Discussion Moderator Analysis
By: Rachel McGrain and Stephanie Martinez
Howl by Allen Ginsberg
Some of the first annotations shared by our peers revealed a trend in Allen Ginsberg’s poem Howl, through the excessive drug use and abuse references he makes. Throughout his entire poem Ginsberg commonly explores the mindset of a drug user, and the effects the drugs are having on societies outcasts or drug abusers. Bnawoichik poignantly states their point of view on why people might be using drugs, and what they are doing to the user by commenting “I think that he is illustrating the influence of drugs on the brain here. He is explaining users who have come down from their highs – their brains now “drained of brilliance”. This relates back to the first few lines in this poem, where he is talking about great minds being destroyed by madness and “looking for an angry fix” https://hypothes.is/a/AVO1txVXH9ZO4OKSlaIe. Additionally, Ginsberg repeatedly mentions these drug abusers as common characters in this poem who are characterized by poverty, mental illness, and desperation. Ebortz summarized one of Ginsberg’s characters well when they state,
“The person here, I believe is so drugged out that he walks around even after destroying his feet and all that still matters is to find some more drugs” https://hypothes.is/a/AVPAT2SjH9ZO4OKSlcJo
Another common theme which was frequently commented on in the class annotations was a rhetorical strategy of Ginsberg, who uses many characters to highlight those in society who are considered “different” or downtrodden. Alongside the drug users, many other suffering characters are mentioned. Vsalinas states “I think that Allen Ginsberg is talking about the people who not fit in the “normal” society, the people who society believes are different” https://hypothes.is/a/AVO6w4TaH9ZO4OKSlaz1. These characters are often victims of seemingly mental illness and drug abuse, and Vsalinas hypothesis on this connection is “that by doing drugs and alcohol they are trying to forget the feeling they get for not being accepted by the society or being consider different” https://hypothes.is/a/AVO6zAnhH9ZO4OKSla0X.
Lastly, a common theme found among student annotations was on Ginsberg’s recurring discussion of a negative energy or spirituality. He brings up the word “Moloch” a number of times throughout his piece which by definition refers to a deity whose worship is displayed by an appalling sacrifice. Ginsberg may be using such a term as the sacrifice he feels is made by individuals on a daily basis in terms of capitalism, industry, and culture.
In a much bigger picture, as bnawoichik states, they feel that “Moloch is a representation of societal pressure and all negativity in the world.” https://hypothes.is/a/AVO4318qH9ZO4OKSlaZK Meaning Allen Ginsberg’s Howl delves into a much darker form of spiritualtiy that we’ve seen this semester. He to an extent refers to society as sacrificing their best selves for materialistic item and societal standards. In closing, Ginsberg refers to this dark form of spirituality known as “Moloch” as a way to bring to surface how meaningless certain materialistic things are and how they are fitishized in modern day society, hoping to bring perspective to individuals on the things that really matter and the things that don’t.