Many times on the Internet or elsewhere, the word "gonzo" caught our eye. Which, you see, is unfamiliar to most of us. What is it connected with, where did it come from and what is this “gonzo” like? It turns out that everything is not so complicated, but very interesting. And the term "gonzo" is associated with nothing more than journalism.
The meaning of the term
Let's start by defining the word gonzo - what is it? This is the name of the field in journalism, which is very different from all other areas in that the author writes his material purely from a subjective point of view. He describes what is happening not as an author, but as a participant in the events taking place around. Most often gonzo-journalism affects the problems of various organizations, subcultures, minorities, politics, etc.
For greater conviction, the authors lived the lives of their heroes, in the literal sense of the word. The style of writing in this style is quite sharp, with sarcasm, humor, using profanity. It is certainly interesting to read such material, the reader likes it, although they did not know that it is gonzo, and therefore this style is quite in demand. The word itself is borrowed from the Irish slang, it means a person who, after drinking, the latter stands on his feet.
No matter how strange it sounds, but often gonzo is a reportage made where there are no events. The journalist invents them or thinks them out. It is here that the quote of the founder of this style, Hunter Stockton Thompson, will be appropriate.
Not events create a reporter, but a reporter creates events.
Gonzo story
The term "gonzo" first appeared in the 60s of the XX century. The creator of this style was the journalist of the Rolling Stoun newspaper Hunter Stockton Thompson. It all started with the fact that the editor of the publication, Bill Cardoso, gave him the task to write an article about horse racing. But Thompson, for some reason, did not deign to attend this event. But I decided to get out with the article, coming up with a very interesting way. He sent the editor notes with fictional events that did not cover the races themselves, but what was happening around. This concerned the audience, whom the contest itself was not very interested in. Hunter vividly and in detail described their scams and alcohol consumption. The text was written boldly and boldly. He conveyed the emotions and sensations that the reporter allegedly experienced from what was happening. Since then, Hunter Thompson is considered the founder of gonzo.
Gonzo style on screens
In 1971, Hunter Stockton Thompson wrote a book based on the famous film "Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas." But the book itself had a slightly different name - "Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas." In the film, the main characters, Dr. Gonzo and Raul Duke, are excellently performed by Benicio del Toro and Johnny Depp. The journalist himself, Hunter Thompson, is the prototype of the hero Johnny Depp.
The film "Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas" is a good example of gonzo journalism, when the main characters want to make a report about the race, directly taking part in the race itself. But because of the use of a large amount of drugs, they still fail to do this; instead, they find themselves in various unpleasant, but funny situations for the viewer.
In addition to the book Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, Thompson has written two more gonzo-style books, The Angels of Hell and The Rum Diary.
Gonzo symbol
Now you know what this gonzo means. But did you know that this style even has its own symbol, invented by the same Hunter Stockton Thompson. As you remember from the movie "Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas", the main characters constantly consumed alcohol and drugs, namely mescaline, with which this sign is associated. The gonzo symbol is a six-finger fist that grips a cactus flower - peyote. It is from cactus that mescaline is made. Also in the emblem there is a sword replacing the hand, and an inscription in English gonzo. This sign symbolized the free and untethered life of the 70s.