5 QUESTIONS REGARDING THE FINAL PAPER

TOPIC- THE ROLES OF SEXUALITY IN SAN FRANCISCO

a) What is the topic you are interested in pursuing and why?
The topic my group is interested to pursue for our paper is the role sexuality plays in San francisco. The reason behind choosing this topic is because there are many references in Braughtigan and Howl on how the people of San Francisco express their sexuality and the way gender roles impact SF's society.
b) How does this topic relate to San Francisco materials or frameworks read for the course? Which of the readings are particularly relevant to this topic?
The role of sexuality is one of the most significant impacts on San Francisco's culture. In Richard Braughtigan's "The Pill Versus the Springfield Mine Disaster" many of his poems express deep love for women and sex. A example would be the "Beutiful Poem" because it shows Braughtigan's deep desire for women and the roles in which they play.

c) What are some of the other materials you will need or want to read and/or inter-connect to cover this topic?
We will incorporate Howl into our paper along with Brautigan. To help make our paper stronger we will need to seek out other sources on sex roles to fully grasp this topic.

d) What is your provisional “thesis” (hypothesis) at this point concerning this topic and these materials?
Our thesis thus far are that sex roles in San Francisco are different then elsewhere. Are research, we are hoping, will help us discover how and why the city of San Francisco depends on sex roles.

e) What problems or limitations do you anticipate in pursuing, framing, researching, and writing on this topic?
The problems I feel we will face durring our paper is knowing when to differentiate the way people in San Francisco express themselves artistically rather than sexually. The people of SF are definatley unique, so we must consider their personality first then consider their gender.

What is a Dharma Bum?

In Dharma Bums, Jack Kerouac is seen to have the religious views of a Buddhist-Catholic or a Catholic-Buddhist. It is obvious to see that his religious aspects are evident in the way the novel is written. Dharma Bums was written when Kerouac was strongly committed to the Buddhist religion trying to reach enlightenment.
Ray's search for his beatitude is strongly dominated by his love for the physical elements of life and his love to interact with others. His carefree lifestyle is one any person would dream of being able to live, but sometimes the reality of living the life of a Dharma Bum is not all what it is cracked up to be. Ray has to deal with the loneliness that comes with being a wanderer, spiritual challenges, and the obstacles of death. He finds it difficult to find tranquility because he is often falsely satisfied by the unnatural beauties of life. Ray's style of practicing his religion is by immersing himself in several different cultures, never gaining the solitude to truly reach enlightenment. Japhy's style of gaining enlightenment differs from Ray's because Japhy indulges in his solitude. His trips to the mountains enabled him to escape from the city of San Francisco where he could quietly connect to the spiritual elements of the world. The definition of a Dharma Bum can clearly be seen by the ways Ray and Japhy live their lives. Even though they both are in search for enlightenment, they are finding it in different ways, which is fine. Dharma Bums are religious mentors that Kerouac personified through the term Bodhisattva. “meaning, great wise being, or great wise angel,” which is ultimately the way Ray and Japhy are trying to live their life in the novel Dharma Bums.
Question:
Do you think that Ray wants to fully emerge in the Buddhist culture or do you think that his Catholic background is too strong for him to do so?

"Alcatraz Is Not a Island" its a place for change!

Alcatraz has become a national and memorable landmark in the United States, but the Native American history has been reluctantly taught in the America’s education system. After analyzing the article “Alcatraz Is Not a Island” I came to the obvious conclusion that America’s government wrongfully took over Alcatraz by forcing the Native Americans off the island, so they could build. Before, the Native Americans used Alcatraz as a place of isolation for tribal members, gathering food, and hunting ocean life. The United States Government settled Alcatraz in 1847 transforming the small island into the first lighthouse in San Francisco’s bay, then a military fortification, then into a military prison that imprisoned several famous inmates, such as Al Capone, until 1963. The Treaty of Fort Laramie that the United States made with the Sioux Indians in 1868 stated that “all abandoned, retired, or out of use federal land” would be returned to the “Native people from whom it was required.” The Native Americans began to loose their cultural identity by the U.S. government taking advantage of their rights to land, resources, etc. Beginning on November 20, 1969 several different Native American tribes through out America joined together to revive their culture by occupying the island and demanding that the Native Americans be given education centers, ecology centers, and cultural centers. For too long the Native Americans were taken advantage of by the U.S. government, so thanks to the modern and more educated Native Americans that oraganized the protest on Alcatraz, their culture was saved. The takeover of Alcatraz was a bold move to make, but a necessary move on the Native American’s part. The progressive members of AIM (American Indian Movement) saved the Native American culture by freeing urban indians from civil rights abuses. The Native Americans invasion of Alcatraz was just the beginning of their positive movement.


QUESTION:
I have learned about Alcatraz several times in history classes,etc. but the AIM protest is rarely ever brought up. Do you think that our governments education system is altered to be PRO AMERICA?

Industrialization Transforms the Non Human World

QUESTION 10/23/08

As the Roman Empire has fell (it was also considered a imperial city) do you see San Francisco even though it has not quite its prime will eventually fall as well? 

BRAUGHTIGAN ... "Automatic Anthole"

Ferlinghetti: "Two Scavengers in a Truck Two Beautiful People in a Mercedes"