There is a range of texts you may find useful for a more contextualized reading of Dharma Bums. Some of these include Kerouac's other works, but notably On the Road and Big Sur. It may be helpful to isolate passages from these texts and compare and contrast them with passages from Dharma Bums. You should also consider the works of Gary Snyder (the person Japhy is based on), such as "Turtle Island," and biographical works about both Kerouac and Snyder.
For context, other relevant Beat Generations texts include the works of Allen Ginsberg and William S. Burroughs, for example, "Howl and Other Poems" and Naked Lunch respectively. Consider The Portable Beat Reader, edited by Ann Charters.
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