Themes

1. Those who attempt to live apart from the constructs of society must continually fight for their freedoms.
Dean Moriarty and his gang are always moving because they seek to attain what society will never allow them: absolute freedom. Life on the road gives the crew an escape from responsibilities, chores, and monotonous work. They attempt to live their lives to the fullest by doing whatever they want, whenever they want. However, the the book also reveals that ultimately, the machine that is society is stronger than man. Dean Moriarty is regarded as a loser and a coward; he has made a mess of his own life and no longer has any sense of direction. The adventures and parties that worked out when Dean was young are no longer within reach. Although it is against Dean's nature, he must find a way to play by the rules to be able to support himself and the women he has brought into his life. At the end he is forced to take mediocre jobs and a dull life over a life of excitement on the road. His free spirit, however, still stays alive. Sal admires Dean for his quest for freedom, but he also recognizes the power of society itself.

2. The Beat Generation was built on the idea of defying societal constructs.
The reason why this book is such a classic is because its characters epitomize what it means to be a member of the Beat Generation. Jack Kerouac (Sal Paradise), Allen Ginsberg (Carlo Marx), and Neal Cassidy (Dean) were all influential Beat writers in the fifties. Their adventures are chronicled in On the Road, and therefore readers can experience their points of view first hand. All three characters fight against society and partake in wild, irrational activities that push society's boundaries. They break laws, have unconventional sex, and shirk their responsibilities. I believe Kerouac wrote the book to explain his point of view, and to allow readers to partake in the unique lives of members of the Beat Generation.

3. Our biggest fear is that we will be invisible.
Throughout On the Road, Kerouac hints at the idea of disappearance. Much like we have seen in Notes from the Underground, the characters in On the Road suffer from a great deal of depression when they feel alone. Ed Dunkel tells Sal that he once felt like a ghost wandering Times Square. As human beings, I think we all try to grasp our significance in some way. Wandering Times Square, where one is often flooded by a sea of people, it's not difficult to feel like a ghost wandering through the crowds. Ed is afraid to live in obscurity; later on, Sal expresses a similar point of view after having a falling out with Dean. The characters seek each other's company, perhaps, to feel less alone. They strive to be different, unique, and break boundaries precisely because they cannot stand the idea of fading away quietly.

4. We struggle to find meaning and clarity in a world of chaos.
Dean and his gang create their own adventures and paths. They shun the ready-made package of life choices provided to all of us by the machine that is society. Sal and Dean both try to make sense of a world that is chaos. After a night of heavy drinking, Sal writes, "What difference does it make after all?- anonymity in the world of men is better than fame in heaven, for what is heaven? what's earth? All in the mind" (p. 233). Nights of partying, women, and law-breaking are all attempts to reach what Dean calls "It": perfect clarity, understanding, and meaning. He fears that there is no true understanding to be reached; perhaps the world itself, just like heaven, is only in the mind. However, when Sal does not find "It" across America, he finds it in Dean. The novel ends with Sal recognizing that Dean is who he is, and that the idea he represents is beautiful and clear: the search for clarity and freedom.