Consumerism In Allen Ginsberg's A Supermarket In California

Society is always changing its views on societal and cultural issues. As people progress, the vast majority of people tend to follow the current trends of the time. This may involve shifting its views on marriage, consumerism, cultural practices and so forth. In Allen Ginsberg’s “A Supermarket in California,” he condemns the culture of that time in an amusing way. Ginsberg not only points out the emerging ideas of homosexuality, but also criticizes the rising consumerism among the traditional American family. First and foremost, in order to understand the points made in this poem, one must understand Ginsberg’s rhetoric in connection to this poem. This includes knowing his background, time in which the poem is set, and the social/cultural …show more content…
At the time, what constituted a nuclear household was a biological mother, a biological father, and children. This also relates to the rising consumerism among families at the time. Not to mention, this was also the time period following the Great Depression. In Ginsberg’s time, families were finally stabilizing and the economy was going steady. Paired with the advancing technological advancements, consumerism and capitalism soon became the key element in many people 's …show more content…
Ginsberg makes distinct remarks on Whitman’s own homosexuality, and allies Whitman with another homosexual, Garcia Lorca. However, in this supermarket, Whitman and Lorca must hide their homosexuality. In this supermarket, what is considered “normal” and acceptable is the traditional nuclear family. Ginsberg writes, “I saw you, Walt Whitman, childless, lonely old grubber, poking among the meats in the refrigerator and eyeing the grocery boys” (10). It is obvious that Ginsberg uses suggestive humor to describe Whitman’s homosexuality. By using phrases like “poking among the meats [...] eyeing the grocery boys” makes it evident that Whitman was checking out the other men in the grocery store and is still in the closet regarding his sexuality. Whitman feels isolated. Unlike his heterosexual counterparts, he does not/will probably never have children. According to Ginsberg, he is a “childless, lonely old grubber.” Again, this is a blatant, negative jab at America’s heteronormativity. In Whitman’s perspective, he is isolated from society. He is watching the other families live it up, buying their items, and having a good time at the supermarket. Whitman, on the other hand, is alone with nothing more than his own thoughts. He has no husband/wife/children whom to share his time with. Lastly, Ginsberg writes, “What price