On the Road Into the Wild: Jack Kerouac (1922-1969) and Christopher McCandless (1968-1922)

On the Road Into the Wild: Jack Kerouac (1922-1969) and Christopher McCandless (1968-1922)

11/14/07

I heard recently on the radio that this fall was the fiftieth anniversary of the publication of On the Road, the most famous of Jack Kerouac’s novels. This book supposedly defined what came to be known as the Beat Generation, and for the rest of his career Kerouac carried the mantle, and the burden, of being its spokesman. Spending all his energy on being a public figure was toxic to this shy and sensitive observer of life in post World War II America, and he never wrote anything that compared after that.

Though I heard some noise about “beatniks,” and had seen Maynard G. Krebs on The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis, I did not really care about who beatniks were or what their philosophy might be. I was seven when On the Road was published, but when I was 18 it was as if it had just been written for me. I dreamed of the romance of setting out on a wild adventure in a carload of crazy companeros (and some young women at various times along the way), transcontinental drives spanning the breadth of America, even turning South to Mexico where the holy spirits of the Maya and native Americans prowled the land and the dusty cities, and where beautiful mestizo girls were waiting.

These big plans devolved into a fairly pathetic trip with my then 15 year old brother who my parents recklessly permitted to fly from Chicago on this trip from Colorado through El Paso through the dry flatlands and then crossing the mountains to Mazatlan, where we were briefly detained by police for sleeping in my new 1971 Datsun 510 wagon until we paid them a few pesos ransom. We crossed Mexico, visited Guadalajara, went to some bullfights, took a dip into the tropics at Vera Cruz where we had the best orange juice ever, and turned around heading back home.

Later, living in Denver, I took lodging off Colfax Street, a skid row immortalized in other Kerouac writings, where in the morning I literally stepped over winos passed out in the apartment lobby. In my third-floor walkup, I sat writing something of my own, a novel consisting of a thinly disguised account of the 24 years in a fairly uneventful life.

Eventually I understood that half-assed efforts of aping a character out of Kerouac was, ultimately, unproductive, unauthentic, and pathetic, and I went about my life in the usual way: making stupid decisions, being pushed to and fro by fortune, by others to whom I yielded power, or by my own willfulness or stubbornness. Somehow, some good things came of this. Still, when I realized that this was the fiftieth anniversary of On the Road, I realized there was still something compelling about it. What was it?

I was (and am at heart) a midwesterner, rootless on the prairie. When I was a child in bed in the dark and silence, out of my window I could hear the moaning of traffic on the highways, the incessant motion across the middle of America. Here the land lay flat and the horizon, for Kerouac and for me, always brought out speculation, thought, and imagination. In such a moment Kerouac wrote tellingly that “in Iowa I know by now the children must be crying in the land where they let the children cry” and
. . . the evening star must be drooping and shedding her sparkler dims on the prairie, which is just before the coming of complete night that blesses the earth, darkens all rivers, cups the peaks and folds the final shore in, and nobody, nobody knows what’s going to happen to anybody besides the forlorn rags of growing old, I think of Dean Moriarty, I even think of Old Dean Moriarty the father we never found, I think of Dean Moriarty.
Kerouac’s quest is, therefore, a quest for the father, attempted in the company of the character Dean Moriarty (alter ego for Neal Cassady), as well as his other companions. I’m embarrassed that by now I did not appreciate in On the Road the obvious themes of the lost father, and the lost brothers, and the meaning of friendship between men. But recalling how densely packed the novel is with these themes, I now understand why I still admire Kerouac for pursuing his art and vision so passionately and truthfully.

The film Into the Wild recounts the life of Christopher McCandless, a Gen X’r two generations removed from Kerouac. Like Kerouac, McCandless pursued an adventure that perhaps also teaches about the changes in our society and its effect on men. McCandless disdained the values of society, particularly the status-seeking materialism associated with privileged men, and sought his own masculinity in a struggle against the forces of nature. In this quest, he met several men who were mentors to him: one for whom he worked in the Dakotas; another who was a hippie/dropout mentor in Colorado; and an older lonely “grandfather” in Arizona/New Mexico. He could only tolerate these relationships for short periods, and, after weeks or months, always moved on in pursuit of his Alaskan survival adventure, wherein he would face the forces of nature and survival naked: without knowledge, without help, without preparation, as if reborn in an even more hostile world than he was as an infant. McCandless, unfortunately, got probably more adventure than he bargained for, and had no opportunity to learn anything from his experience.

In his lonely pursuit of autonomy, even a grandiose confrontation with forces of nature, McCandless pursued self knowledge by isolation, by throwing himself back upon himself, in a vain attempt to be his own father. Kerouac, on the other hand, sought masculinity in comradeship, admiration, and companionship of other men.

Is it possible that Kerouac exhibits a sort of attachment and deference to the community of men that began to erode with the end of World War II? Is it possible that his expedition on the road was a swan song to, for instance, universal mobilization of men in a great cause; to hobo jungles, friendly wanderers, circuit-riding preachers, medicine hawkers; to lodges and fraternal orders; to lifelong friendships, trade union guilds, apprenticeships, and other institutions attaching men to one another and to society?

Is it possible that McCandless manifested a detachment and scorn for what others might offer? Is it possible that, because of injuries at the hands of the few men/mentors he had ever known, he lived in fear of other men for the rest of his young life? Is it possible that his ill-fated (and ultimately suicidal) trip into Alaska was, in fact, a suicide caused, in part, by the deep void in the heart of a young man with the soul of a lion?

Now question where that leaves some of us, boomers (there I said the dreaded word) born between 1922 and 1968? If the simplest explanation is most often the best first guess, it probably lies between these two extremes. When we gather, when we speak about our experiences in discovering ourselves as men, when we go to the wilderness either alone or with our brothers, we are behaving, in some ways, like each of these men. Unlike each of these men, both of whom came to unhappy ends, we have the power, and the privilege, to overcome isolation, apathy, greed, self-centeredness, materialism, soullessness, fear, if only we open ourselves to each other.

I say let’s do that, now.

Vaughn Clauson

The Joshua Project Rite-of-Passage (July 27 - August 3)

The
Joshua Project
Summer 2008

Rite-of-Passage Encampment
(July 27-August 3)

held at Anita-Alta 4-H Outpost Camp, near Lenoir, NC

This encampment is specifically designed for young men to mark entry into manhood, and is open to young men (ages 13 to 19, with parental consent). The week will consists of community living in a natural environment, daily experiential curriculum into the four archetypes of mature masculinity (King, Warrior, Magician, Lover), drumming, art,
and culminating in a 24-hour solo Vision Fast, and welcome ritual by a community of men.

Cost for Eight-day camp-$730 registration due by July 15, participants limited
Final weekend, Fri eve - Sun 1pm (Aug 1-3), adult men-$150, registration due by July 25
Some scholarship money presently available

Lodging will be platform tents, provided, or bring your own. Also each person will need bedroll/sleeping bag
Needs lists sent after registration. Also transportation coordinated

Checks made payable to The Joshua Project and sent to 3214 Stoneybrook Rd.; Charlotte, NC 28205
Tax-deductible donations made to Triangle Men's Center - JP Scholarships (same address)
For more info phone Philip Loydpierson, Director @ 704-342-3456 or email ploydpierson@carolina.rr.com
Visit our new website @ http://www.joshua-project.us/

Mission:
The Joshua Project is dedicated to fostering soulful communities of men for the purpose of providing meaningful
rites-of passage experiences for boys coming into manhood and exploring the meaning of mature masculinity

Drum Building Workshop with Tom Harris

Honey in the Heart Drum Company
Date: August 9 - 10, 2008
Raleigh, NC
Drum Building Workshop

Join Tom Harris for an exciting weekend of drum building. During this two day workshop, participants will be introduced to the joy of building a West African drum. All tools and materials are provided. Choose one of the following drums to build:

Ashiko - this Nigerian hand drum is a tapered cylinder with a goat skin across the large end. Dimensions are 12'” x 7" x 26". The drum shell is made from 18 wooden staves. The head is mounted using the Mali weave.

Dun Dun or Sangban - These Malinke drums form the bottom of the djembe ensemble. They are built Guinea style - Dun Duns are 15"x27", and Sangbans are 12"x22". They are constructed of 27 and 21 wooden staves, respectively. They have thick West African cow skins for heads and are played with a stick.

Djembe - The shells for this Malinke drum are from the Ivory Coast. Drum shells are imported, and participants re-finish them and mount the heads on themselves. New rings, rope and goat skins are provided.

This weekend workshop is intense and joyful. While Tom is able to share the experience and skill he has acquired from building over 1000 drums since 1996, each person is faced with a significant challenge to bring their first drum to completion. Most people finish the weekend feeling a deep sense of satisfaction while also feeling like they have finished the equivalent of a marathon. It is also a strong bonding experience for the participants who have shared this process.

Saturday

9:00 AM - 12:00 PM - Sand drum shells through 60, 100, 150 and 220 grit sandpaper, put three coats of finishing oil followed by several coats of paste wax.

1:00 PM - 4:00 PM (app) Wrap rings with fabric, tie cradle loops around rings, lace on skins, pre-tighten skins and level rings, shave heads, make tuning spikes.

Sunday

9:00 AM - 12:00 PM Pull vertical ropes tight, tie diamonds to tune the drum, re-shave head, add handle and strap.

Drum Order Form

Workshop Date: August 9 - 10, 2008, _____

Name________________________________________________________


Address______________________________________________________


Phone_______________________ Email____________________


Drum Type (except for djembe, indicate paduk (bright orange), purple heart, bloodwood, cherry or black walnut for wood)

Wood Type

Ashiko ________ $240 _____________

Super Dununba $475 _____________ (18”x36”)

Dununba _______ $395 _____________ (15 1/2” x27”)

Sangban _______ $375 _____________

Kenkini_________ $350 _____________

Djembe _______ $340



For more information, contact:

Tom Harris
5014 Lakemont Drive
Douglasville, GA 30135
cell – 770-843-3556
email tomharris57@comcast.net

Random notes to kick things off

Welcome everyone to the new TMC blog.
I'm going to start off with a few random notes to get things started and hopefully there will be something you would like to comment on.

I have been listening to a lot of podcasts at work lately. One that I keep coming back to is the Bill Moyers "Journal" podcast of August 31, 2007 when Robert Bly was a guest. Bill asked Bly to read this poem:

Think in ways you have never thought before.
If a phone rings think of it as carrying a message
larger than anything you have ever heard
vaster than a hundred lines of Yates
Think that someone may bring a bear to your door
maybe wounded or deranged.
And think that a moose has risen out of the lake
and he is carrying on his antlers a child of your own
whom you have never seen.
When someone knocks on the door
think that he is about to give you something large
tell you, you are forgiven.
Or that it is not necessary to work all the time.
Or that it has been decided that if you lie down no one will die.

The image of being forgiven by a stranger for things he may no nothing about touches a tender part of me. As a father of a 6 and 4 year old, I beat myself up at times regarding my behavior with the kids. The men in my support group play the role of that man at the door - ready to forgive me.

John Lee, of Flying Boy fame, has recently released a recording of his poetry accompanied by pianist Gary Powell. It is titled Thunderstorm in Mentone. I listened, via iTunes, to samples of a number of tracks. It is very accessible. 'Conversational' seems like an appropriate description. There is something about John's gravely voice that is very soothing for me. Here is a snippet of "Holding On":

what holds on to me in winter
a poker perhaps to poke
to stir the fire
a pen that turns empty white paper
into a prayer for some company
every morning I sit down by the fire
I see the poker by my hand
the pen on the table
and outside, ...

and "Letters":

your eyes spoke your desire
and your scent said what my whole life longed for
as we lay there in half darkness
I understood prayer in a way I never had before

Speaking of John Lee, he will be celebrating the 15th annual Menton Men's Gathering this year on November 7 - 9 in Mentone Alabama. I went to this event in 2006. It was unforgettable. This year it will be Robert Bly, Malidoma Somé, PhD, River Guergerian and Vijay Director. The cost is $325. That is steep for most (I know it is for me), but the memories I have of it are motivating me to start saving. It fills up quick so you would want to register by around September. Here is a picture from 2006 of John Lee, Bly and Robert Moore.



That's it for now. See you all in cyberspace. Be well.
Ethan

Introduction To The Triangle Men's Center Blog

The Mission -

The mission of the Triangle Men's Center is to provide a safe place in which men can support men in becoming themselves. We are committed to strengthening men's roles as friend, son, father, husband/partner and citizen. The Men's Center is committed to strengthening the individual, the family and the community.

The Vision -

The vision of the Triangle Men's Center is to create a vibrant and diverse culture of healthy men.

---

History of The Triangle Men's Center

The Triangle Men's Center (TMC), which began as the Raleigh Men's Center in 1986, is an all-volunteer service organization dedicated to promoting the wholeness and well-being of men. It grew out of a series of informal discussions culminating in two meetings at Raleigh's YMCA in November, 1986 to determine interest in a "men's center". The success of the Women's Center of Raleigh, and the lack of a comparable program for men as well as a growing national focus on men's issues, fueled this interest. Doug Lester, Fred Stephens, and Doug Jennette were at the first organizational meeting along with approximately 30 other men. Fred had experienced men's gatherings with Robert Bly in California, and offered a mytho-poetic perspective/experience to the meeting. Several men were interested in support groups, and others wanted to form an organization to address different needs of men in the community.

By early l987, the formal organization was underway with efforts toward incorporation, by-laws, and creation of a board of directors. Doug Jennette served as the first President of the TMC and participated in the bi-weekly discussion/programs held at the old United Way headquarters on Wake Forest Road in Raleigh, NC. Doug Lester and Doug Jennette attended a men's gathering in spring, 1987 and the Minnesota Men's Conference in fall, 1987 where they encountered Robert Bly, Michael Mead, and James Hillman. This led to the first major TMC event in the spring of 1988, an evening poetry reading at Meredith College and day-long men's gathering with Robert Bly at Camp Durant in Raleigh, with about 150 men attending.

The late 1980s into the mid-1990s saw TMC sponsor weekend retreats with leaders such as Michael Mead, Tom Daly, David Schiffman, and Robert Bly. Fred Stephens produced a number of week-long Southeastern Men's Conferences with leaders like Robert Bly, Michael Mead, James Hillman, Robert Moore, and John Stokes, which were independent from, but complemented TMC activities. TMC support groups grew in number, and monthly programs flourished. A Fall Feast retreat and Ritual Group were added later. In 1996, a North Carolina Annual Gathering of Men was started, co-sponsored with the Men's Council of the Triad.

The inspiration for the Annual Gathering of Men came from an Elders Group headed by Doug Lester. The idea was that the Triangle and Triad areas of NC had experienced men who could produce a weekend retreat with local talent for workshops, large group process, poetry, and ritual without importing big names from the national scene. The success of the Annual Gathering, held each year since 1996, demonstrates the accuracy of that initial assessment.