hunter s thompson
"Louisville, the cultural center of the Bluegrass State and home to the Kentucky Derby, is famous for its production of cheese-burgers, cigarettes, gin, half the world's bourbon, and Hunter Thompson." Thompson was born during the Great Depression to Virginia Ray and Jack Thompson. Thompson was the oldest of three sons, he led the way from the beginning of his life. Thompson and his family lived in a rural middle-class area in a neighborhood with many other families just like theirs. "His parents, Virginia Ray and Jack, were both alcoholics, and because of Thompson, the family was looked down upon in the neighborhood." He became a troublemaker from the beginning. Thompson was always getting into trouble with they boys that lived around the neighborhood. "Jack, an insurance salesman, was a believer in corporal punishment and practiced it frequently on his two oldest sons, Hunter and Davidson." Jack continued to be strict with Thompson until the end of his life. Thompson had many playmates throughout his childhood. He had one during every stage of his life. "Hunter's boyhood pal was Duke Rice. They were crazy about sports. They used to watch the Louisville Colonels through holes in the outfield fence at P
"[Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas] The Story became not how he covered the story, but how he totally avoided the story with the help of many dangerous drugs." Perhaps the apex of Thompson's drug abuse takes place in his novel, Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas. Thompson had a friend named Oscar Zeta Acosta, a Chicano lawyer who was also a "savage beast". Acosta was convinced that the world was out to get him and every other Chicano. He spent most of his time wreaking havoc and defending other Chicanos in a court of law. The book started out as a piece Thompson was asked to write for Sports Illustrated, he was to cover the Las Vegas Mint 400 motorcycle race. Thompson saw this as a prime opportunity to discover the American dream. He invited Acosta to an all- expense paid trip to Las Vegas to find the heart of the American dream. It was a prime opportunity and life- changing event for both of them. The idea to use the trip to Vegas to find the American Dream hit Thompson like a ton of bricks. "Frustrated by the Chicano culture in East L.A., Thompson has the idea of doing a piece about the American dream in Las Vegas, a follow- up to the Kentucky Derby piece." He then quickly found Acosta, the most perfect partner in crime for Thompson, and told him his plan. "I tell you, my man, this is the American dream in action! We'd be fools not to ride this strange torpedo all the way out to the end." He chased the American dream all over Las Vegas. Sometimes he thought that he had it found and figured out, sometimes it seemed so far away, but that did not stop Thompson from trying. He did everything in his power, everything that he knew how to do, to find it. Ultimately, Hunter S. Thompson seriously aided the modernization of journalism. He developed and perfected his own style of journalism, Gonzo. He shocked the world with Gonzo. It was enjoyed and loved by many. Even its readers did not enjoy his style they still came away from his stories with a fresh perspective. This is what Thompson strives for. His exploration of the life and the death of the American dream have influenced many people. He has inspired many to stop leading their bland day to day lives and to go out and search for what they believe the American dream is. But is that not what the American dream is? It all depends on the individual, but at least Thompson has gotten through to some. Those people, who he has reached, will be forever changed, even if it is just a little bit. In Thompson's writing career he developed a style of journalism that is named Gonzo journalism. It is his own personal style that differed from anything that preceded it. It is the idea that the story is written as it happens. Everything must be crystal clear and documented exactly as they occur. To achieve this Thompson used a tape recorder and recorded most of his conversations. He then went back and wrote the novel from those tapes. Another theme often used by Thompson is that of the search for the American dream. It is one of his favorite topics, in writing and in his own life. Thompson is always on the prowl for the American dream and is constantly bringing it up in his writing. These two methods used by Thompson set him apart from other writers and journalists. His Gonzo search for the American dream makes him different and unique. In the book Thompson documents himself and Acosta, under the fake names of Rauol Duke accompanied by his attorney and physician, Dr. Gonzo, and their trip to Las Vegas. It starts out with their preparations and the drive to Vegas. Once there, the two do nothing but create trouble on the streets of Las Vegas, but the catch is that the whole time they go unnoticed because of the already wild residents and tourists there. They live in their room and run up a huge hotel bill, which they have no money to pay. Acosta and Thompson visit such places as a circus and concerts on mescaline and ether. They park on sidewalks, a
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Approximate Word count = 3609
Approximate Pages = 14 (250 words per page double spaced)
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