I find both Ginsberg’s “angelheaded hipsters” and Kerouac’s “Dharma bums” and “Zen lunatics” to be fascinating terms because of their representational value and importance with regards to the beat movement. The above terms stress the value of accurate representation and can represent or define a group. The beats needed to counter the mainstream views of them as lazy drunkards, “mom (and cop-) haters”, and drug addicts. Although these ideas may have also been true, the motivational reasons behind their actions with misrepresented by these readings.

Ginsberg utilizes images of religion as well as generational divide through his term “angelheaded hipsters.” Religion and spirituality are very important aspects of the beat movement. Strongly influenced by Eastern religious views as well as the more animalistic Native American views (as seen through the prose of Gary Snyder in his book A Place in Space), the beats discovered hypocrisy in the actions of the so-called “Sunday Christians,” who do not practice what they preach. Additionally the imagery of “angelheaded” elevates the beats and those whom they admire through holy (halo-like) illustration.

The term “beat” itself also presents the spiritual aspect of these artists from Kerouac’s development and reclaiming of the term from meaning “beat-down” or “down-and-out” to “beatific” or the Italian term “beato,” both of which relate back to the religious Beatitudes of the New Testament. According to the beats, blessed are the humble and the meek who lead simple lives and practice charity and compassion for others and aren’t consumed by materialistic desires. This influence of The Beatitudes found in both Ginsberg’s and Kerouac’s works conveys that although the Eastern influence was strong, the beats were not able to completely free themselves from Christian imagery and values (especially with regards to Kerouac who was raised as a Catholic).

Kerouac’s “Dharma bums” and “Zen lunatics” also strongly develop the connection between beat culture and Eastern religion. Throughout his novel Dharma Bums, Kerouac develops these two terms as being basically synonymous in relation to each other as representations of his community of artists (the beats) and those outside of their community who practice similar values, such as ahimsa (meaning leading your life conducting the least amount towards nature including humans and other animals) and dharma (regarding one’s duty in life, including charitable compassion for all with no desire for reward). Although, historically and fictionally (in Kerouac’s novel) the beats all struggle with these ideas and what they mean to each of them and their lifestyles, they all make conscious efforts to develop themselves spiritually in a holistic, Eastern fashion.