Essay 1: Literary God

On Hunter S. Thompson

There has been none other whom has influenced my literary soul more than the late Hunter S. Thompson. Known for his witty and offbeat style, mixed with stories of adventure and lethal humor, Dr. Thompson revolutionized not only journalism, for which he spent most of his writing profession, but literature itself. Although I fancy the reading of all styles (bar poetry, admitted), and have trudged through the works of Hemingway, Dickens, Wilde, Tolstoy, Dostoevsky, Faulkner, etcetera, etcetera, none has kept me quite as locked-in as Hunter. In fact, as Hemingway was the first author who's work I recognized as divine, Thompson's I saw immediately as spectacular, thrilling, and extraordinary. A true maestro behind the keys, the author never seemed to look back, but rather, was shooting forward atop a jetting rocket, four-hundred miles per hour, ferociously jabbing at his typewriter, producing some of the greatest music since Jimi Hendrix. One of the more difficult things to do is not imitate him verbatim after reading his work. Ho, ho. It is easy to slip into the mad-scientist state of mind, where the world takes a strange bend, and evil begins to crawl out from under every surface, rock, door, and human. 

It may be that Hunter represented something I can never be that draws me so closely to him. I, personally, can not write under any form of inebriation. A few drinks down the hatch and my hands will produce a sludge that will be painful to read. A few tokes off a joint and I begin writing one-sentence spiritual crescendos such as "We are all one", and "We are limited only to what we believe", or, better yet, "We only die because we believe death as something inevitable..." Hunter Thompson, however, seemed to strive off of narcotics, using them to propel him into another world, sinister and odd, indeed. 

Why can't I get twisted and produce great art? Am I that square? In general, I don't like getting high. I am, more often than not, rendered inept while under the influence. An already self-retreating introvert, hallucinogens do not aid me in any social manner. Therefore, it is on paper that one could tell I am not well, not nearly myself...

Nevertheless, it is His work that made me say to myself, "This is what I want to do". I want to have that connection to the reader, to be the poet (irony, sure) who brings literary music to the ears of aspiring intellectuals, free-thinkers, artists, outcasts, and the like. There is something said about a man who writes honestly, fearlessly, and with stunning accuracy. Just as comedians tell less jokes than just funny truths, great writers share the same relation to their audience. Keeping it simple and honest, and having the galls to expose your own weaknesses and flaws that everyone can relate to. It wasn't that Hunter S. Thompson, under the influence, was king of the world, but rather a cautious and fearful observer of such a cruel and weird world he found himself within. 

I have done a lot of reading since my first introduction to Hunter S. Thompson, yet there has been none who has gripped me tighter than he. Where, I wonder, are these renegades? Why, is it that everything since seems so dull, feeble, and castrated? I want raw, human creation, not regurgitated puff and fluff. There is too much easy listening, not enough Coltrane, experimentation, risk-taking masterwork. Therefore, I retreat back to "Fear And Loathing", "Hells Angels", "Generation of Swine", and "Hey Rube". The words within these titles satisfy my soul like the quenching of a very serious thirst. And upon looking out at the landscape, there seems to be a very serious drought. Things are ugly, indeed. Perhaps it is through the ugliness and barren landscape that the new renegades emerge from. One can only hope. 

Reviews

[bela]

I just read your eassy about the hunter S. Thompson. It's beautiful.

[aramis360]

Thank you so much

[makoy]

Indeed indeed indeed! I guess we need a never ending pruning and experimenting. Who knows, not to far from today, we can achieve breakthroughs and greatness in what we do. Keep going!

[aramis360]

Thank you for reading. Thank you and thank you...