(1953)is an early publication by William Burroughs, and marks the start of the most prolific period for the Beat Generation movement of writers and artists, which lasted until the early 1960s. Conventional in design but provocative in terms of content,
Junkiepushed the limits of acceptability in 1950s America in dealing with the taboo subjects of homosexuality and addiction.
The basic problem the book dramatizes is the process of becoming an addict. Burroughs wrote the book under the pen name of “William Lee”. The account details the transformation of the main character into an addict, and the many problems that accompany a junky lifestyle. The narrative is sentimental and even emotional in its depiction of homosexual relationships,
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Citation: Weidner, Chad. "Junkie". The Literary Encyclopedia. First published 13 June 2015 [https://www.litencyc.com/php/sworks.php?rec=true&UID=4259, accessed 21 November 2024.]
