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Naked Lunch by William S. Burroughs (Book Analysis): Detailed Summary, Analysis and Reading Guide
Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
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Unlock the more straightforward side of Naked Lunch with this concise and insightful summary and analysis!
This engaging summary presents an analysis of Naked Lunch by William S. Burroughs, a seminal work of literature associated with the Beat Generation. It tells the story of a drug addict’s bizarre experiences in a dreamlike landscape, which is populated by grotesque creatures known as Mugwumps, and where taboo acts such as rape and murder are committed constantly with no consequences. Naked Lunch is one of the best-known works by William S. Burroughs, largely due to its reputation as one of the most ‘obscene’ pieces of literature ever published. Burroughs was even taken to court over it, but his eventual victory in that trial actually played a key role in the overturning of American obscenity laws.
Find out everything you need to know about Naked Lunch in a fraction of the time!
This in-depth and informative reading guide brings you:
• A complete plot summary
• Character studies
• Key themes and symbols
• Questions for further reflection
Why choose BrightSummaries.com?
Available in print and digital format, our publications are designed to accompany you on your reading journey. The clear and concise style makes for easy understanding, providing the perfect opportunity to improve your literary knowledge in no time.
See the very best of literature in a whole new light with BrightSummaries.com!
This engaging summary presents an analysis of Naked Lunch by William S. Burroughs, a seminal work of literature associated with the Beat Generation. It tells the story of a drug addict’s bizarre experiences in a dreamlike landscape, which is populated by grotesque creatures known as Mugwumps, and where taboo acts such as rape and murder are committed constantly with no consequences. Naked Lunch is one of the best-known works by William S. Burroughs, largely due to its reputation as one of the most ‘obscene’ pieces of literature ever published. Burroughs was even taken to court over it, but his eventual victory in that trial actually played a key role in the overturning of American obscenity laws.
Find out everything you need to know about Naked Lunch in a fraction of the time!
This in-depth and informative reading guide brings you:
• A complete plot summary
• Character studies
• Key themes and symbols
• Questions for further reflection
Why choose BrightSummaries.com?
Available in print and digital format, our publications are designed to accompany you on your reading journey. The clear and concise style makes for easy understanding, providing the perfect opportunity to improve your literary knowledge in no time.
See the very best of literature in a whole new light with BrightSummaries.com!
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Reviews for Naked Lunch by William S. Burroughs (Book Analysis)
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Naked Lunch by William S. Burroughs (Book Analysis) - Bright Summaries
AMERICAN WRITER
Born in St. Louis, Missouri (United States) in 1914.
Died in Lawrence, Kansas (United States) in 1997.
Notable works:
Junkie (1953), novel
The Soft Machine (1961), novel
Cities of the Red Night (1981), novel
A key figure of the Beat Generation literary movement, along with Allen Ginsberg (American poet, 1926-1997) and Jack Kerouac (American writer, 1922-1969), Burroughs is renowned for his unflinchingly graphic prose addressing a range of topics considered taboo at that time, from his homosexuality to his experiences on the wrong side of the law, specifically in relation to drugs. Following a privileged upbringing in St. Louis, Missouri and studies in English and later anthropology at Harvard University, Burroughs fell into a life of drug addiction and crime, both of which feature amongst the central themes of his work. Junkie (1953) is his first published novel, preluding his seminal and most celebrated Naked Lunch (1959), both of which are considered semi-autobiographical. Burroughs’ legacy has endured long after his sudden death in 1997, following a heart attack: he is often credited with bringing about significant change to the United States’ once rigid Obscenity Laws through his unapologetically ‘obscene’ works, and many musicians have
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