Term Paper- Part 2

     In 1990, Carolyn Cassady published her memoir Off the Road, which describes Neal and Jack’s adventures from the female perspective. In the first chapter, she writes, “Raised in fear and reverence for the prevailing social code of the Thirties and having led a sheltered, restricted, existence, I was amazed... that there were men who dared to live like the characters in my books and movies.” (p. 1). This line captures the initial charisma and wonder that Dean often exudes. It also touches upon the Beat Generation’s refusal to conform. Carolyn Cassady’s perspective sheds light on how Dean was pushing boundaries, and also classifies what made him so attractive to Sal. 

     The members of the Beat Generation were also known to press society's limits beyond a blatant rejection of conformity. In On the Road, Dean and his gang often purposely defy and challenge all forms of authority. Dean makes it around the West by stealing cars and gas whenever possible. Kerouac alludes to several of Dean’s encounters with the law, and first refers to him as “a young jailkid shrouded in mystery” (p. 1). Not surprisingly, when Sal and Remi get jobs as guards, they spend the night partying with the noise-makers and attempting to steal food. Although Sal is not initially sure about their actions, Remi assures him that “President Truman said... We must cut down on the cost of living” (p. 64). Sal often plays the role of an outside admirer in the novel; he idolizes Dean and his lifestyle but is not yet ready to take it on for himself. The gang’s continual challenging of authority brings them further away from the societal ‘norm’, and is yet another reason why they shocked the generation. 

     The contents of On the Road caused a great deal of controversy. Like its literary counterpart Howl by Allen Ginsberg, On the Road had references to drugs, alcohol, and sex that were questioned by society. Howl was tried in court for obscenity and nearly faced censorship; with the help of these two literary works, the Beat lifestyle was taking the world by storm. Howl, which was largely inspired by Kerouac’s On the Road, begins with the line “I saw the best minds of my generation destroyed by/ madness, starving hysterical naked” (p.1). Arguably, the ‘madness’ Ginsberg refers to as having destroyed the best minds of his generation is the same ‘madness’ Kerouac uses to classify Neal Cassady and the gang. Ginsberg also mentions Denver, where Dean and Sal often meet up in On the Road. Ginsberg writes, “who journeyed to Denver... who/ came back to Denver & waited in vain... who/ finally went away to find out the/ Time, & now Denver is lonesome for her heroes,” (p. 17). Once one has become familiar with the lifestyle portrayed in On the Road, one can also understand Howl with far more clarity. For this reason, On the Road gives a valuable backdrop to the classic Beat novels.