hit the road jack - prologue fall 2011

8/3/2019 Hit the Road Jack - Prologue Fall 2011

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Jak Ka—Amia l h, kig

h Ba, ad ah On the Road —wa a Navy mil-

iay i wh aild b amp.

Whil m Ka bigaphi mi hi miliay

xpi, h x i wa kw il 2005, wh

h Naial Pl Rd C i S. Li, Mi-

i, mad i pbli. I wa pa h la miliay

l ab 3,000 pmi Amia wh had b

dad a la 10 ya.

Ka lid i h U.S. Navy Rv (h alld

h U.S. Naval Rv) dig Wld Wa II. B h v-

l h Uid Sa, v aw ai, ad v v

mpld bai aiig.

I all, h lad 10 day b amp b big -

d h ik bay ad h h pyhiai wad

67 day. Ka’ xiv mdial ad pyhia-

i valai pdd bh a lag l ad h -

li ha h wa “

vi.”

T qalii ha mad

On the Road a hg

ad Ka a pwl

yll, gid, ad li-

ay i a h am

ha dd him mak-

ably iabl h mil-

iay: idpd, -

aiviy, impliviy, -

aliy, ad kl.

On the Road a b viwd a a gia xdd h lav. I-

dd, h hi -y ip la dpid i On the

Road k pla i 1947—j a w ya a hi aild miliay

amp.

Ti ya mak h 60h aivay h wiig On the Road . Al-

hgh h bk wa pblihd i 1957, Ka pdd h lgday

120- i ll i Apil 1951 by apig lg h aig

pap gh h ld yp wih ipi.

Coumba Bckos Krouac

Wth a Footba Schoarshp

Ka’ miliay pl l i hal a ih hik—aly 150 pag—

ad dail a bld ldi-i-aiig wh llapd d miliay dii-

pli ad . T d’ dig idiy ad hadw h a-

, kl, impliv wadl ha haaiz Ka’ wiig.

Ti l p bh a vy gid ad a vy dibd yg ma.

Whil hi miliay d ild xiv mal xamiai, i

al ild lla l -

mmdai. Ka ad-

d Clmbia Uiviy a

ball hlahip. T, h

Kerouac Enlisted in the U.S. Navy

But Was Found “Unfit for Service”

HIT THEroad, jack

By Miriam Kleiman

Above: Jack Kerouac enlisted in the U.S.

Naval Reserve in December 1942

because he was unhappy at Columbia and

sought greater meaning at a historic time.

Left: A letter o recommendation rom

the principal at Horace Mann Prep

stressed Kerouac’s “excellent reputation”

and that “his record or character and

citizenship was o the fnest.”



wa paid by ah ad p hi

“al billia,” lyaly, iizhip, ha-

a, ad “gd bdig.”

B ad aid i Lwll, Maah, K-

a mpld high hl h, h p a

addiial ya high hl a Ha Ma

Pp i Nw Yk a ll hlahip b

iig Clmbia Uiviy. H mpl-

d hi hma ya “wih ail ly i hmi-

y.” H qi llg h mha mai

b l a h mh.

A h q hi ball ah, Ka

d Clmbia i Ob 1942, b h

dppd a mh la. I a Nvm-

b 1942 l, h ld a id h wa

happy a Clmbia ad gh ga

maig a a hii im:

I am waig my my ad my

halh h a Clmbia . . . i’ b

hg dbahy. . . . I am m

id i h pih ga im

ha i diig “Rm ad J-

li.” . . . T a iig, magi

im. . . . I am y havig -

d Clmbia, I hav xp-

id i mh h. I had

a gay, a mad, a magi im i.

B I bliv I wa g bak a

. . . h my, h li ad

dy, h ha-dig ma,

ad h pih h mm.

I a maild l a gilid i

Jly 1942, Ka lid bl a-

liig:

F hig, I wih ak pa i

h wa, ba I wa kill

ay, b a a dily ppd

killig—h Bhhd. b wih

my Amia bh, ha ma,

my Ria bh; hi dag

b my dag; pak hm qi-

ly, phap a daw, i Ai mi;

kw hm, ad hm kw my-

l. . . . I wa llg wih

a lig ha I am a bh h ah,

kw ha I am g ad mg i

my lil iv.

O Dmb 8, 1942, a ya ad a day a h

bmbig Pal Hab, Ka lid i h

U.S. Naval Rv a -ya m dy.

“F Mora Charactr

Ad Good Brdg”

Ka’ miliay pl l ild glw-

ig l mmdai. Hi hl -

d wa “ al billia bh h-

laially ad ahlially,” ghd Lwll High

Shl Ma Jph G. Py. Ka wa

“a idal ppil wih a al mbiai

billia ad ahli abiliy,” Py addd.

Ad h wa a vahiv—aig 88 d-

i wh ly 70 w qid gadai.

Ha Ma Pp piipal Chal C. ill-

igha paid Ka’ pai i a l

mmdai wi i Nvmb, 1942:

Jh Li Ka . . . had wih a

m xll pai. Hi aadmi

d wa i vy way aiay, ad

hi d haa ad iizhip

wa h .

I am ha h will b d lyal ad

dpdabl i ay pii pibiliy.

Ka ivd a “qalid d

m” m hi Fh i a Clmbia

h am mh:

I d him . . . xmly apabl, p-

d a higly al illal a-

paiy ad a abiliy hik idpd-

ly. M. Ka add h qaliai

a diily gagig paliy whih

mak him wi id aily. H i a

yg ma mal haa ad

gd bdig. Hi l-lia ad -

l hav b dmad

by hi abiliy d himl, ad

giv vid h qalii lad-

hip y a dbdly kig

amg y adida.

B pig bai aiig

Ka qd a a—hp

ig pgad “Naval Aviai Ca

d” (Navy pil) iad “App

i Sama.” H appad b h

Naval Aviai Cad Sli Bad

i B a i xamiai.

Dpi ig wll i m bj

(h ivd a 91 p “gal lai

ai,” 99 p i pllig, ad 95

p i Eglih), hi a wa -

jd. T bad d Ka “

mpamally adapd a.”

I addii, Ka aild vall d

“mhaial iapid”—ig j

23 p h mhaial apid .

I hi mi-abigaphial vl Vanity of

Duluoz: An Adventurous Education, 1935–46

Ka mmaizd hi xpi:

I ai B h US Naval Ai

F pla ad hy ll m ad i a

hai ad ak m i I’m dizzy. “I’m da-

y,” ay I. B hy ah m h alid

mam h. “I y’ fyig a igh-

had ad h alid lvl i

h ad h, wha wld y d?”

Kerouac’s French instructor at Columbia wrote o

his student’s “sel-reliance and resourceulness” and

“qualities o leadership you are undoubtedly seeking

among your candidates.”

Prologue 1Hit the Road, Jack



“Hw h w hld I kw?”

S I’m wahd my llg da-

i ad aigd hav my hai havd

wih h b a Nwp.

navy Boot Camp Dsastrous:

“Bord easy, lackd Focus”

Ka pd h Naval aiig Sa-

i i Nwp, Rhd Ilad, Fb-

ay 26, 1943. T w m h

a, hwv; dig hi iiial xamiai,

h wa “gizd a ily abmal

waa ial Dy a.” T ial pid did

g wll; Ka’ b amp xpi

wa a dia. A ly 10 day bai ai-

ig, h wa ad m h Naval ai-

ig Sai h Naval Hpial i Nwp

ba h had m hadah ad “ap-

pad b l, apahi, liv [sic ].”

I addii, “pyhiai xamiai

dild adiy halliai, ida -

ad iid, ad a amblig, gadi,

philphial ma.” Diagd wih d-

mia pax (hizphia), Ka wa

h Naval Hpi-

al i Bhda, Maylad

(w h Naial Naval

Mdial C), -

h xamiai.

A h Naval Hpial,

d qid K-

a a lgh ab hi

amily, aadmi, wk,

ad xal hiy. Hi l

ai m x-

hag bw Ka

ad hi d.

Hwv, hi -

l id

ad amily a di-

ppiv. Ka

w id ad

amily whil d b-

vai. T l

f Ka’ vayig

p h diag-

i v mal ill-

—ai agig

m jig apig, ad v m-

baig ad xalig, hi dii.

T l al hw ha Ka md

jy hallgig, ladig, ad v hk-

ig hi d. Whil hi bhavi may hav

b a d mhaim v dial, K-

a did m hav a bai dadig

pyhiay; h dail dii, ympm

ad idia, mal ill, dmia

pax i paila. Caig hi mdial

l wih hi l yild iigh i Ka’

pyh a a pival im i hi li.

Ka’ pyhiai aly d-

mid ha hi aild miliay xpi -

ld m hi ji ahiy, d,

diipli, ad .

N piigly, pially giv hi la ad-

v, Ka had b amp d “h

glai ad diipli.” Hi mdial hiy

m h Bhda Naval Hpial ha h

bam bd aily ad lakd . H “im-

plivly l hl ba h had hig -

h la” ad “j a pipily” l -

m jb “ba h l ild.”

“Pai bliv h qi ball am a-

h ld’ g alg i Navy, h a’ ad

glai, .” H qi hl “ba h l

h had g all h ld m llg.”

“I wa ak wih hm,” Ka admid.

“I wa i a i v ad I kw hy’d

lk hm p; lik gig d m jb ad

gig llg.”

“i just ca’t stad t

i k to b by mysf”

Iiially, Ka viwd h pyhlgi-

al ig a “lly” ad a “a.” H ld hi

mh ha i p hadah “hy di-

agd m wih dmia pax.” Ka

blivd h wa di, b mally ill:

“a a a I’m d I am v; I g

v i a mial way b I’m -

v gh g a dihag.”

H laimd h wa xhad ba pi

b amp h had b wiig 16 h a

day, wkig h vl Te Sea is My Broth-

er, whih h alld a “gigai aga” (hi vl

wa pblihd phmly).

H did lik bai aiig a all: “I j

a’ ad i. I lik b by myl.” I a -

dad l, Ka xpaid:

[I] wa laly ad imply a ma malad-

jm miliay li. O hi, h pyhia-

i ad I md b agd i il. I b-

liv ha i hi qi had dd a ha pi,

my diagi wld hav b pyh-

i—a vi li whih ld

hav xplaid ay mb idiyai

i a pa paliy. . . . I a

big ahamd my maladjm.

I Vanity, Ka dail hi maladj-

m a lgh:

Wll, I did’ mid h igh-ya-

ld kid mh b I did mid h ida

ha I hld b diiplid dah,

mk b baka, d hi,

ha, haa . . . ad hi h bi

h admial ad hi Figgi ai walk-

ig ad llig ha h dk hld

b la ha w ld y a gg i,

i i wa h gh, j killd m.

Kerouac’s handwritten resume o job experience lists his newspaper job

and stint in the merchant marine and states that his record is “rather scant,

because I’ve spent much time studying.”

16 Prologue Fall 2011



[A]d havig walk gad a igh

dig phy ai aid v Nwp RI

ad wih y lia wh w d-

i llig y h p wh y m-

plaid hy w hig y h. . . .

Ty am ad g m wih . . . .

“Y’ gig h h.” “Okay.”

[S] hy ambla m h hah.

Ka yalliz hi pblm wih

h Navy i Vanity —lak idpd

hgh. Rpdig qi m

Navy d, Ka xplaid ha h

wa iially iapabl adhig

Navy diipli:

[I]dpd hgh . . . w g ahad

ad p m p agai a wall ad h m,

b I ad by ha ad by hig b

my il bwl, ad hm, i’ ha

I Naval diipli, ha I WON

ak i, b ha I CANNO. Ti i ab all

I hav ay ab my abai. N ha I

w, b ha I a.

T Navy gh dlyig a

Ka’ mal ill. T “amily hi-

y” i ha Ka “did a-

milial dia. Mh i v ad ah

i mial.” Ka w hi mh,

Gabill, Mah 30, 1943, ad -

agd h pak adidly wih hi d

i hy alld:

Alhgh I id hid i, hy d

ab my hadah wh I w

g apii a w im. I g I w

mh my vl b I jid h Navy.

Ayway, hy’v plad m d bva-

i i h hpial, ad all I d all day i i

ad i h mkig m ad mk. . . .

Wll, i I a’ mak h Navy, I’ll y

h Mha Mai hl—hy’

i h. . . .

A ay a, I hav a ida hy’ g-

ig all y p ab i. Ty’ gig

giv m a v mw. . . .

I ld hm ab my [a] aid i

Vm, my ball iji & vy-

hig, ha i I hav ayhig, hy’ll

div i. Ayway, y mmb my

ympm ad ll hm ab i.

Wh h Navy did all hi pa, Jak’

ah, L, did pvid a lla haa

. L aid ha Jak had b “bil-

ig” a lg im ad ha h “ha alway

b liv [sic ], bb, had g, -

l ahiy ad advi, big li-

abl, abl ad dpdabl.” H addd

ha Jak “d bd a ga dal.”

Gabill’ p gg a lak d-

adig Jak’ dii:

ll m Hy wha m b all h

h. A I hgh y w

ik, b w pp ll m y

g hgh h aiig, i h wd

v y y. Oh Hy

lamb, ha’ lik y, d’ y kw

ha i will b a awl mak agai y?

. . . . [I] a’ b ha “bad.”

A Scat Job Hstory

Ad “Bzarr Dusos”

Navy d blivd Ka’ implivi-

y ibd hi xdigly ai wk

hiy. Ka jmpd m jb jb ad

qi llg wi. H had l h mha

mai a h mh “ba h wa

bkig vybdy.” H wkd bify a a

p p h Lowell Sun b qi.

Ka’ “paial” hiy ld:

Vy liabl. Ha b d m vy

jb h had xp wpap pig. T

la wa a mall pap a $15 p wk,

whih h qi. H ha b dihagd m

amhip jb, gaag jb ad wai jb. H

i ipibl ad aig.

T l wiig ampl i hi l, Ka’

hadwi “Rm Opaial aiig”

li hi wpap jb ad i i h mha

mai b d li wha h md “-

l h lil dd jb, whih m ig-

ia gh mi.” H xplaid, “My

gal paial d i ah a, b-

a I’v p mh im dyig.”

Ka hi mv h Naval

Hpial i Bhda i Vanity , aig ha h

“wa p i h al wad wih gy

hwlig lik y i h mid igh ad

big gy i whi i had m ad

wap hm i w h alm hm dw.

J day a hi ial iiial diagi

Ka ld a id why h wa d val-

ai: “O h a my big i a

hpial, bid dmia pax, i a m

plx dii my mid, pli p, a i w

i w pa, mal, h h hizid.”

My hizid id i . . . h b ad bd-

ig g ig a a wld mdi-

ii, mpla iga, ad bigy

xid by az B Fakli, h i-

vd, hlaly id; h ali id.

My mal pa, h y’

amilia wih, i h hal-bak-whma-

-alma-lli-jibg-jazz ii

id, h id i m whih mmd

a bad, ggd Amia; whih qi

h ihm gy, dbldd a-

ia; ad whih l whav gil-

l lagh I’v l i m ah ha

ha hizid’ akl I hav la.

Oly hgh hi wiig ld Ka

i h dipaa pa:

Ad, all my yh, I d hldig

w d p, yig big bh

d gh i d i hm. . . .

I plld—had a hll a im yig

big h w wld gh—v

dd aally; b I did i my vl

“T Sa I My Bh,” wh I a-

d w w ymbl h w wld,

ad wldd hm ivably gh.

Ka dw aalyi, hallgig hi

d ad playig hi ppi:

Nx am a ivigai h “biza”

i m. Fi, “biza dli.” Wa I h

ai i a gp? O !

“Exm ppai” i ah

ympm dmia pax, a haa-

ii, I am pd ay, wih whih I

am ik. I hlly vald hi, ad

h hlly jd i dw.




Nx, h id d “al ida” i

my makp. Wha wa h ag hig

I’d v ? . . . I gav v a imag

mpdd all h myiim I kw,

m P & Amb Bi Clidg

ad DQiy. A glam i hi y!

I ah l i aly Apil 1943, K-

a jkd ab hi dii:

(Sly, I am dmia pax—j hi

a, I wa i h a mlahli

p, h d hwd .) Ad

w! Ad Now! I l ad by

Gd I’ll ll h wld.

navy Psychatrsts Rvw

Krouac’s Sxua Hstory

T mdial p’ “xal ad ma-

ial” i ha Ka had

“xal a a ag 14 wih a

32 ya ld wma whih p him

mwha.” I addii, Ka

“Ejy ah pmi lai-

hip wih gil id ad i ba-

l hi. N appa fi v

xal aiviy d.” Ka p-

ly did h ma: “H ha

ham, m la d-

ib hi aai.” Ti p will

pi ad Ka.

Agai, Ka—a la i hi -

pd—md amd by h

qiig, ad playd p h mili-

ay’ bia agai hmxaliy, a d-

ibd i hi dad l:

T pyhiai qid m -

h, bvily i ah a bl-ib-

b diagi. Fi h bga pb

my mial aahm, ad d

mh d hgh h wh I

ld him I wa’ i lv wih ay gil,

ad did’ pla g maid a all.

(Ti, , i pig i hik,

b I wad hi ai. H

maiaid a pk a & jd dw

m —a pb pma!)

H wad kw my mi-

al xpi ad I ld him my a-

ai wih mi ad vai p-

mi wh, addig ha h

wig gly big m lly

aahd my mal id, piial-

ly ad mially, ha h wm-

. Ti ly makd dmia

pax, i makd ambixaliy.

Ka addd hi i m ily

i a aly Apil 1943 l:

Sx, , i h ival ymbl

li—I’v divd ha all m, m

agd va aadmiia,

bak x i hi la ya a hgh

ddly i i dp ad bl

maig, i ipaabl maiag

h li.

navy Vws Wrtrs

Wth Som Suspco

Navy d viwd “pai’ pai a

a wi” a a h ig hi mal imbal-

a. O d labld Ka “mwha

gadi” ba:

Wih ay paila aiig

bak gd, hi pai, j pi

hi lim, hiaially m-

bakd p h wiig vl. H

hig al i hi aiviy.

A mdial hiy xp m May

27, 1943, add:

Pai dib hi wiig ambi-

i. H ha wi val vl,

wh h wa qi yg, a-

h j pi jiig h -

vi, ad h i wiig w. . . .

Pai a h bliv h

migh hav b v wh i

b amp ba h had b

wkig had j pi i-

di. H had b wiig a

vl, i h yl Jam Jy,

ab hi w hm w, ad

avagig appximaly 16 h

daily i a g i dw.

Ti wa a xpim ad h

d’ id pblih. A p

h i wiig a vl ab hi xpi-

i h Mha Mai. Pai

i vy vag i dibig all h a-

ivii. T m b a aii

a i hi hikig wh diig

hi hi wiig ad philphy.

Ka kw ha hi d viwd hi

wiig wih ad y playd p

hi ppi. I a dad l

a id, Ka d hi p

hi pyhiai’ qi. Akd m

A May 14, 1943, Board o Medical Survey report

determined that Kerouac suered rom Dementia

Praecox, involving “auditory hallucinations, ideas

o reerence and suicide; and a rambling, grandiose,

philosophical manner,” and reported his transer to

the U.S. Naval Hospital at Newport, Rhode Island.

18 Prologue Fall 2011

To learn more about

• Veterans service records in gener-

al, g www.archives.gov/veterans/.

• VIPs in uniform, go to www.

archives.gov/publications/prologue/2006/spring/.

• Baseball great Jackie Robinson’s Army court-

maial, g www.archives.gov/publications/

prologue/2008/spring/.



xampl hi “biza bhavi,” Ka

highligh hi wiig:

Spdig my im wiig. Ad h y,

ddiaig my ai xpi i -

d wi ab hm, aiig myl

h ala A.

“Biza bhavi” . . . ad h ll di-

agi dmia pax. All hi l-

ly d’ az m, xp im.

Si I hav “biza dli,”

ak m ily. T, wh I akd

a ypwi i d ih my vl,

hy ly hmd m.

(“T p by, w h’ d h

‘biza dli’ ha h’ a wi!”)

May ap Ka’ paliy

viwd by h Navy a ig mal ill

w la paid a qalii ha mad him

a gid ad xpiv wi. I mpilig

Ka’ mdial hiy, Navy d w

ha h had vi ad “imagi i hi mid

whl ymphi; h a ha vy . H

pid pag wd.” Ka ld hi

d ha ha h did ha adm vi-

b aily did ha mi:

I d’ ha vi alkig m m

wh [sic ] b I hav a phgaph-

i pi b my y; wh I g

lp ad I ha mi playig. I kw I

hld’ hav ld h pyhiai ha

b I wad b ak.

Krouac’s Hosptazato

Brgs Brth of a ico

Whil i i impibl kw h ll

hi hpializai ad pad aalyi,

Ka’ l gg ha im wa -

ig pi Ka pally, pial-

ly, ad piially.

H p h hi li ig m

, diipli, l, glai, ad a-

hiy. T h h a, h m h wa

mbad a a lal i ad m-

bdim a w “Ba” way li. O

a ly g hw mh hi la apad

w i di ai h i hi

miliay xpi.

Ka’ hpializai gav him im

pd ad lidiy hi l idiy a a

wi. Fm h hpial, Ka pldgd

a w bgiig:

I m hag my li, now . . . hi d

ma I hall a my dbahig;

y . . . , dbahy i h la

ma m whav igi h’

applid himl. I a , ah d-

bahy i a piva hgh h-livd

ig m h ai dii

hi iy.

I a l a id m ji high

hl, wi i aly Apil 1943, Ka

mmid aig hi pal jy:

T pah i hi hpial ha -

vid m, a i did Hmigway i Ialy,

ha “h dad a h g.” Ev-

y h i dad, v hi “bh

a B.” I hav b dad by

h wld wih idabl hlp m

my ga my, myl, ad w I

am ady wk. I aliz h limia-

i my kwldg, ad h ig-

laiy my ill. Kwldg ad i-

lli v a li—b a li

m b ld, m m a wll—

ad I am gig b a li. S-

ly I will b a Ka, whav ha g-

g. Kwldg m wih im.

A a a aiv pw g, I hav

hm ad I kw i. All I d w i

aih i myl . . . ly m h a

a aih ly dila ad xpad “ma-

kid.” I m hag my li, now.

Ht th road, Jack, ad do’t

you com back o mor . . .

O J 2, 1943, h Navy mpld i val-

ai ad hagd Ka’ diagi m

dmia pax “Ciial Pyh-

pahi Sa, Shizid Paliy.” T hiz-

id d “hav bdd p b hav

y ahd h lvl pyhi, b whih

d him vi.”

T d ggd hi dihag, ad

Ka igd a m aig ha hi di-

i wa a pxiig . O J 10, i wa

mmdd ha Ka b dihagd “

a iabiliy ah ha phyial

mal diabiliy.”

O J 30, 1943, Ka’ miliay

dy wa ially miad “by a

Uiabiliy h Naval Svi.” T

Navy mad i la ha h wa wlm

; Ka “i mmdd

lim.” H wa giv “a i

vilia lh,” a avl allwa $24.60

hm hi --ppiv pa-

i Lwll, ad a -im “mig

” paym $200.

Ka l h hpial ad hi h ad.

Hi ial miliay pl l wa ld

10 day la ad maid ld 62 ya

il i wa pd by h Naial Ahiv i

2005, ahig a aiaig ad pvi-

ly kw hap i hi lgday dam

ad wi’ li. P

Note on Sources

Spial hak Ei Vlz ad Li Had

h Naial Pl Rd C i S. Li,

Mii, hi gida.

Ul hwi d a a l m K-

a, all q a m Ka’ ial miliay p-

l l, whih ild a xpaiv ad daild

27-pag mdial hiy.

T l id i h ail, wi

Ka’ im d pyhiai valai, a m

Jack Kerouac: Selected Letters, 1940–1956 , d. A

Cha (Nw Yk, NY: Pgi Gp, 1995).

Oh ild:

Pal Mah, J., Jack Kerouac’s American Journey: Te

Real-life Odyssey of “On the Road” (Cambidg, MA:

Td’ Mh P, 2007).

Bay Gid ad Law L, Jack’s Book: An

Oral Biography of Jack Kerouac (Nw Yk, NY:

S. Mai’ P, 1978).

Jak Ka, Vanity of Duluoz (Nw Yk, NY:

Pgi Bk, 1967).


Author

Mram Kma, a pbli aai

piali wih NARA, am

h Ahiv a a ah i 1996

iviga l Jwih a i Swi

bak dig Wld Wa II. A gada h Uiviy

Mihiga, h jid h agy i 2000 a a ahiv

piali. Sh ha wi pvily i Prologue ab h

Pbli Val xhibi ad ab d m S. Elizabh

Hpial i Wahig, D.C.

hit the road jack - prologue fall 2011

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