Allen Ginsberg's a Supermarket in California and Condemnation of American Consumerism

Allen Ginsberg is well-known as a Beat poet who condemns many aspects of contemporary American society. "A Supermarket in California" is no exception. This Ginsberg poem condemns both the lack of meaningful contact among human beings and American consumerism.

Ginsberg evokes Walt Whitman in order to help him emphasize the lack of meaningful contact. Whitman is a poet who could easily be Ginsberg's muse. "What thoughts I have of you tonight, Walt Whitman" (Ginsberg) is his invocation. Whitman was a poet who broke the rules of American poetry both in form and subject matter, much like Ginsberg did. He also wrote exploration poems of a meandering nature, much like Ginsberg. Whitman spent much of his life wandering, traveling from place to place. However, Whitman did meet a lot of people. Ginsberg doesn't meet people here at the supermarket; he only sees them. Even the aisles separate him from his fellow human beings. Ginsberg's criticism of our own lack of human contact is further exemplified when he says that he heard Whitman asking questions, like "Who killed the pork chops?" and "What price bananas?" (Ginsberg). As humans, we have lost any meaningful contact between shop owners and customers or even the people who actually grow and produce our food. The customers have no idea where the food comes from; they are content simply to wander through the store. They walk by each other in the supermarket and on their way home but never have any meaningful exchanges with each other. Ginsberg asks Whitman, "Will we walk all night through solitary streets? The trees add shade to shade, lights not in the houses, we'll both be lonely" or "Will we stroll dreaming of our lost America of love past blue automobiles in driveways, home to our silent cottage?" (Ginsberg). Even walking home, all they will pass are automobiles and silent houses. Ginsberg is asking Whitman in these examples for some answers about humanity, but of course Whitman, long-dead can provide none. However, both parties know that Whitman's dreams are certainly not here. Whitman's America is gone.