Thesising (1 Viewer)

I'm brainstorming topics for my senior thesis and would really love to do something with Bukowski, because I've read one of his books and a few poems here and there and he really fascinates me. However, I'm at a loss for specifics. Is there any particular themes or issues he deals with that you think it would be interesting to look into more? Are there other great authors who deal with similar issues that would be good to explore and compare to Bukowski? Have you written any essays on Bukowski where the topics steered you in unexpected and fascinating directions? Please enlighten me! I would really appreciate your help. Thanks!
 
wow, it's been a while since we've had one of these questions... the problem with looking into bukowski's themes in greater depth is that his writing is so accessible that there isn't much great insight to add. like most other critical studies on bukowski, you will end up saying a bunch of stuff that is obvious to anyone who has read his work. your best bet is probably to go the comparison route.

of course, the problem with simply doing a comparison is that you have to make a point somewhere in there besides just that the two authors are similar or different. to that end, look at some of the authors bukowski admired, and read a couple of their books to pick up on how bukowski interpreted/built on/deviated from their worldview. as far as specific authors he admired, or particular themes in his writing, those are all easily researched once you have a general idea of the kind of essay you want to write.
 
That's definitely a problem I thought I might run into based on what I've read of his work so far. Are there any authors in particular that he was inspired by that I should look into? I think that would definitely be a good route to take in trying to find a topic. Thanks again for your help!
 
it shouldn't be hard to find a list of authors that influenced bukowski - he was pretty forthcoming with information like that, and what with the internet and all, you can research almost anything! or you know, just show up on a forum and ask the people there to give you the answers you're looking for.
 
seriously? i just googled "writers who influenced bukowski" and came up with three names in the first page of results. one from wikipedia and two from this very site. maybe you should visit a research forum and ask them if they have any tips on how to do research...
 
After posting my last message I found those too. I had tried other search terms to begin with and tried my college's databases before. Sorry for assuming that people on a Buk forum would actually enjoy talking about him and having discussions about him, which I was totally prepared to do when starting this thread. Have a delightful night/day/what have you, and thanks for the help you were able to give me.
 
yes, you were incorrect in your assumption. the only thing people on this forum like is shooting down people who ask for help on their homework.

celine
hamsun
john fante

unemployment/underemployment
the urban landscape
alcoholism

GOD THAT WAS ENJOYABLE.
 
Don't feel pressured to spend 20 seconds typing up a few names. :)

well, that would be about 20 seconds more time than you seem to have put into it.:)

am i wrong or is it fucked up for someone writing something as important as a thesis to

a - know next to nothing about the topic and...

b - ask people to do their research for them.

ps - you can throw in the "human condition" as a theme or issue he deals with. :)
 
From a 1983 letter to Glazier. Talk about name-dropping:
I'm not all that isolated. I've had my crutches: F. Dos, Turgenev, some of Celine, some of Hamsun, most of John Fante, a great deal of Sherwood Anderson, very early Hemingway, all of Carson McCullers, the longer poems of Jeffers; Nietzsche and Schopenhauer; the style of Saroyan without the content; Mozart, Mahler, Bach, Wagner, Eric Coates; Mondrian; e.e, cummings and the whores of east Hollywood; Jack Nicholson; Jackie Gleason;Charlie Chaplin, early; Baron Manfred von Richthofen; Leslie Howard; Bette Davis; Max Schmeling; Hitler ... D.H. Lawrence, A. Huxley and the old bartender with the cadmium red face in Philly... And there was a particular actress whose name I can no longer think of, who I consider to be, has been the most beautiful woman of our times. She drank herself to death
 
am i wrong or is it fucked up for someone writing something as important as a thesis to

a - know next to nothing about the topic and...

b - ask people to do their research for them.
you are wrong. a senior thesis is generally written by an undergraduate student as an act of discovery, not an act of expertise. As part of that discovery, a person might happen upon an internet forum, or in other words a discussion site. You know, where things might be discussed. Attitudes like yours are part of the reason so many students end up pulling out their hair trying to reinvent the wheel. Of course in principle such students should be receiving guidance from faculty and others, but often those kinds of people actually do more to discourage than encourage.

It is understandable that some people are not into helping other people, but would rather prefer to sit back and watch others 'sink or swim.' but there are others who believe that guidance is worth something, in that it might help others to be less lost or confused, or less likely to be manipulated by the myriad machinations of society at large.

that said,
Please enlighten me!
is asking a lot there lexie. and then of course you backtrack and make it seem as though you are only asking for 20 seconds of somebody's time? it is presumptuous. it would have been less so if you had given your potential enlighteners something to go on ...
I'm brainstorming ... he really fascinates me. However, I'm at a loss for specifics. Is there any particular themes or issues he deals with
it seems like it would be hard to get to the point of writing a thesis without being able to pick out themes and issues, assuming that you had actually read any of his books. really you could open any book and read a page or a paragraph and something happens and then you could say 'aha! a theme!'

Then you could have come on here and said "i'm interested in these themes. i know it's asking a lot from strangers, but if you all would be willing to discuss these themes with me, not only would it help me in my work, but it would be doing me a service as an individual, because of course i'm not just using these books as a tool to advance my career, but i'm actually engaging them as authentic works of art."

Finally, it also shows good faith to participate in a forum like this, not just ask for help. So for example, you could contribute to a discussion in another thread, even if it is just to say "that was an interesting post" or "huh. i have a question on that topic." however, you did not do that, nor did you thank the person who finally posted a list of writers influenced by bukowski. which kindof makes it look like the skeptics were correct in treating you dismissively.
 

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