Jack Kerouac was born in Lowell, Massachusetts, in 1922 as Jean-Louis Lebris de Kerouac, the son of Québécois parents who were part of a mass migration to New England in the search for employment. The youngest of three children, he witnessed the premature death of his brother, Gerard, an event that profoundly affected him and later moved him to write Visions of Gerard in 1956. As a child, Kerouac attended Catholic and public schools, ultimately receiving a football scholarship to Columbia University in New York City. It was there that Kerouac would meet the other "original" members of the Beat Generation-Allen Ginsberg, William Burroughs, and Neal Cassady. At one point, Burroughs and...
Join Now to View Premium Content
GradeSaver provides access to 2368 study guide PDFs and quizzes, 11018 literature essays, 2791 sample college application essays, 926 lesson plans, and ad-free surfing in this premium content, “Members Only” section of the site! Membership includes a 10% discount on all editing orders.
