Naked Lunch

I wish it were possible to highlight more than one star, especially for books that are actually collections of short stories, episodes, vignettes, and whatnot.

Naked Lunch has always held a mystique for me, especially since so many bands hearkened to it. However, if it hadn't been one of the books picked by a circle of friends to read together, I don't know when I'd have picked it up.

My first impression of this menagerie was--I am so sorry I tried to read this on my lunch break. Do not do that. First off, there's not enough time, and second--the imagery is rather gross in spots. Also, while some episodes are obviously meant to be funny, I found them too over-the-top. A scalpel fight in an operating room is too much for me, but the talking asshole--that was funny.

Because this was written before my time, influencing a generation about twenty years my senior, it may be that it's impossible for me to fully understand the impact it had. In some ways, I get its relevance; this drug-induced collection of nightmares reflects a world that is cruel, violent, scary, misogynist, homophobic, and racist. Unfortunately, it still is. The way Burroughs conveys this still has shock value.

This is no easy read. Since Burroughs has written a lot more than this, it may have been unfortunate that I've started here. I'll no doubt read more of his work, and I'm glad that I finally experienced this one.

Como saber que es que? donde comienza la realidad y termina en fantasia? Que tipo de lectura le das?

Estas preguntas me las formule mientras mis ojos pasaban por las paginas de El almuerzo desnudo, una novela rica, diferente, y que, en una manera que considero no todos lograran entender, muy critica, humorística y sarcástico, nos muestra los errores y horrores de la humanidad, siempre exagerando los hechos, mezclando todo con una fantasía que no se parece a nada que tu hayas tenido la oportunidad de leer.

El libro usa una técnica llamada cut-up, la cual, al finalizar cada capitulo el autor cortaba las lineas para reordenarlas y generar un nuevo orden, dando así, solo impresiones, cada parte mezclado es una imagen que asemeje mucho a la manera como la poesía funciona, solo imágenes, fragmentos, se supone que al terminar el texto, lograras comprender, unir en tu mente todas las imágenes y generar el todo de la novela.

Cada capitulo que conforma el volumen puede ser leído de manera independiente en cualquier orden y solo son partes de un historia sobre un ser que va a Interzonas, y demás. Pasando eso a un segundo plano, las metaforas, imagenes y critica de la novela es lo que hacen de esta un joya de la literatura Estadounidense que, todos, deben, pero no pueden leer.

Hermosa, viva, critica, radiante, como es la literatura.

In a complex and disturbing string of events, William Lee finds himself fleeing from the police. While on the run, this drug addict finds himself journeying across the United States and into Mexico. His travels lead him into the underground world of both drug and homosexual culture. The counter story revolves around the use of mind control by the government and psychiatrists to manipulate and direct the public.

Considered one of the most important novels of the twentieth century, William S. Burroughs’ Naked Lunch is a bizarre cut up narrative protesting the death penalty. You got that the book was trying to do that from the synopsis right? Naked Lunch is a non-linear narrative that does make it really difficult to summarise the plot. Burroughs is famously known for his cut-up narrative; which is a literary technique that can be traced back to the Dadaists in the 1920s. For more information about Burroughs and cut-up check out my post called William S. Burroughs & Surrealist Writing Methods.

The book looks into two key groups; the drug and homosexual subcultures. The two unite early in the novel by the narrator but are never mutually exclusive. At the start of the book William Lee believes he will be punished more harshly for his involvement in homosexual activities than using and selling illegal drugs, which is really sad to think that people are being still victimised over their sexuality and drugs have just become socially acceptable.

Then the subplot largely focuses on the way in which psychotherapy combines with the government to institute mind control. Dr Benway experiments on ways to manipulate the minds of his patients in order to further his research. With no ethical consideration, he often changes his patient’s sexual identity and then tries to cure them. He also creates a mental controlling device for the towns as a way to use the population for his sadistic experiments and put them through psychological torture. Many of these experimental towns are based on the utopian idea and Burroughs like to explore the problems with the idea in a rather sinister way.

So how is this novel a protest to the death penalty? Well that would be in the same way Jonathan Swift’s Modest Proposal ideals with economics. William S. Burroughs uses Juvenalian satire to highlight the barbaric, disgusting and anachronism of capital punishment. While the sex in Naked Lunch can be considered as mutual satisfaction sometimes, it is also used as a metaphor (especially in the more violent sexual acts) for defeating an enemy, self serving idol worshipping and capital punishment. The results of these metaphors are often confusing, shocking, taboo and sickening. Sex is a powerful tool with this novel and while it does look at sex and relationships in a positive way (rarely), the majority is used to symbolise the dark and cynical themes within the book.

William Lee is obviously William S. Burroughs alter ego and the book can be read as a semi-autobiographical novel through a serious drug addiction but like Infinite Jest there is so much more going on. This book did remind me a lot of Infinite Jest; not just with how it dealt with drug addiction but the way it used very dark themes to look at other social issues. William S. Burroughs had a similar experience to the narrator, taking trips around the world in order to avoid being arrested. Even the addition and sexual experimentation is similar to the authors own experiences, as part of his attempts to separate himself from mainstream culture. William S. Burroughs is a fascinating man and I’m interested to learn/blog more about him.

I’m not sure what the difference between the original and restored text but I did read the restored edition. While this was a really weird and somewhat difficult book to get though there is so many interesting themes to explore that I feel very satisfied by completing this novel. It is disturbing and some of it will make you feel sick to your stomach and I can understand why people hate this book. This is a really intense novel that will drain you emotionally and mentally. The book is full of violent and graphic sex, so it will never be for everyone but I can see why it is an important novel, not just because of the obscenity trial but also for all the themes.

I’ve not read many Beat novels in my life, I think On the Road was the only other one but I do like the gritty and surreal approach both books take. I’m not sure if this is a major theme for all beat novels but if so, I will have to read more. I doubt I’ll ever return to Naked Lunch simply because of how disturbing some of the scenes are but I know I can be completely satisfied with having read this one and judging by this review, I can also take comfort in the fact I was able to pick it apart and understand some of the themes.

This review originally appeared on my blog; literary-exploration.com/2013/06/14/book-review-naked-lunch/