On the Road Title

Main character Sal Paradise spends about, oh, let’s see…99.9% of his time traveling on the road. And the other 0.1% of the time he’s wishing he could be on the road. On the surface, the title describes exactly what’s going on, but if you want to get all English-majory, you could say it also describes Sal’s ethos and the ethos of the whole Beat Generation that Kerouac represents with this book: their restlessness, dissatisfaction, longing for something and somewhere else. Sal is continuously trying to find somewhere else to be from his current position. It is an addiction that he cannot get rid of and it is obvious that he never will until he finds his ultimate goal: the ability to write again and I believe its going to take a long time before he gets his "power", if you will, back.

Answer to Emily's Post

Like Emily said, Sal seems to be looking for perfection, but I think he is looking for complete life perfection, not just love. I think Sal is wandering the states in hope of finding a lifestyle that fits him, a place where he can party, drink, sleep with women, and still have a life in which he can write and do whatever he is passionate about. I also thinks he is looking for the right friend to do this with. He likes trouble, but in the end regrets it and prefers to avoid it. This is were Dean can come into play. Sal admires Dean so much and maybe he is just wanting to prove to himself that Dean is the friend he wants to be there for this lifestyle. Dean is the man Sal wants as his right hand man as he wants to be Dean's. Like Emily's comparison of his trip like an actual road, Sal is waiting for the right time and place to make that turn into another road and start living how he wants to with who he wants to.

A Punch of Realism

This was a sort of pause to Sal's amazing adventure. After all those nights of pure partying, drinking, girls, and his friends, he comes to a point in his journey that represents a reality check on his nothing but fun trip. He gets to Frsico with the expectations that it would be like Denver or even better. His ideas are all proven wrong when he has to get a job as a cop, live with a woman who can't stand him or her husband, and can't drink or party because he's always working and would get fired. This seems to bring me back to the last blog when i said that maybe Sal will come back to Denver once he's done, but he has to make the trip anyways to discover new things, people, and places. Obviously his time in Frisco will not be remembered as a fun one, but at least he got a feel for what it was like living there, not only the usual party life he's used to.
Remi really grew on me. He's probably the character I like the most in this book. He just seems so into people and not himself like everyone else. Like when he always calls Sal the "funniest person" or when he wants Sal to write about the Banana King who was no one more than a street vendor of bananas. Remi had a tough childhood and he has some issues with stealing with trying to make himself seem more than he is, like when he pretended to be well off or when he got Lee Ann, but he is a character I like and i hope to see more of him later on.

Response to Mona's post

       Mona, I agree that there does seem to be a hidden sense of sadness throughout the novel, but I think our characters are trying their best to fight it. It is this sad undertone that makes the novel so much like real life; the characters are in a constant struggle against the melancholy world that they live in. In Frisco, in Denver, and throughout his travels on the road, Sal sees bums asking for dimes. It is mentioned so many times that it almost becomes part of the scenery. They represent the ever-present sadness. The character Major is described as a Hemingwayen writer who hates everybody, and Carlo Marx writes apocalyptic, mad poetry.
        The only time the characters seem to forget their sadness is during parties. Their spirits lift when they are with people. At the party in the old miner's shack, Major yells out happy new year and shows affection toward everyone. Sal writes that he had not been drunk, but merely intoxicated on the happiness he felt at the party.
       The morning after, however, everyone feels down and dejected. They realize that their happiness was short lived, and now they must return to every day life. Sal writes "We lay on our backs... wondering what God had wrought when He made life so sad" (p. 52). Just like us, the characters feel a looming sense of sadness. In my opinion, this is what makes the story seem so real.

On the Road and The Great Gatsby

        The way On the Road is written reminds me of The Great Gatsby. Much like Nick Carraway, Sal is an observer and a writer. Dean Moriarty, like Gatsby, is a charismatic, difficult to understand character who drives the novel. Dean's role is similar to Gatsby's; both characters charm and control the narrators for no apparent reason.
        What I find interesting about this novel is how well developed and different each character is. The strange relationship between Carlo Marx and Dean Moriarty is captivating and intriguing. Just what is the purpose of their strange talks in the middle of the night? They seem to be trying to explain their motives for every situation. Perhaps they are attempting to gain absolute closeness by understanding each other.
        Another question is why everyone in the novel seems to either worship or hate Dean. Carlo keeps journals in which he catalogues Dean's every move; Sal follows him everywhere he goes. Perhaps it is Dean's zest for life and his ability to make so much of every day. The tight regulation of his schedule allows him to divide his time between three different girls, Carlo Marx, and Sal. Dean seems to know the secret to everything. He steals cars in the night and knows how to influence people. He is the "Ferris Bueller" that never seems to get caught. The characters in the novel seem to either hate him for his abilities or love him to the point where they want to be him.

Response to Jon

The point of view of the On The Road is Sal speaking in past tense. Sal is reminiscing about his past and his adventure through his memories. If forgetting the past is truly the theme of the novel, as Jon has stated in his reaction, then Kerouac would not have written the book in this manner. I disagree with Jon, I believe that the theme of the On the Road is not forgetting your past but remembering it and then having the strength to not let it affect your future. The past can shape who you are but you should be living in the present. It is not forgetting about the mistakes you made or where you came from but using the knowledge you gained in future situations. Sal remembers his values that were forged in his past but he did not let that stop him from making new ones. So in a way Jon is right, it is about moving on but at the same time never losing who you are in the process. 

The Repetitive Tone of On The Road

On the Road has a repetitive quality or tone, which I think is similar to how the literal life on the road is. The aspects of the road are ones of unbroken paths with the same grayish concrete and unending yellow lines. They lead you to different places, but fundamentally all these places are the same. In turn, the attitude of this novel takes on this theme. It seems that no matter where Sal is, he does the same things, over and over again. He is always intrigued by the places he goes. Inspired by how different they are from urban New Jersey and New York City. He meets new people, most of whom are trouble. They get themselves into messy situations but they are resolved by end of the night. Similar to driving on a road, Sal keeps moving and does not to look back, while in the moment. Sal meets girls, all of whom he finds beautiful but flawed. This seems to hint to the reader that he is not necessarily searching for love, but for perfection. He keeps spending money, that he does not have, for beer and his nights on the town. Yet, he does not seem inclined to work anywhere. He will have to start looking for a job or risk starving. He also is living off the generosity and hospitality of his friends. He uses their homes as places to sleep and for food when offered. When that runs out he may end up living on the street.  

Creeping Depression

                I'm not too fond of this story due to the hidden depression written between the lines. Everyone Jack meets is mad with happiness and although it is always a good thing to be happy, an overwhelming abundance of it can only be an attempt to ignore sadness. For example, Henri, a man who lives in a small shack with his wife Diane, is probably the happiest person Jack ever meets. "And I say tho Henri was having worklife problems and a bad love life with a sharp-tongued woman he at least had learned to laugh almost better than anyone in the world and I saw all the fun we were going to have in Frisco." What I find sad is that he is either truthfully just a happy person regardless of the shit situation he is in, or he just forces himself to be mad with happiness in order to cover his true feelings. Even Jack surrounds himself with happy people in hopes to distract himself from his unhappy life. "So the first week I stayed in the shack in Marin City writing furiously at some gloomy tale about New York that I thought would satisfy a Hollywood director, and the trouble with it was that it was too sad." His true emotions come out in his writing and as much as he tried to cover it up, he can't help but let it out once in a while. That is what I find so sad. Even Henri gets "disappointed about the funniest things." 

                I believe it is better to come face to face with what bothers someone rather than try and push it back, only for it to come out in the subconscious. Things like this slowly deteriorate a character until they eventually become truly mad. 

Where is Your Purpose?

                I feel like throughout this story, Jack is being influenced by his friends and turning into an irresponsible child. Life should always be something exciting and cherished but should not be carried out without the consideration of reality. Instead of being a mature adult and paying attention to his money, he follows the path of his friends and spends every last dime. "I had no money; I sent my mother an airmail letter asking her for fifty dollars and said it would b the last money I'd ask..." Instead of taking responsibility for his own actions, he runs to his mother for help. This shows the endurance of a child rather then a man. 

                Jack also ignores the existence of reality and gets drunk with his friends, running a muck and consumed with immaturity. "all in darkness now as we fumed and screamed in our mountain nook, mad drunken Americans in the mighty land." 

                Didn't he come all of this way to reach a purpose; to find something out of life? I feel like he only traveled so far to loose his mind amongst the insane. I believe that at the end of the book, instead of making something of himself, he will just diminish to a simple minded lush who somehow managed to loose his goal along the way. 

Response to Anik'es Post

I was also pondering on the future quality of the relationship between Sal and Dean. We've seen from the beginning that Dean is quite the indifferent character that gives little importance to things and that just may be why Sal admires him so much, but will it get to a point where Sal is no longer looked at as a friend by Dean, but rather a pest and an annoyance to be with? It seems to me like Sal is taking all of Dean's statements of his plans as invitations, therefore completely imposing himself, and while no one seems to really mind because, like Dean, no one seems to care so much, this may change. Sal can be an annoying character at times for this reason, but I cant help but feel some sympathy for him because, in the end, he's only following Dean around because he admires him so much.
I also agree with Anike about the way Kerouac writes to connect the characters in a magnificent way to the time period, painting the picture perfectly in my mind of how it all goes down when the characters interact. For example, there was a scene in which Sal and his friends were having a good time and "there was no music, just dancing" (Kerouac, 48) which at first seemed impossible to me, but then I imagined that time period and realized that things were different back then and people had a better time with simpler entertainment.

Comment for Luis

I cannot agree more with your thoughts on moving past the realm of the "old". However, I must deduce that one can only make it through the process if one is willing to understand the reasons for such a change. He must also, in the end, ask himself whether the change was all that much better for his well being than what he had originally? If not, then is it really worth the bother to acquire change in the first place? Under the circumstances of Sal, it maybe in his favor to change his original life of sulking and feeling sorry for himself but, is the idea of partying and writing poems on how he feels in life really the path for him? Most people take change differently than others and what Sal is experiencing now can be observed as fun but, is what he really needs now fun? I believe that a man of his age and situation needs to move on with a more mature outlook on his future instead of following some childish avenue that could possibly take him further along the original road of failure.   Food for thought. 

Past, Present, and Future

The idea of moving on from past mishaps and mending the old to make way for the new, is a very good mindset to have, which apparently is a central theme in this novel. However, the moment you forget about the past is when you begin to make old mistakes again. I do not believe that it is ever ok  to forget your past because it is what defines you, it is who you are. If you cannot understand your own character, then you lack the ability to move on and that completely defeats the whole purpose of mending mistakes. So, I do not agree with the theme in the story on forgetting what mistakes you have made because if you do, all your hard work in the future will be for nothing because you have not actually learned form your past and it will haunt you forever. Yesterday is history, tomorrow a mystery, but today is a gift, that is why it is called the present. Make it so by never repeating your own tainted history. 

Response to Luis's Post

Luis, I like how you described Sal's spirit of adventure, and also his ability to make the most out of small things that to others may seem pointless. His attention to detail and appreciation for Dean reminds the reader to look around and be inspired by people and places that may initially seem monotonous. Sal keeps moving forward, even though he falls in love with certain places he visits, like Denver. He knows there are new adventures waiting for him, and he cannot stop now. I admire his ability to keep going without looking back. It gives the novel a feeling of endless possibility and discovery. As a writer, Sal is determined to see all he can see, and get inspiration from as many places as he can. He is is not willing to separate from Dean, and his determination makes him a likable and interesting character.
I think Sal's attitude is a great reminder to the reader that there are always new places to explore and new possibilities to seize. So far, the tone of the novel is optimistic, which makes it an enjoyable and rewarding read. Like I mentioned in my post, the time period seems appealing and exciting. On the Road makes me want to take a trip back to the fifties and join Sal on his travels.

Sal's Ability to Move On and Hope for Something Better

So far I've liked this book. I've enoyed seeing how Sal takes on this adventure and basically improvises everything he does and depends on his friends to provide him with almost everything. I also liked seeing how he always makes the most out of the little things; his amusement for Dean and Carlo's conversation,  the makeshift party house they make out of the old dusty shack, the shere appreciation for the Rockies. I enjoyed seeing how Sal falls in love with Denver but never gives up on his goal of staying on Dean's trail and  following him to San Francisco where he knows his adventure will continue if he keeps doing what's working for him in a sense of showing him the life he's wanted to discover and giving him that new inspiration and look at life in order to obtain that desired different writing experience . For me this was a metaphor for the things in life that we never want to end but we know that moving on will be for an improvement of our lifelong adventure and that if things don't seem to work out with the change, we can always come back to what we had before.

Experiencing the Fifties in America

       What interests me most about the novel so far is that it seems to be an honest snapshot of a period of time we have never experienced. Kerouac’s use of slang that is strange and foreign to members of our generation gives it a genuine nostalgia; I feel as if I miss a time that I never experienced. The brave spirit of traveling on one’s own, and the endless possibilities and ideas that are associated with the West makes the time period sound extremely inviting. Sal’s descibes Tim Gray’s apartment as “swank”, and mentions Dean and Carlo dancing like “dingledodies”. It is almost comical how differently people used to converse. 

       I particularly enjoy Kerouac’s descriptions of writers in the time period, and young men and women who want to be intellectual. Sal describes Roland Major sitting in his silk dressing down “composing his latest Hemingwayan short story” (p 36). It seems like a bright period; especially in contrast to Atlas Shrugged’s current tone of imminent doom. 

       I enjoy reading On the Road because I feel the characters are fresh and exciting; I am particularly curious about how Dean will continue to develop throughout the story. Will we learn to love him as Sal does? Or will we come to hate him?

       In a way, On the Road reminds me of The Catcher in the Rye, because it is so honest and unapologetically laid-back. Kerouac uses the language of the time, and describes his characters as they truly are, which allows the reader to feel as if he/she is authentically experiencing the time period. 

Sal's Point of View

Although I feel it is a little early for me to form an opinion on whether or not I enjoy the novel, I am starting to dislike On The Road already. My reason is this, the novel is told in the first person point of view, Sal’s point of view. Jack Kerouac writes Sal’s thought process in a way that is abstract, short, and distracted. He explains a moment in time with little detail and quickly moves on. This makes every day in Sal’s life seem small and unimportant. Perhaps this is a realistic view of life, where no moment should hold anymore importance than another, but in the novel he is moving on a storyline and what he writes about must hold some significant or else telling the story would be pointless. I feel that every part of a story should progress the story line along, and I do not necessarily feel like Jack Kerouac does that. I feel that Kerouac is losing me as Sal moves along. I am even starting to lose my attachment to Sal. Dean is also starting to lose his importance in the story. He is the reason Sal leaves and yet he is barely contributing to Sal’s travels and experiences. I’m not grasping the point of Sal’s adventure and what he is learning. It might be because I’m reading the book in sections and when I return to the novel I forget what happened in the parts before. Hopefully the next section will make me like the story again. 

Sal's trip in search of self admiration

Sal meets Dean and appears to just lose himself in admiration over how he is.  Dean is spontaneous and doesn't seem to stress about anything. Even his wife leaving him didn't seem to get to Dean. Dean is presented as a character that takes every moment in life as a chance to do something new with himself. That's exactly what Sal wants for himself. Sal wants to leave New York and find something new for himself. He wants to get out of the habit of living how he used to and he wants to embark on a spiritual journey in which he  follows Dean back to Colorado. From the minute Sal decided to follow Dean back to Colorado he was already changing himself and becoming more like Dean in a way in which he was just embracing the opportunities life was giving him and just going for it, disregarding the obvious risks of him not having much money at all or experience in hitchhiking.
This trip was, as others have mentioned, a sort of soul search for Sal. He didn't like the way his life was and he didn't like where it was headed if it stayed this way.Going through with this journey would be a way for Sal to discover new alternatives to ways of living. it would also mean a broader mind spectrum which would help him bring new life to his seemingly dead writing passion. Sal wants to rediscover himself in order to respect and admire himself and what he does the same way he does with Dean.

Response to Mona's post

      Mona, I think you bring up a good question. Are Dean and Carlo faux-poets and intellectuals, or are they far too genius for us to understand? Either way both characters seem to have an understanding amongst each other. Dean and Carlo believe they are each other's soul mates, and Sal is usually left behind trying to get a word in. If we look at the two characters through Sal's eyes, everything they do is perfect and spectacular. However, if we try to look at them from an outside point of view, they can easily be interpreted as characters who say nonsense and think it means something.
      Perhaps their genius is in the eye of the beholder; if we look for meaning in their words we will find it. This seems to be what Sal does. Perhaps because they are such charming, free spirited characters, we assume there must be some depth to them. It is difficult to separate oneself from the point of view of the main narrator, but I think you make a good point when you say that they might find the answer to something important through their random banter. In the beginning Sal told us Dean was trying to be an intellectual. Carlo seems to have influenced Dean's thought process a great deal. Perhaps the key to their pursuit of knowledge is just not caring much at all.

You boys going to get somewhere, or just going?

      Many of the characters Sal meets on the road seem to be running; either from the law or from boredom itself. Rather than seeking out a specific destination, the hitchhikers are searching for something along the way. Some of the people Sal meets are honest and good-hearted, while others, like Eddie, are self centered and quick to be on their way. Since acquaintances are so fleeting, the nature of being a hitchhiker entails keeping oneself company. Sal mentions an old friend, Big Slim Hazard, who is a hobo by choice. He seems to have a great deal of admiration for people like Big Slim and Mississippi Gene; perhaps because he fundamentally wishes to be a free spirit like Dean. When he finally arrives in Denver, Sal feels like a completely different person. He cannot fathom what it will be like to have beers with the whole gang at night. Like his experiences on the road, however, things do not go according to plan. 

      Sal chases after Dean because he admires him. As a writer he is constantly looking for inspiration, and like Dean, has a zest for understanding the world. However, Sal does not seem to have the courage to be like Dean by himself. He often follows them around, hoping to catch a glimpse of their youth and energy. No matter how many times Dean disappoints and abandons him, Sal comes running back because he cannot let go. I believe Sal will learn through his journeys on the road that he too can be free, and does not need Dean and Carlo to live an adventurous life. 

Crossroads

As it happens, Sal needs to make a decision, a decision that will, pretty much, determine the outcome of his journey. He must choose which people he will travel with since they have come to terms on the decision to separate. This separation is basically the old vs new theme where, Sal has to choose between the group of "mature" adults and the adventurous youths who want to explore the world and feel the pleasure that comes with it. It is to my belief though, that this cannot be a tough decision for someone like Sal because of the reasons for his willing to travel in the first place: he wants to travel in search a new spirit, a new inspiration that can help him with his writing and the "mature" adults, in no way, can help him because they are already beyond the ability of being saved from themselves. Instead, Dean and Carlo, who can help give a taste of what the world is like to Sal, can provide the necessary tools and knowledge that Sal needs in order to feel the will to transcribe his thoughts, ideas, and curiosity's onto paper once again. So, in conclusion, it is correct to assume that Sal will definitely join sides with Dean and Carlo so that he may have a chance to find what he is looking for. 

Response to Emily's Post

I can agree with the idea that Sal is willing to stick with Dean and Carlo because of their ability to bring forth the life in any occasion, however, it is my belief that he is also doing it because he is slowly beginning to realize that the other group, (Chad King, Tim Gray, Roland Major, and the Rawlinses), are the very kind of people that he is trying to escape. His life before Dean was filled with such people who were boring, stuck up, and unnecessarily serious and the purpose of this journey he undertaking is to be able to reconnect with his inner spirit; his genius for writing. How can he possibly do this if he sticks with the very people who were holding him back? Therefore, it is safe to conclude that he wishes to stay with Dean and Carlo in order to discover a new side of the world, a, so-called, "untouched" part of his spirit that will eventually fill him up with the necessary creativity that he requires.

Nonsense or Genius

                I found interest in the discourse Neal and Allen have. They simply sit there and talk on and on about thoughts that randomly come to mind and barely have a connection to eachother; like a broken chain failing to carry out its function of opening a door. My only wonder is whether these kinds of conversations expand their minds or just leaves them to look like babbling idiots; and what is their ultimate goal? 

                For Jack, he doesn't understand "what you're both driving at or trying to get at" and Neal and Allen only rebuttal, calling him negative. What would be the positive way to look at it then? That they are trying to recall memories of the past? That eventually they'll get to the thought they have been waiting for, the thought that will lead them to their salvation? When reading their conversations, it all sounds like nonsense. "'When you borrowed that nickle to make up the check for the chickenfried steaks..' 'No man, the chili! Remember, the Texas star?' 'I was mixing it with Tuesday. When you borrowed that nickle you said, now listen, YOU said 'Allen this is the last time I'll impose on you,' as if, and really, you meant that I had agreed with you about no more imposing.'"

                They seem to be going nowhere, in circles, leaving questions unanswered. 

Maybe the whole point of this is just pure entertainment, that they are so bored with their lives, they actually find pleasure in the continuous flow of nonsense leaving their lips. 

                Personally, I believe that the initial intention they had was just to pass the time, but later on in the story, they'll come across a thought that will be the answer to an obstacle in their way. 

Response to Luis' Post

As Luis expressed in his first response to the novel, I too believe that Dean is an icon of adventure in Sal’s mind. I think that the stories and experiences that Dean collected, inspired Sal to make a change in his own life. In a way, Dean is a catalyst that makes Sal thirst for his own experiences and stories. The West is a mystery that Sal wants to uncover and he feels more confident conquering it with his friends, like Dean, by his side.

Luis asked in his response: “Is he [Sal] looking for an adventure he can write about, is he looking for love, or is he just in it for the thrill of following Dean and finding what it is that he can truly enjoy in life?” I believe that the answer to this is that he doesn’t know exactly what he is searching for or what he is expecting to find. Sal is in it for a fresh perceptive on his own life. The thrill will come with the adventure and new stories and ideas for his writing will come with his new collection of life experiences. The journey seems also to be one of self-discovery, as Luis stated. At this point in his life he has lost himself, and the journey is meant to help him find his way again. I think the journey will help him love life and his writing again. 

Finding Sal's True Friends

Sal’s adventures on the road have finally led him to Denver, where all his friends are staying. Sal is now nearly penniless and he must rely on his friends for places to stay and food to eat. I found it interesting that his friends are separating into two groups and he is slowly deciding which side to stick with. One group was made up of Chad King, Tim Gray, Roland Major, and the Rawlinses. The other group was lead by Dean Moriarty and Carlo Marx. The first was generally more stable. They all had jobs or at least a general idea of where their life was going and family backgrounds in the middle and upper class. They were disgusted with the sort of antics which Dean and Carlo were a part of. They all “snuffed down their nose” at Dean. The second group was a more colorful bunch. They were all flat broke and seemed incapable of keeping a job. They enjoyed parties with lots of girls and alcohol. They spoke in abstract terms and wrote poetry. Their families were all of little distinction. Sal liked Dean and Carlo because they were crazy and full of life. They always had something going on, even if that something was stirring up trouble. Sal was attracted to the manic and delusional type. If I had to make a guess as to which group Sal is going to stick with, it seems most likely that he and Dean and Carol will remain friends. The rest of the men in the other group will slowly fade out of his life.