So far in the first forty pages of
the novel, the theme seems to be that it is not about the destination but rather
about the journey. The journey is not solely as physical journey but personal
one as well, as it was about finding yourself as you find new lands to cross
and new people to meet. The
journey is about trying new things and getting side tracked. Often you may find that where you end up
is not the place that you originally planned on going, but someplace, even
better. The narrator, Sal, starts on his journey by expecting to ride on the
same road the whole way to Denver but he runs into trouble. When he figures out
that his endeavor is not possible, he easily changes his plans. Flexibility and
spontaneity are seen as prerequisites for capturing the spirit of adventure and
the spirit of visiting the west.
The west, at one time, in the beginning of the
United States’ history, was foreign and mysterious, but brave souls ventured
forth to find their future and discover their fortune. Those people found beautiful land and new
people to share their culture and whom they could fight. I think this is the
spirit of the narrator’s journey. It about being brave enough to leave what you
know behind and find what you’re looking for on the way, even if you did not
know you were looking for it. You may
miss a lot of things when you are worried about getting somewhere to fast. If
you let the journey take you, you’ll find that you end up in exactly the right
place.
Emily, I agree that this is a main theme in the novel. Like I wrote in my post, the journey gives Sal the opportunity to be free and let destiny take him where it may. He agrees to go on the adventure because it has an end destination, but the route itself turns out to be the real experience. Since Sal is a writer, he is interested in the way people behave and admires those with an enthusiasm for life. The strangers that take him into their cars show him different styles of living and thinking. Sal states that “one of the biggest troubles hitchhiking is having to talk to innumerable people” (pg. 13), but this is actually a blessing in disguise. By being forced to seek out strangers and strike up conversations, Sal can expand his mind by coming contact with fresh personalities. Stimulus is essential to writers, and as Sal’s Aunt told him, getting out for a while will probably do him some good. At the start, Sal is running after Dean and Carlo, “as I’ve been doing all my life after people who interest me” (pg.5), but when he begins his journey has no one to take directions from but himself. Sal’s admiration of Dean comes from the fact that Dean never stops moving and living. Fundamentally, Sal is looking for an adventure, and through this journey, he may have found exactly what he needs. He is a pioneer veering into uncharted territory. Each person he meets shows him a little more of what the west is all about, and challenges him to consider where he fits in.
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