<prompt> Qedela umusho olandelayo: Wazalelwa ePortland, e-Oregon, uWhalen wakhulela eThe Dalles kusukela eneminyaka emine ubudala waze wabuyela ePortland ngo-1941. Wakhonza e-US Army Air Forces phakathi neMpi Yezwe II. Waya eReed College nge-GI Bill. Lapho, wahlangana noGary Snyder noLew Welch, futhi waphothula iziqu ze-BA ngo-1951. Wafunda encwadini edumile  <response>: Ukufundwa kweSix Gallery ngo-1955 okwaphawula ukwethulwa kwe-West Coast Beats emphakathini. Uvela, ngendlela eqanjiwe, njengomlingiswa uWarren Coughlin encwadini kaJack Kerouac ethi The Dharma Bums, ehlanganisa ukulandisa kwalokhu kufundwa. EBig Sur ubizwa ngokuthi uBen Fagan. Izinkondlo zikaWhalen zavela ku-anthology kaDonald Allen ethi The New American Poetry 1945-1960. 