''Visions of Gerard'' is a novel by American

Beat Beat, beats or beating may refer to: Common uses * Patrol, or beat, a group of personnel assigned to monitor a specific area ** Beat (police), the territory that a police officer patrols ** Gay beat, an area frequented by gay men * Battery (c ...

writer Jack Kerouac. Written in the first two weeks of 1956, while staying with his sister Caroline in Rocky Mount, North Carolina, Kerouac's novel would not be published until 1963. It is the first volume in Kerouac's "Duluoz Legend". Uniquely among Kerouac's novels, ''Visions of Gerard'' focuses on the scenes and sensations of childhood as evidenced in the tragically short yet happy life of his older brother, Gerard. Kerouac paints a picture of the boy as a saint, who loves all creatures and teaches this doctrine to four-year-old Jack. Set in Kerouac's hometown of

Lowell, Massachusetts Lowell () is a city in Massachusetts, in the United States. Alongside Cambridge, It is one of two traditional seats of Middlesex County. With an estimated population of 115,554 in 2020, it was the fifth most populous city in Massachusetts as of ...

, it is a beautiful but unsettling exploration of the meaning and precariousness of existence.

Explanation of the novel's title

Throughout the novel, Jack explores perspective and interpretations of the world—existence, reality, illusion—and through the death of his older brother Gerard, Jack realizes the truth that has been passed on throughout history. The title is consistent with that of one of Kerouac's other character studies, ''

Visions of Cody ''Visions of Cody'' is an experimental novel by Jack Kerouac. It was written in 1951–1952, and though not published in its entirety until 1972, it had by then achieved an underground reputation. Since its first printing, ''Visions of Cody'' has ...

'', which centers on his experiences with Neal Cassady. The novel inspired the title of

Bob Dylan Bob Dylan (legally Robert Dylan, born Robert Allen Zimmerman, May 24, 1941) is an American singer-songwriter. Often regarded as one of the greatest songwriters of all time, Dylan has been a major figure in popular culture during a career sp ...

's song "

Visions of Johanna "Visions of Johanna" is a song written and performed by Bob Dylan on his 1966 album ''Blonde on Blonde''. Several critics have acclaimed "Visions of Johanna" as one of Dylan's highest achievements in writing, praising the allusiveness and subtle ...

" from his 1966 album '' Blonde on Blonde''.

Character list

Kerouac often based his fictional characters on friends and family.Who’s Who: A Guide to Kerouac’s Characters
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References

1963 American novels Novels by Jack Kerouac Beat novels Novels set in Massachusetts Lowell, Massachusetts {{1960s-novel-stub