Dharma Bums Lesson Plan

Is Ray daydreaming and fantasizing, biding time before having to get a 9 to 5 job, or does he actually seem to be on a path to and fit for enlightenment?

Answers should provide evidence from the beginning chapters to support an argument. Students may want to explore the dichotomy (and false dichotomy) implied by the question. Students who argue that he is “of the world” could point to his insistence on enjoying worldly pleasures, whether wine, cheese, or late-night parties. They could argue that his spontaneous moves (jumping freight cars) can only last so long before you need money for travel. Others could argue that the life of leisure he pursues could lead him to...