Naked Lunch is a postmodern narrative and Burroughs' first attempt at using a nonlinear plot. Heavily inspired by Brion Gynsin's "cut-up technique," in which text is cut up and rearranged to create new sentences, Burroughs claimed that Naked Lunch could be "cut into at any point." The end result is an obscure, long-winded, and downright confusing masterwork which has been hailed as "one of the most important books of the twentieth century." Following is an attempt to summarize some of the book's most important and pertinent events.
The book begins with the misadventures of Burroughs' alter-ego, William Lee (also referred to as "Lee the Agent"). Lee is attempting to flee to the West and evade the pursuing police, all while desperately seeking his next "fix." Lee travels throughout multiple cities, including New York City, Philadelphia, and Chicago. Additionally, he encounters an ensemble of less-than-reputable characters, such as the Vigilante and the Rube. Insight is gained into Lee's fractured psyche as he provides commentaries on a plethora of topics, from drugs, drug users, and addiction; to policemen, politicians, and corporations; to spiritual righteousness, secular wickedness, and overall neutrality.
Lee eventually reaches Mexico, where he is assigned to engage the services of Dr. Benway. Benway is a master manipulator and coordinator of symbol systems, including interrogation, brainwashing, and mind control. Benway speaks of his previous doings in Annexia as a "T.D." or "Total Demoralizer," where he was responsible for abolishing concentration camps, mass arrests, and, excluding special circumstances, the use of torture. The narrative then moves to a state called Freeland, which is an idealistic form of purgatory, and learn of Islam Inc. Benway elaborates on his mind control methods with the use of drugs, hypnosis, and humiliative sexual acts.
The story then nonlinearly shifts to a marketplace. The Black Meat is sold here and is compared to "junk," i.e. Black Tar Heroin. Consumers of the Black Meat gluttonously gorge it, vomit profusely, and regain their strength so as to eat more.
The plot then relocates back to the hospital without warning. Dr. Benway is fully revealed as a maniacal masochist, as he drugs and physically/mentally tortures a few patients and assiduously documents the results.
Time and space shift again to a nonspecific location known as "the Interzone." Hassan and a "notorious liquefactionist" are hosting a violent orgy. A character named AJ is introduced as he crashes the orgy while imitating a pirate and indiscriminately decapitating people. An infuriated Hassan tells AJ to never return. The reader then learns about the multiple political castes in the Interzone, and how their frequent clashing has resulted in a dystopian nightmare.
The book then shifts back to the marketplace, and delves into the totalitarian leadership which rules Annexia. Through various substories and loaded dialogues, the reader learns more about Benway, Dr. Berger, Clem, and Jody.
In a sudden return to what appears to be Lee's modern narrative, Officers Hauser and O'Brien are both killed by him. Lee then goes to a phone booth and calls the Narcotics Agency, demanding to speak to O'Brien. The responding officer informs Lee that there's no "O'Brien" in their records. Lee's request to speak to Hauser results in an identical reply. Frustrated, high, and confused, Lee hangs up the phone and continues fleeing. The narrative grows increasingly nonsensical before abruptly ending altogether.
In "The Restored Text" version, some of Burroughs' letters, manuscripts, and substance studies follow the ending; as well as multiple introductions and analyses from his Beat Generation contemporaries.
