry Morley: Actually, John Montgomery.
• Cody Pomeray: Actually, Neal Cassady.
• Alvah: Actually, Allen Ginsberg.
• Sean Monahan: Add a description of this character.
• Warren Coughlin
• Christine
• Rosie
• Bud
• Han Shan
• Dharma
• Saint Teresa
• Hershey
• Burnie Byers
• Wally
• Rhoda
• Bob
• El Paso

Quotes edit see section history

• “All over the West, and the mountains in the East, and the desert, I'll tramp with a rucksack and make it the pure way.”

• Popular Highlights from Kindle Customers

• “Practice charity without holding in mind any conceptions about charity, for charity after all is just a word.”

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• scene—colleges being nothing but grooming schools for the middle-class nonidentity which usually finds its perfect expression on the outskirts of the campus in rows of well-to-do houses with lawns and television sets in each living room with everybody looking at the same thing and thinking the same thing at the same time while the Japhies of the world go prowling in the wilderness to hear the voice crying in the wilderness, to find the ecstasy of the stars, to find the dark mysterious secret of the origin of faceless wonderless crapulous civilization.

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• But let the mind beware, that though the flesh be bugged, the circumstances of existence are pretty glorious.

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• The woods do that to you, they always look familiar, long lost, like the face of a long-dead relative, like an old dream, like a piece of forgotten song drifting across the water, most of all like golden eternities of past childhood or past manhood and all the living and the dying and the heartbreak that went on a million years ago and the clouds as they pass overhead seem to testify (by their own lonesome familiarity) to this feeling.

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• People have good hearts whether or not they live like Dharma Bums. Compassion is the heart of Buddhism.”

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• “Everything is possible. I am God, I am Buddha, I am imperfect Ray Smith, all at the same time, I am empty space, I am all things. I have all the time in the world from life to life to do what is to do, to do what is done, to do the timeless doing, infinitely perfect within, why cry, why worry, perfect like mind essence and the minds of banana peels”

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• Are we fallen angels who didn’t want to believe that nothing is nothing and so were born to lose our loved ones and dear friends one by one and finally our own life, to see it proved?…But

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• “Smith you don’t realize it’s a privilege to practice giving presents to others.” The way he did it was charming; there was nothing glittery and Christmasy about it, but almost sad, and sometimes his gifts were old beat-up things but they had the charm of usefulness and sadness of his giving.

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• Lankavatara Scripture which eventually shows you that there’s nothing in the world but the mind itself, and therefore all’s possible including the suppression of suffering.)

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• “Better to sleep in an uncomfortable bed free, than sleep in a comfortable bed unfree.”

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First Sentence edit see section history

Series & Lists edit see section history

Preceded by The Swiss Family Robinson, and followed by The Iliad / The Odyssey.

Authors & Contributors edit see section history

1. Jack Kerouac (Author)

First Edition edit see section history

Classification edit see section history

• Library of Congress: Add the Library of Congress Classification.
• Dewey: 813.54

Subjects edit see section history

• Books › Literature & Fiction › Authors, A-Z › ( K ) › Kerouac, Jack
• Books › Literature & Fiction › History & Criticism › Movements & Periods › Beat Generation
• Books › Literature & Fiction › Genre Fiction › Action & Adventure
• Books › Literature & Fiction › Literary
• Books › Literature & Fiction › Contemporary

More Books Like This edit see section history

Books That Cite This Book edit see section history