Howl, and Other Poems | Teaching Key Figures

Character Descriptions

This section provides a short description of all the major characters in the book. This can be printed out as a study guide for students, used as a "key" for leading a class discussion, or you can jump to the quiz/homework section to find worksheets that incorporate these descriptions into a variety of question formats.

Characters

Allen Ginsberg - This character is the poet who relates his life in these poems.

Jack Kerouac - This character was a writer and friend of Allen Ginsberg's.

William Carlos Williams - This character introduces the reader to HOWL, AND OTHER POEMS.

Walt Whitman - This character is the famous poet who wrote the extensive work LEAVES OF GRASS.

Carl Solomon - Ginsberg calls this character a fellow writer who has received shock treatments.

William Burroughs - This character wrote NAKED LUNCH.

Uncle Max - This character is Allen Ginsberg's relative from Russia.