Yogyakarta, June 2026 — The American Studies Program was honored to welcome Professor of English from Brigham Young University and also a Fulbright Senior Scholar, Brian Russel Roberts, for a guest lecture titled “Huck Finn’s Back Pages: or, Bob Dylan and Major Problems in American Literature”, on Friday, June 5th, 2026 at Ruang Sidang 1, Poerbatjaraka building.
Widely recognized as one of the most influential musicians of the twentieth century, Bob Dylan has left a mark not only on music but also on literature and American culture. In this lecture, Professor Brian invited participants to explore Dylan’s relationship with American literature and examined why his work continues to spark discussions about the boundaries of literature itself.
The lecture focused on Dylan’s connection to Mark Twain’s classic novel Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. At first glance, a folk singer and a fictional boy traveling down the Mississippi River may seem unrelated. However, Professor Brian showed how both Dylan and Huck Finn not only share the same style of hat but also share themes of freedom, questioning authority, and challenging social norms.
Participants also learned how Dylan’s songs often deal with issues such as justice, truth, and personal growth. These themes closely reflect the struggles faced by Huck and Jim in Twain’s novel. Professor Brian stated that Bob Dylan’s songs are most of them, if not, all of them are protest songs. Through his music, Dylan encourages listeners to think critically about society and the world around them.
Another interesting discussion centered on Dylan’s place in American literary studies. Although he received the Nobel Prize in Literature in 2016, his work has not always been widely discussed in traditional literature classrooms and journals. This raises important questions about what we consider “literature” and whether songs can be studied alongside novels and poetry.
Overall, the session offered a fresh perspective on the relationship between music and literature. It encouraged us to see Bob Dylan not just as a musician, but as a storyteller whose work continues to shape conversations about American culture, identity, and history. It was an insightful discussion that reminded us that literature can be found in many forms, not only in books, but also in the songs that help define a generation. The session also served as a sneak peek into Professor Roberts’ upcoming book, a project that contributes new insights into the study of Dylan and American literature and is already highly anticipated by scholars and students.
Author: American Studies Program
