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Who Was William S. Burroughs?
William S. Burroughs is widely regarded as a seminal figure in the Beat Movement. An influential writer and lifelong drug addict, he authored notable works such as Junky and Naked Lunch, both of which provide harrowing, often grotesque insights into drug culture. His literary contributions have significantly shaped the countercultural landscape, extending their impact into the realms of music and art, with Burroughs himself participating in various recording projects.
Education and Travels
Born on February 5, 1914, in St. Louis, Missouri, Burroughs was the son of Laura Lee and Mortimer Burroughs. He was named after his renowned grandfather, a pioneering inventor in adding-machine technology. Burroughs received his education at several preparatory schools before studying English literature at Harvard University, from which he graduated in 1936. Following his studies, he traveled to Europe, where he married Ilse Klapper to facilitate her immigration to the United States. The couple subsequently dissolved their marriage upon arrival in the U.S.
Meeting Fellow Beats: Ginsberg and Kerouac
After exploring various career paths without success, Burroughs relocated to New York City, where he encountered writers Allen Ginsberg and Jack Kerouac in the mid-1940s. Together, they would become prominent figures in the Beat Movement, known for their artistic expressions that challenged conventional norms.
During this period, Burroughs and Kerouac collaborated on a novel titled And the Hippos Were Boiled in Their Tanks, which centers on the murder of a friend and was published posthumously decades later. Burroughs also developed a relationship with Joan Vollmer during this time, and they lived together as husband and wife beginning in 1945. Additionally, Burroughs was open about his attraction to men, having had a romantic relationship with Ginsberg. However, his life was marred by struggles with opiate addiction, which escalated into a heroin dependency. In 1951, while living in Mexico City, a tragic accident during a drunken target practice session resulted in Vollmer’s death at Burroughs’s hands. Although he faced minimal prison time, the incident profoundly affected him for years to come.
Writing Junky and Naked Lunch
Burroughs published his first novel, Junky, in 1953 under the pseudonym William Lee. This work presented an unflinching, semi-autobiographical exploration of drug culture. Continuing his journey, he eventually found himself in Tangiers, grappling with addiction and financial instability. Realizing he needed to change his course, he sought treatment in London with apomorphine, which he credited with curing his addiction.
With the support of Ginsberg and Kerouac, Burroughs penned Naked Lunch in Tangiers, a novel that follows William Lee through a disturbing drug-fueled odyssey. The book employs a nonlinear narrative style and delves into themes of sadomasochism, metamorphosis, and satire. Although it was published in 1959, Naked Lunch faced a governmental ban in the United States due to its controversial content, catapulting Burroughs into the public eye as a polarizing figure.
Around this time, influenced by artist Brion Gysin, Burroughs began experimenting with the cut-up technique, which involved cutting and rearranging text to form new sentences. This innovative approach aimed to liberate readers from traditional narrative structures. Throughout the 1960s, Burroughs released works such as The Soft Machine (1961) and Nova Express (1964), which critiqued consumerism and social repression, alongside the nonfiction The Yage Letters (1963).
Musical Influence
In addition to his literary achievements, Burroughs explored audio cut-ups through tape recordings. His first album, Call Me Burroughs, released in 1965, featured readings from Naked Lunch and The Soft Machine. Burroughs’s influence extended into the music world, with bands like Soft Machine and Steely Dan taking inspiration from his work. He collaborated with avant-garde artists such as Laurie Anderson, Sonic Youth, and Genesis P-Orridge, further cementing his status as a cultural icon.
Burroughs continued to produce literary works in the early 1970s, including The Wild Boys: A Book of the Dead (1971) and Exterminator! (1973), as well as a screenplay titled The Last Words of Dutch Schulz. By the end of the decade, he co-authored a book with Gysin that examined their cut-up philosophy, titled The Third Mind (1978). Tragically, Burroughs faced further family loss when his son, Billy Burroughs Jr., succumbed to addiction-related issues and died in 1981.
Death
William S. Burroughs passed away in Lawrence, Kansas, in 1997, leaving behind a complex legacy that continues to influence literature, music, and cultural discourse.