Third Post for Term Paper

Similar to the first characteristic of the road lifestyle, the third characteristic is the ability to shirk off irresponsibility without consequence. Sal, Dean, and the rest of their misfit gang of nomads and vagabonds, take absolutely no responsibility for anything that they do on the road. This immaturity and irresponsibility extends to their relationships with women, their friendships with each other, and their regular everyday fiscal responsibilities.  Dean, as mention in the previous paragraphs, has a tendency to be incapable of commit. Dean gets his girlfriend, Camille, pregnant.  Dean knew that the implications of fatherhood were emotional and fiscal commitment to his child and the child’s mother. This frightened Dean, but instead of facing it head on like a real man should and would, he run away. He abandoned his pregnant girlfriend and their child to continue on living a free spirited lifestyle. Even though, he was suppose to pay child support, he never kept a steady job or even attempted to pay the bills.  Yet Camille made no effort to force him to pay the money, and seemly let him go scot-free. Kerouac proving the point through Dean, that men can easily and without consequence, shirk their responsibility, while females are stuck burying the burdens of their mutual mistakes. During this period of time, Dean ran off to find Mary Lou, his first wife. He traveled on the road with her for several months, under the pretense that once they return to Camille the relationship would be over. Mary Lou was so desperately in love with Dean that she did not care that he was using her as a mechanism to avoid irresponsibility. Then when Dean returned Camille, took Dean back into her life without question, even though it was clear that he had cheated on her.  Sal has little money while he is on the road, and he has to attempt to make some income. He first gets a job as a waiter, which Dean put his neck out on the line for Sal to get, and Sal does not even show up to the first day of work. Then Dean becomes a policeman; he then gets drunk on the job and accidentally puts the American flag on upside down. This mistake gets both Sal and his friend fired from his job. Then Sal becomes a cotton picker, the work becomes to difficult for him and he feels inadequate and he quits. Even though his attempts to sustain his own income is weak at best, he is able to live off of his aunt and uncle hard earned wages. Sal, like dean, is able to avoid irresponsibility and still live life to the fullest. Finally, both Sal and Dean, alienate friend from their inability to keep promises. Sal promises his friend, Remi, that he will be on best behavior when his Remi’s dad arrives. Instead of keeping to his promise, Sal gets drunk using Remi’s dad credit card and embarrasses Remi and his Dad inside a very reputable restaurant.