Exploring Typewritten Literary Manuscripts via Kerouac's "On the Road"

2021 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 18K00422
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Review Section: Basic Section 02030:English literature and literature in the English language-related
• Research Institution: Kobe City University of Foreign Studies
• Principal Investigator: Theado Matthew 神戸市外国語大学, 外国語学部, 教授 (70733369)
• Project Period (FY): 2018-04-01 – 2022-03-31
• Keywords: Kerouac / American Literature / American Culture / Textual study / Typewriter

Outline of Final Research Achievements

The research focused on exhibiting the typescript for Jack Kerouac’s novel “On the Road” (1957). Kerouac used a typewriter to produce the typescript on a 36-meter-long roll of paper. Due to coronavirus, we were unable to bring the typescript from American to Japan. However, we obtained high-definition digital scans, and a Japanese printing company reproduced the typescript in detail. This replica was the centerpiece of a month-long exhibition at the BB Plaza Museum of Art, attended by more than 1,700 visitors. The exhibition featured 300 rare books by Beat Generation writers, provided by Kazuhiro Yamaji, owner of Flying Books in Tokyo.The exhibition included six gallery talks. A symposium featuring Japanese and American scholars, including the Japanese translator of “On the Road,” was held at Kobe City University of Foreign Studies. All of these events were open to the public and were simultaneously broadcast online, and videos of the events are archived on YouTube.

Free Research Field

Humanities

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

このプロジェクトは、ジャック・ケルアックとビート・ジェネレーションが与えた影響を日本の人々に体験してもらうためのものでした。この展覧会は、来場者にテクノロジーとアートの交差点、アナログとデジタルの区別について考えることを促しました。日本の研究者は、文学の構成要素としてのタイプスクリプトに注目するユニークな機会を得ることができました。研究者、学者、そして日本人に利益をもたらした。