Jack Kerouac's “Spontaneous Prose”

Abstract. The author discusses the main features of Jack Kerouac’s spontaneous method, vividly exemplified in his novel “The Subterraneans”. The author analyzes possible origins of the “spontaneous prose” method, provides a brief overview of the published studies on this topic. The author identifies the jazz principle as a general principle of the narrative structure. Furthermore, the author examines the image of the narrator, the dialogues between the main characters, and the characteristics of the detail in the novel.