Visions of Gerard

Visions of Gerard is a novel by American Beat writer Jack Kerouac. Written in the first two weeks of 1956, while staying with his sister Caroline in Rocky Mount, North Carolina, Kerouac's novel would not be published until 1963.[1] It is the first volume in Kerouac's "Duluoz Legend". Uniquely among Kerouac's novels, Visions of Gerard focuses on the scenes and sensations of childhood as evidenced in the tragically short yet happy life of his older brother, Gerard. Kerouac paints a picture of the boy as a saint, who loves all creatures and teaches this doctrine to four-year-old Jack. Set in Kerouac's hometown of Lowell, Massachusetts, it is a beautiful but unsettling exploration of the meaning and precariousness of existence.[2]

Visions of Gerard
First edition
AuthorJack Kerouac
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish
Publisher Farrar, Straus and Company
Publication date
1963
Media typePrint (Hardback & Paperback)
Pages144 pp
OCLC22710206
813/.54 20
LC ClassPS3521.E735 V47 1991
Preceded byBig Sur
(1962) 
Followed byDesolation Angels
(1965) 

Explanation of the novel's title

Throughout the novel, Jack explores perspective and interpretations of the world—existence, reality, illusion—and through the death of his older brother Gerard, Jack realizes the truth that has been passed on throughout history. The title is consistent with that of one of Kerouac's other character studies, Visions of Cody, which centers on his experiences with Neal Cassady. The novel inspired the title of Bob Dylan's song "Visions of Johanna" from his 1966 album Blonde on Blonde.

Character list

Kerouac often based his fictional characters on friends and family.[3]

"Because of the objections of my early publishers I was not allowed to use the same personae names in each work."[4]

Real-life person Character name
Jack Kerouac Jack Duluoz
Leo Kerouac Emil "Pop" Duluoz
Gerard Kerouac Gerard Duluoz
Gabrielle Kerouac Ange Duluoz

References
  1. Kerouac, Jack. Visions of Cody, Visions of Gerard, Big Sur. New York: Library of America, 2015, p. 763 ISBN 978-1-59853374-3
  2. McLaughlin, K., 'Jack Kerouac's Visions of Gerard', in Wills, D. (ed.) Beatdom Vol. 4 (Mauling Press: Dundee, 2009) Archived October 12, 2009, at the Wayback Machine
  3. Who’s Who: A Guide to Kerouac’s Characters
  4. Kerouac, Jack. Visions of Cody. London and New York: Penguin Books Ltd. 1993.


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