On the road blog 6

Was the trip a good thing for Sal? After being on the road for some time, you notice a large amount of change in Sal. In the beginning he was a young man determined to find a new friend. He had lived a life with very little excitement and he thought the road that he was on was going nowhere, so he left to live his life on the road. Here he thought it would benefit him entirely. I think a metaphor is proven when Dean continues on the road missing every exit, while Sal notices every exit but feels like he must follow Dean. I wouldn't say that Sal's trip made him a new person. But a person he was before just undiscovered. Towards the end Sal realizes that he must get off the road, despite all he has been through on the road. In the end, you really see how much Dean depends on Sal. The final question is "did Sal leave Dean, or did Dean leave Sal?

On the road blog 6

One of the most memorable moments from On the Road is when Dean runs into his brother towards the end of the book. You see a completely different side of him. His whole life he has lived in complete fearlessness and he seems to be incredibly ok with who he is and how he lives. Around everyone else Dean always seems to be the top dog, the one everyone wants to be, the one that could lead you anywhere, and the one that everyone wants to be like. Dean always has an audience. He will go no where if he believes that no one will see him. He must feel like he is never alone. When he runs into his brother, it's like he is completely different person. Like he has so much to say and it never comes out. He seems to not know who he is or why he's done the things he has when he is around his brother. Dean seems to forget about everything when he talks with his brother. The effect that his brother haves on Dean is a mystery. But I find it very interesting to see that someone who presents himself with as much power as Dean does has a weakness. Let alone the fact that his biggest weakness is one of the only family members he has left.

On the road blog 5

Throughout the book Dean and Sal's friendship progresses. At first Sal is just someone who knows of Dean and his crazy life and what he is like as a person. He wants to try and find Dean so he can live a little more freely and see the world like he knows Dean does everyday. Because Dean and Sal are complete polar opposites, it is almost like they rely on eachother to help balance themselves out. In the beginning I think it would be safe to say that he wasn't exactly sure what a real friend was like. I think, at first, Dean sees Sal as a scapegoat for his crazy life. Someone to help him realize that the world is bigger than just parties and living in the fast line. Dean soon developes a certain love for sal that was not there in the beginning. Sal always envied Dean. Dean was a carefree soul with the advantage of seeing the world whenever he pleased and Sal needed to live differently. He knew Dean would allow this to happen for him. And further into the book you start to see a real friendship occur.

On the Road Blog 4

The first real scene before going on the road is back home in Denver in a grimy basement with old furniture. It is the summer time, it is humid, and dusty lighting. And all the friends are hanging out on an old couch. This scene really caught my eye because it was the first scene where these people were together with nothing but themselves and nothing to worry about. You see how each character acts in their own atmosphere. The relationships between these people really stick out. In the basement there is Sal, Dean, Marylou.

I think the one reason why I enjoy this short scene so much is because you see all the main characters in real life. Without any "distractions" or weird situations. This scene, to me, is really important to the story. The difference between life before being on the road, and life on the road seems to be incredibly different.

On the Road Blog 3

One of the bests parts about On The Road is the writing. Sal is a writer to begin with. But when he starts on the road it's like he and his writing transform. Every experience is described down to the littlest detail and you can really put yourself into part of his story. My favorite thing is when Sal writes about the people he meets. The way he describes them, it is almost like they are standing right in front of you. He will give you the most important and meaningful information about a person he meets in the story. But, never will he say anything negative about them. I really appreciate how Sal will always record the people he meets along his way. He will write down however he saw them, and how they appeared to him without judging them at all. Hence all the different people he has relationships with. He in incredibly easy to get along with. Also, my favorite part from the book is when Sal writes about one of his firsts nights on the road. He mentions the sunset of one night. To me, it was the first time you really see Sal out of his element. Like when a child gets candy for the first time. Sal describes the sky like nothing he had ever experienced. Throughout the book Sal has many moments with nature. For him, seeing that much of the world is something he will never forget. He mentions how the things he sees on his trip will always be remembered and looked back upon. I find it interesting how the people that he met did not have the same effect on him. Even his moments with Dean were never recorded with such love and compassion as Sal's experiences with nature.

On the Road Blog 2

Further into the reading you start to better understand Dean's character. From the moment he is introduced he is shown as a very real person. His life consists of women, beer, music, fast living, drugs and small but good friendships. Although his character is increbibly honest, I feel like there is a ton of mystery behind Dean. As the story developes you start discovering more and more about him. Dean is probably my favorite character. His life is very different from all the others in the book. Dean is really free-spirited and moves very quickly. By this I mean that Dean might have trouble settling down. The best way to see Dean live his life is on the road. I really like that no matter the situation, Dean is always the same person. He hardly has multiple personalities and he represents himself the same way with every person he encounters. With him there is no hiding who he is. Almost like there is no fear with Dean Moriarty. Also, it is shown that Dean has a very high tolerance to drugs and alcohol. On the "party nights" in the book, I find it amusing that no matter how much trouble Dean had gotten himself into the night before, he always wakes up with zero effect of what happened. It's interesting to notice the character differences as Sal is rather new to living the life of sex, drugs, and rock n roll, and Dean's life consists of it. Dean will wake up the next morning as if it is a new and regular day for him, and Sal may need some time to catch up. However, they are the best of friends. One of my favorite things about this book so far has to be the friendship between Sal and Dean.

On the Road Blog 1

When reading On The Road, you soon notice that Jack Kerouac explains the characters with as little descriptions as possible. You see what they are like yourself. You figure out each character by seeing what they are mostly like and how they relate to situations in the book. I found it easiest to see what their personality is like by the way they act and communicate with other characters. I like the author's method because it gives the reader a chance to become more intact with the book. Not only does he give you situations to think about, but he even allows opinions to be developed about all the characters.