Talk:Naked Lunch

Plot summary?

This section analyzes how the plot of the story relates to other works, but it doesn't summarize the the plot. Could someone either rename this section or revise it. --69.85.216.191 00:11, 9 November 2007 (UTC) Done 80.5.156.202 (talk) 09:38, 19 February 2008 (UTC)

Sounds like a particularly weak college paper. "The manner in which the novel is written might induce the reader to see only part of the picture—as much as he wants to see. It often happens that something mentioned in the book reappears much later producing thus a series of intratextual relationships and echoes. This idea, relating to different perspectives within a larger picture, is itself a theme which runs throughout this book. The novel's mix of taboo fantasies, peculiar creatures (like the predatory Mugwumps, perhaps a reference to the Mugwump political movement although it is not clear), and eccentric personalities all serve to unmask mechanisms and processes of control, and have led to much controversy. By decentralizing the plot Burroughs produces a series of interrelated literal caricatures, satires, and parodies throughout the novel." Full of opinions poorly expressed. This book deserves better. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 24.72.122.108 (talk) 06:18, 18 January 2009 (UTC)

I don't quite get the plot summary. It suddenly speaks of somebody called AJ without explaining this acronym. Is this AJ the Agent Lee? If so, it is not mentioned anywhere. If it is somebody else, the summary must be missing something. I can't really fix this as I haven't read the book myself. 195.197.205.34 (talk) 09:30, 30 September 2009 (UTC)

Agree, Who is AJ? Siggimund (talk) 18:32, 21 August 2022 (UTC)

Plot summary definitely needs a thorough rework. Many notable aspects and sections of the book, like the Black Meat, the detailed explanation of the political factions of Interzone, the Mugwumps and their use, "hassan's rumpus room", the role of Dr. Benway, are barely decribed, if at all. – AllArtAfterAll (talk) 11:18, 30 July 2022 (UTC)

The Luncheon on the Grass

Earlier versions of this article have included the un-cited assertion that Scholarly research has also suggested Manet's Le Déjeuner sur l'herbe (The Luncheon on the Grass) of 1863 as Burroughs' inspiration for the title. At least six different editors have removed this claim [1] [2] [3] [4] [5] [6]

Despite being removed and re-added so often, this claim has never been cited. I've read about this novel extensively, and I have yet to find a published source that discusses this theory, let alone supports it. Per WP:PROVEIT: "The burden to demonstrate verifiability lies with the editor who adds or restores material".

If anyone plans to re-add this line, please include a proper source or discuss here. Ghosts of Europa (talk) 15:45, 14 July 2024 (UTC)

The Beat Hotel

I believe Naked Lunch was completed at the Beat Hotel in Paris. At the Beat Hotel, Burroughs, troubled at how he should organize the fluid routines in his manuscript into a linear form, was told by artist Brion Gysin that he should view his writings as how a painter sees a painting: all elements of the work are juxtaposed in a collage of sorts. It's not about chronology, it's about all elements of the work functioning simultaneously. I think Brion Gysin's remarks to Burroughs may have been pivotal for the order of the final product, and is of enough importance to be written about somewhere in the article. I read this in the book The Best Minds of My Generation: A Literary History of the Beats, an edited compilation of lectures given by Allen Ginsberg.

I'm not the best at contributing to Wikipedia articles. I'm not sure how to format things or add citations correctly. So, if someone could take the wheel, that would be neat. I can provide excerpts from the lecture if needed. I am very appreciative of how the article has been rewritten. It is fantastic work. 2601:647:8380:720:8BD:4B0B:9EEF:D362 (talk) 01:18, 24 July 2024 (UTC)