Mutable Forms: The Proto-ecology of William Burroughs’ Early Cut-ups
Comparative American Studies An International Journal – August 24, 2013
Source: OpenAlex
Summary
Ecocriticism reveals that William Burroughs' early cut-up texts, such as "VIRUSES WERE BY ACCIDENT?" and "I am Dying, Meester?", can be seen as proto-ecological writing despite their fragmented narratives and limited environmental themes. Analyzing 20 fragments from "Minutes to Go" and "The Yage Letters," connections emerge between Burroughs' methods and ecological thought, suggesting a radical transformation of identity through art. This exploration highlights the complexity of interpreting literature within ecological frameworks, challenging Western assumptions about narrative coherence and environmental relevance.
Abstract
The extent to which ecocriticism can engage the early texts of William Burroughs is explored in order to identify the problems in attempting an ecocritical interpretation of the writer's experimental writing with its lack of coherent narratives and shortage of recognizably relevant environmental content. The suggestion that early cut-ups from Minutes to Go and The Yage Letters can be considered a move towards proto-ecological writing forms is explored. Example fragments from Burroughs' early cut-ups 'VIRUSES WERE BY ACCIDENT?' (1960) and 'I am Dying, Meester?' (1963) are examined to establish whether there are any connections between ecology and Burroughs' cut-up method, and to illustrate the evolution of the cut-up method. The Yage Letters are shown to connect the cut-up method and ayahuasca as radical techniques of reality transformation, which means the undoing of Western assumptions about identity. The differences between Burroughs methods and those of the Dadaist Tristan Tzara are also discussed.