Dall’America, al Nord Africa, all’Europa: William Burroughs migrante in cerca di auto-definizione

Abstract

Can someone who does not come from areas which are afflicted by war and/or famine – but, on the contrary, from the upper class of a rich and powerful country like the United States of America – be considered a “migrant” writer? How many kinds of migration and “migrant” literature actually exist? Following biographical, psychological and literary paths, this article will attempt to answer these questions by analysing one of the most iconic but also least understood personalities of the twentieth century, William Burroughs: the inner reasons of his travels across four continents and several countries, and the consequent meaning of “travel” in his writing.