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.