Charles Bukoski can be considered a Beatnik? I know that he wrote in the same time of the Beat generation, but don't know if Charles Bukowski can be labeled.

Question

mattfeury · Answer

From what I've heard, it is relatively common to consider Bukowski the 'grandfather' of the beatniks. That is to say, Jack Kerouac would be the father of the beats, but Bukowski would have been a lineage above so to speak.

I wouldn't cite me as a source or anything as it's all pretty subjective, but in this analogy Bukowski isn't really a beat but an inspiration to the beat generation.

anonymous · Answer

Bukowski didn't consider himself to be one of the Beat Generation, and never met Jack Kerouac. However, a lot of critics at the time placed Bukowski's work as being related to that of the Beats. There are similarities and styles, and some of Bukowski's subject matter is very similar, and it is a subjective issue, but if you think of the Beat Generation themselves not as an actual generation but a localised group of writers and friends, then Bukowski was very much separate to that.