Summary Of The Electric Kool-Aid Acid Test By Tom Wolfe

The Electric Kool-Aid Acid Test was written by Tom Wolfe in 1968. It follows the Merry Pranksters on their trip around the United States and their LSD laced Kool-Aid parties. The book symbolizes the end of the Beat Generation and it ignited the Hippie Movement. It can even be argued that The Electric Kool-Aid Acid Test sparked a new religion. It is also one of the best examples of New Journalism. The Electric Kool-Aid Acid Test is a highly debated book, but it is also highly influential. The generation of the Merry Pranksters is often grouped into the Beat Generation or the Hippie Generation, but there are a few major differences between them. The Beat Generation was more underground compared to the Merry Pranksters. The only time they came into the mainstream was when books were written about them. The Pranksters wanted to spread their message to the world. The goal of the Pranksters and the Beats were to have a more “real” American experience, but the Pranksters wanted to surpass all experience in human interaction. Wolfe thought that the Pranksters were closely related to other counter-culture movements like the Beat Generation.

He compared Kesey to religious figures like Saint Paul and Zoroaster. The other Pranksters were compared to disciples because they took psychedelic messages to the public. In the book, the Pranksters took over a Unitarian Church retreat camp and Kesey divided them into two groups: those who are for him and those who are against him. The young campers call Kesey their prophet. The Acid Tests are managed the in the same way that religious gatherings are held. A Harvard Crimson writer condemned Wolfe’s God-like description of Kesey because Kesey was given the opportunity to speak about the effects of LSD and chose not to do so. The author also condemned Wolfe’s approval of the abuse to LSD, but he admits that Kesey had an impact on the Hippie