Sal, at the beginning of our story, was a depressed and bored writer from New York. However, this all changes with the entrance of his main hero, Dean Moriarty. Where did he come from? How did he become Sal's incentive to move to the West? All these questions can be answered through the general idea that Dean is, indeed, the savior of our narrator.
At the intro, the reader is introduced to Sal with the description of his wife leaving him and his recovery from a serious illness. Such a life makes him feel depressed, tired, and stagnant. However, upon the arrival of Dean into the story, everything sparks into motion. Dean begins to push Sal into following his dream thus, making himself the motivation that Sal needs to pass through his depression; Sal has always dreamed of traveling West but, never has and Dean, the personification of that West, arrives.
Sal, at first, hesitated at pursuing his dream but once he gains the courage from his fellow man, Dean, he beings his journey of walking and hitch hiking to the West. If we go deeper into the idea of the theme of this story, it is self-evident that destiny wants Sal to chase after his dream, to follow his heart. However, he was falling behind and might not have travelled if it was not for the little push that destiny gave Sal and the name of this push was Dean Moriarty.
I agree with your inference that Dean is the savior of Sal, but I do believe as well that Sal, in the end, saved himself. Sure, destiny may have introduced itself in human form, sent to modify the life of the narrator, but he is still nothing more than a figure. If Sal hadn't chosen to take initiative, he would have completely ignored the pleas of Dean and never began his expedition to the West. So in truth, Sal rescued himself and is his own true savior.
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