Abstract

In various criminal dialogues, monologues, rants, and scenes, William Burroughs secedes from traditional linear narrative to create a non-linear landscape that reconfigures the text into a series of interrelated “temporary autonomous zones.” Temporary Autonomous Zones” (or “T.A.Z.”) is a philosophy of “ontological anarchy” and “poetic terrorism” developed by Hakim Bey, and which tries to perceive the world beyond “the influence of a Cartesian anesthetic gas.” Traditionally, Burroughs’ Naked Lunch is viewed as a creation of “cut-ups” or random juxtaposition of text. I feel that the anarchistic and criminal themes of Burroughs’ text are more responsible for mapping out non-linear narrative. Furthermore, these various interrelated autonomous-zones in Burroughs’ text also make the book less of a predictable commercial commodity, and more of a subversive and independent document.