How Did Jim Morrison Influence The Writers Of The 1960s

The 1960s, a period of social revolutions that gave birth to drugs, alcohol, sexuality, and civil rights. Among those who found success during the times of the counterculture was the psychedelic rock band The Doors. Their frontman, Jim Morrison, led the charge of their wild and questionable antics. As the alternative sounds of their blues, jazz, and psychedelic rock called to the ears of listeners, The Doors paved a path right into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame (Voorhies). In Morrison’s case, it was much more: he made his way into many lists of the greatest lead singers of all time, accompanied by voices such as John Lennon and Mick Jagger (Stone, Rolling). But very few know the true genius of James Douglas Morrison. Taking on his birth name

Historically, James Morrison would be placed in the New Journalism movement due to its rise in the 1960s, but Morrison’s writing lacks the directness and boldness associated with this literary movement and adopts the antics and style represented in many surrealist works (Surrealism). Often his writing tends to express those traits found in the writing of famous surrealists such as Andre Bretton–the man credited with the start of surrealism and a man to whom Morrison was often compared to (Surrealism). Morrison was able to capture the end of the surrealist movement and incorporate those ideas into the counterculture of the mid-1900s. Surrealism was a literary movement that is defined as a period of time where writing sought to uncover the unconscious desires of those who wrote and read it. Often referred to as automatic writing due to its free-flowing and at times confusing theme, surrealism seeks to help writers and artists of all kinds unlock their deepest thoughts and express their most imaginative images (Surrealism). Morrison consistently uses open-ended questions that are used to make the reader question the purpose of living. Along with this, his writing is often hard to follow and understand, which is a common characteristic of Surrealist writing. Much of surrealism demonizes rational thought and favors irrational sequences that are meant to drive the reader to a plethora of conclusions that often cause the questioning of one's existence to take place. Starting in the 1910s and continuing throughout the roaring twenties, surrealism takes on a tone of freedom many people were experiencing through that period. The 20s was a decade of learning and exploration of one’s self