Discovery and Connectivity Through Jazz—Represented in the Works of Langston Hughes and Jack Kerouac

Essentially, this project examines how both Langston Hughes and Jack Kerouac use jazz in order to express themselves through their poetry and essays. Not only does this project focus on personal expression, however, it also focuses on Hughes' idea of "jazz as communication," in that Hughes, Kerouac and I explicitly believe that jazz serves as a valid form of communication in an increasingly complicated world. Lastly, and perhaps most importantly, this essay argues that jazz is an essential component in getting to know oneself, or a sense of where one stands in the world, and, through its transcendental nature, is a necessary means of breaking down social barriers by speaking a language that all who are willing, can understand.