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.

Ageing

Sal quietly gets older and older as the book progresses. despite how much he chooses to ignore it, Dean's thumb gets more and more infected and dirty. from coast to coast, the road ends somewhere. the end of the road, however, is nearly empty. everyone else has gotten off at a nearer exit. Not many other people reach the end of the road with their sanity, or much less a friend. Though he doesn't want to, Sal is forced off of the road by his sanity and his loved ones pulling him off. At the end of their lives, Dean made the history books, and Jack did too, but Neal died alone trying to extend the end of the road. Jack was happier and more welcome, because he got off of the road before it consumed him. In this sense, Jack was wrong when he said that the road was life. the road is life for a while, but the road becomes death further down. when all the others have exited, the road is death, forcing you onwards despite the need to leave. Perhaps Jack is right and i am wrong. Perhaps Jack changed his mind towards the end of the road. but no matter the perspective, The road has an end, but that end cannot be the end of your life. The end of your road is deeply personal, when you choose to get off of the road, your life does not end, it moves to the next phase. but for a select few, the end of their road is the end of their life, a life drenched in the fear of the calm, and a fear of what lies beyond the road. because, for Dean, that is all he ever knew.

Dean's Driving

"The Road is Life". this famous quote and now cliched metaphor is the memo by which many people live their life. If the road truly is life, then dean really is a prophet.gliding soundlessly for 30 miles without any gas, swiveling and swerving perfectly in control. Despite this being a seemingly 1st person narrative, there is a direct and flawlessly constructed metaphor of dean driving Sal around on the road of life. despite Dean's amazing and breathtaking technique, he driveds almost exclusively a beater. the car is run ragged, destroyed and battered along the way, a casualty of Dean's reckless "driving". Towards the end of their journey, gas money runs low, and they rarely have a full tank. they constantly are worrying about the lack of gas in their tank, but they carry on, always just making it, either by stealing it of off of someone else's money.

Dean Changing Again

Dean is more than the "Holy Con Man" or the "Holy Goof". still, that is what he will always be remembered as for many. somewhere, deep below the drugs, thew philosophy, and the insanity, he is a real-live person. Later on in Dean's life, he tells one of his disciples to never do what he is doing. in a strange, alien sense, he has lost his family, maybe just by being dealt a bad hand. his father was "eccentric" at the least from the eyes of his family. at the end of his life in society, they gave up and wanted nothing to do with them. Dean was cast away along with his father, and he seems horribly distraught at the fact. when dean meets with his cousin, Dean seems excited and relieved, but his cousin seems less than thrilled. to me, this is the most underrated "scenes" in the entire book. for me this seemed transformational. instead of a holy figure, for a second, dean is the man who built his house on sand. an imperfect idol, Dean will always be the holy con man, even though he died alone, on the train tracks of mexico. quietly and sadly.

Denver Doldrums

Looking back in the book into one of the parts we will film for our project, i just wanted to talk about one of the most transformational "scenes" in the entire book. From the beginning of the book all the way up until denver, you can never understand the essence of Deanness, the "holy con man". from the moment that you hear him talk, you can never get his excited buzzing out of your head. at this point, i cannot even remember how i saw dean the first time i read the book, because i haven't been able to get him out of my head since i first read his insane narrative. i remember Gemma in our first class after we read this scene being as excited as me by this transformation, though we did not get that much of a chance to articulate our excitement because of the class schedule. still, there are few moments in literature which can change a huge character in the snap of your fingers like the beginning of the Denver Doldrums.

Part III

          Sal wishes that he could be anything, but a white man. He likes the way that "brown people"live their lives with joy and the "overworked" Mexicans live theirs. After a time he realizes that who he really wants to be is anyone, but himself. The situations are then reversed between Dean and Sal where Sal needs to stay with Dean and Dean needs Sal emotionally. Sal's view on women takes a turning point as well. He has gained more respect for them, whereas Dean's charm has worn off and he is finally broken. Sal takes up his defense and sticks up for his friend. Sal gains some confidence for the first time because of this and Dean is now just as dependent on Sal as Sal used to be and still is, though not as much, on him. In Denver, they don't care that they have no idea what they're doing or where they're going, but are going to make the most of it and have fun doing whatever it is they're doing due to the discovery that worry is the "betrayal of time". As betrayal is the topic for the moment, I would like to take this moment to point out that  we see Dean actually emotionally hurt for the first time because he has become vulnerable to Sal and opened up to him. This is where you discover what these two polar opposites have in common in their core. They both love to be around people, but are too wary to grow attached lest they become vulnerable and open and are hurt, later, down the road. They're friendship is the most important thing to them, especially when Dean's family disowns him, he still has Sal and that's okay with him. As they pass through more states, Dean recounts stories of when he was a rambunctious teenager, driving very fast as they go. Their lives are the road as much as the road is their lives. They have each other and the road; everything else is replaceable. Sal begins to speak for Dean too as they ride the bus to Detroit. His attitude and sense of hopelessness has receded and I think its all due to the relationship that has been formed through this entire ordeal. What will they do when they have exhausted the road or the road exhausts then? What will Dean and Sal do if one would like to settle down eventually? I hope that both men work on continuing to help each other find themselves as this novel progresses. I also worry about how the end result will be when everything that has to be written has been.

Part II

        The great Dean Moriarty is back and he no sooner arrives in New York does he want to leave again and take Sal with him, but Sal is hesitant. He has reverted to his old way of life in the hopes to settle and with a woman. Even though he says this is what he wants, he feels that no woman could ever or would ever want him because he has nothing to offer except confusion. His lack of confidence irritates me, only because he seems like a kind, interesting, intellectual; you just have to get to know him first. In this moment of the tale I finally truly identified with Sal. He has low self confidence, wants to be happy and break out of his shell, but needs a nudge from someone to do it. He loves nature, appreciates beauty, and hates change. I don't understand his lack of confidence, but at the same time I know exactly where he is coming from. Dean and Sal have a discussion about a dream Sal had. They decide that they should not speak of death, but only life. This a good attitude to have, especially for Sal, who is usually more the pessimistic type. Though Sal resisted, he wanted to be back on the road with Dean and co. The relationship between Dean and Sal is something to see. They have become so close and trusting of each other, yet they are complete opposites; alter-egos, if you will. Sal's eagerness to be back on the road is often still eclipsed by that recurring sense of sadness and solitude. No one seems to be able to disperse this depression. Even women, who are used like razors (use them regularly until they get dull and then dispose of), don't seem to have any affect on his waning self. More goodbyes are revealed and Sal is not pleased by them, but realizes that they are inevitable. The road is the only place that Sal and Dean, both, really and truly feel at home. Dean with his crazy stunts and Sal with his psychological imperfections are both content on the road because no one gets to know them well enough to judge them. Towards the end, Sal's feeling of imminent death again shows how much Sal is really struggling with spiritual(?) pain. This again highlights how opposite Dean and Sal really are with Dean being impulsive and not thinking everything through and then Sal who over thinks everything. I hope to see Sal become happy or at least not sad and depressed anymore.

THE END

this being the second time i read this book, i was bracing myself for Dean and Sal's split, but still it hit me like a brick wall. it's never been a shock, because, the book had to end somewhere, but the mood and pace of the writing just seems off. somehow, without saying it keroac makes me feel so sad, i feel like dean was cut off from his last shred of himself, of his grounding. suddenly, dean is alone in the middle of the road. Sal left him like eddy left sal in the first part of the book. it was one of the most profoundly sad endings that didn'y make me cry. just a hollow feeling.

Jazz 10/20/11

After reading further into our book, I came across a great quote based on Jazz: Time stops. He's filling empty space with the substance of our lives, confessions of his bellybottom strain, remembrance of ideas, rehashes of old blowing. Everybody knows it's not the tune that counts but IT." The reason this idea is so revolutionary, is because of the significance it bares with the lifestyle, Sal has chosen. Which is that of being on the road. It seems as if he is looking to fill a void of some sort. The road fills that empty space for him. When they're out and about, hitchhiking from place to place, they don't have a care in the world. The idea of Sal just "going" without a purpose other than just being there to experience whatever passes him by is "IT". Nobody cares what the musician is playing, but it's the fact that he's there in that moment in time creating memories with his music and the people around him. And that's exactly what the road is for Sal. He doesn't care where they are going, he's just happy to be there and create something he can hold onto forever.

#7

#7

The ending itself did not surprise me much, but the tone that replaced the free-spirited and open sense of adventure somewhat scared me. It was not pleasant to see the relationship of Sal and Dean start to crumble. I’m sure they stayed good acquaintances after the events of On the Road, but to see Dean leave Sal for New York made me feel bad for Sal. He had watched his friend throughout the whole story, but this was the first time he seemed to be affected by his reckless behavior. Mexico City, in the limits of this story, is the last connection between Sal and Dean. Perhaps the characters will be forced to face conclusions regarding their lives on the road, and attempt to make a life for themselves that doesn’t leave people wrecked in the undertow of the boats they drive so recklessly.

Blog 10/19/11 Sal+Life.

When I begin to question Sal's lifestyle, this statement comes to mind: "We know what IT is and we know TIME and we know that everything is really FINE." This quote brings a very interesting concept to fruition. "It" refers to life itself. Sal understand that life is meant to be an experience and that there is no such thing as "wasting" time. This is because he has come to the conscious realization that time is in fact infinite and always repeating. That time cannot be expressed in a linear fashion. Thus in actuality, he has an eternity to experience all the world has to offer. That being said, death exists merely in the constructs of our minds, and it is just human nature for him or anyone to assume that one day we will perish from this Earth. Taking this ideology into consideration, Sal is not afraid to be an observer because he understands that he has forever to "dig" life. At the same time, the lifestyle he has chosen enables him to experience a great portion of it as "Sal".

Part 1

         This tale is very different from any of the others I have read. As the tale begins I wonder why the narrator (Sal) seems so solemn. Are we supposed to see him as a victim or as a moper? He seems to lead a pretty boring and depressed life, but it appears to be missing that electric spark to make it interesting and worthwhile. That's where Dean Moriarty comes into play. He has recently been released from reform school and married Marylou, a pretty "dumb blond" from Denver. His madness entices Sal to spend some time with Dean. They end up heading west and Sal is excited that his life will not be as boring and meaningless as it was. At one point he says he is halfway across America, "at the dividing line between the East of my youth and the West of my future."I feel that he is reflecting on his idea that he's moving forward with his life and there's nothing to stop him. Sal knows that Dean may disappoint or desert him along the way, but he still cares about him and goes along for the adventure anyways.

        As Sal is beginning his journey west, his attitude changes slightly and you begin to see him open up a little, and bleed some emotion into the pages of the book. The author seems to elongate this section of the story because of the constant and never-ending sights to see. He also seems to use many superlatives due to his high levels of excitement. Someone like Sal seems to be easily overwhelmed and the recklessness of their journey west and the sights before him almost send him into shock.

        As the common phrase goes "2 is company, 3 is a party" and this interesting assortment of people become well acquainted and eventually become friends. Sal, being the quiet, pacifist takes on the role of an observer due to his lack of drawing any conclusion in any situation. He merely watches, not offering any end to a problem, just pointing out the things about the situation (not the guy from Jersey Shore).

        Sal decides to leave San Fran. because it's, apparently, driving him crazy, but he doesn't want his adventure to end because he realizes how much there really is out there and that he doesn't want to go back home yet. Or is he trying to run away from his good times so that he may not be disappointed? This is something I can relate to because I too fear disappointment. The one thing Sal really seemed to like out there was the woman he met named Terry who he "spends the night with" and becomes very close to. I think that this is good for Sal because he needs a companion, everyone does, and the fact that this companion is of the opposite gender, adds a new perspective to ideas.

        The narrator tries to live in the moment and suspends judgement in an attempt to get more out of life. He and Terry split up and Sal makes his way back to New York. On his way back he makes sure to note the beautiful scenery before he is back in the city full of smog and buildings and few trees. There will be no natural beauty, just man made which makes him almost as solemn as he was in the beginning. Has he changed or will he return to his old way of life?

6

#6

It’s funny how many people, including myself, have amorously taken interest in the journey of Jack Kerouac. Although it’s ostensible that Jack often finds himself miserable, I keep picturing myself in his position, and how much joy would be found there, as opposed to in my current place. It seems the cult of followers (referring to the beat generation) may be disregarding the fact that in the plot of On the Road, Kerouac fails to find an answer to his questions in life. Although undoubtedly there are moments of happiness, Jack ultimately fails to find fulfillment overall. The book seems to be praised by followers for the tales of wild freedom, disregarding of social expectations and willingness to explore that are described throughout the novel. These motifs make it easy for the reader to dismiss the fact that ultimately Jack found himself lost in the undeniable self-pity that brought itself throughout the culture of the pre-mainstream culture that Kerouac and his friends initiated.

4-5

#4

As Dean’s behavior becomes increasingly risky and potentially harmful to himself or others, I wonder if Sal’s infatuation with Dean will become dangerous to himself, or maybe the group of friends they’re always around. Dean is always in a good light when described by Sal, but the reader’s dependence on Sal’s perspective may be hiding the fact that Dean is a “bad influence” on people he is around. Needless to say, he is one of the most fascinating characters in the book, and I hope to see him around for a majority of the novel. The relationship between Sal and Dean is unique. Out of all the people encountered, they are the two that seem to be closest. This strikes me as a surprise, considering Sal’s more introverted nature next to Dean. The at times paradoxical relationship of Dean and Sal seems to be one of duality. While Dean carries his energetic recklessness with him, Sal tends to rely on a more withdrawn nature.

#5

When I realized that On the Road is a completely autobiographical writing, I didn’t expect for metaphor or planned meaning to show in the text. I knew there would be meaning, but wasn’t at first looking for anything cryptic (for example, Holden’s hunting hat in Catcher in the Rye). However, after examining the concept of the road within the story, it became evident that the road (to me at least) has come to represent a kind of freedom without anxiety. Many philosophers write of the anxiety described as a deep turmoil in the free human being. I myself commonly experience a similar kind of anxiety, build on the unknowingness of what the next day will bring. I assume Sal is lifted of this burden when he is on the road, as he is simply going to go, not having his eyes set on any particular destination (in life) and therefore has not to worry about anything beyond his immediate setting, which is close friends and excitement. This is an admirable path that one day I hope to be able to follow.

10/20/2011

         I was able to finish “On The Road” in my last reading and was not surprised of the ending. After briefly commenting generally on the ending, I wanted to readdress the main character’s relationship to the street and one of the novel’s best quotes. The ending did not differ to what I expected. The novel’s close was very predictable and a realistic conclusion to the entire plot. I was merely surprised by the fact that Sal does, actually, find a person to love and engages himself in a relationship. Additionally, the last two parts were very dynamic. The abrupt changes in setting and time and the almost incoherent flow of events made the ending very quick. For instance, as Sal Paradise walks Manhattan’s streets at night, he suddenly passes a friend’s apartment, is invited by a beautiful girl and bluntly falls in love with her. Without proper introduction, the narrator instantly declares his love for the girl and her mutual feelings. Although these plot-jumps make the hindmost parts somewhat confusing, this does not make the author less effective. Furthermore, the narrator’s evasive descriptions of the group’s drug use through Victor also make the movement between reality and hallucination very unclear. A white horse, for example, feels the urge to trample Dean in his car, before Sal protects his friend. Being excessively “high,” after consuming large amounts of natural marijuana, Paradise imagines to be the entire landscape’s protector. I feel, nonetheless, that the author creates unclear transitions between fantasy and reality deliberately. With his style, the author brings the main character’s emotions a lot closer to the reader. These strange, yet cleverly put transitions let the reader know how it feels for the character to gradually become “high.”
          Sal’s relationship to the road changes dramatically throughout part 5, part 4 and even part 3. As described in an earlier blog entry, the narrator describes the road as “holy” or “home.” The characters seem to have a romantic or affectionate relationship with the road itself. The road is not personified, but especially Sal and Dean feeling constantly attracted to it and strive to get back to the road. It seems their only relief, their only sanctuary. However, in the last parts, the main character resents the life on the road gradually more. As Sal returns from Mexico or thinks back to his days in Denver he mentions that he feels the road is “awful.” The narrator also begins to resent and itinerant life, wandering around the country. He feels a fairly strong connection to New York City and seems somewhat disgusted by Dean’s constant traveling of the “awful” country. Environments, like the road, the prairie and bus stops, that once formed Sal’s life structure and motivation, are in the end foolish acts. Sal builds an arguably stable social structure in New York, by earning money on his book and finding a girl, and “the road” becomes insignificant.
          After little thought, Remi’s statement, “You can’t teach the old maestro a new tune,” was included into my favorite literature quotes, along “Big Brother is watching you” and “To be or not to be, that is the question.” Remi speaks full truth. He, arguably, implies that humans do not change. Dean himself, will never abandon his reckless, wicked and itinerant ways. Sal cannot expect or influence Moriarty to independently change his entire lifestyle. Dean’s behavior defines him since birth, and will undoubtedly not alter. The quote’s simplicity demonstrates its genius as it finds another way to say that the human being’s instincts do not change throughout life.

Duality 10/19/11

When considering the relationship Dean and Sal seem to have, the question of duality comes into mind. It's hard to understand this connection, unless your first understand the meaning of duality: "The quality or character of being twofold; dichotomy." And dichotomy meaning: "Division into two usually contradictory parts or opinions." Essentially meaning that Dean and Sal, are two seperate entities that can coexist together perfectly almost as one. I think of it as hot and cold. They balance each other out. Dean is very vocal, energetic, and has this get up and go, do a million things at once mentality. While on the other hand you have Sal, who is very centered, and simply just goes with the flow. Dean is always on the move, trying to get as much out of life as he possibly can. While Sal is just happy to be there, and experience whatever crosses his path. Dean quite frankly is psychotic, but that never bothers Sal. And although they clearly contradict one another, it works, because they've built a such a tight bond together. And all it took was the very quintessential concept known as trust.

10/18/11 Sal on the road.

After finishing my reading for the day, a very simple question popped into my mind: "Why is Sal constantly "On The Road"? The obvious answer is he loves to travel and be around friends. But it's much more than that, at least it is to me. Sal is searching for something, and that something is himself. It took me quite some time to come to that realization, considering how relaxed in nature Sal appears to be. When your on the Road, you can be anything you want to be. And it seems as if he's hiding something. Perhaps a traumatic experience from his past, that he can't seem to shake. An experience that not only changed his whole outlook on life, but also made him question his own identity and morals.

Sal and Dean

Dean Moriarity is truly the holy con man. His crimes never once have been malicious in intent, because he has not an evil bone in his body. when it comes down to his core, Dean is a child, unwilling to harm anyone, even though he does so so very often by mistake. His mind does not work in the way it is supposed to, it flys, unrestricted across taboos and laws. Sal is merely an observer, flying along in Dean's trail, because he is happy to be along for the ride. in so many ways, the two complete each other, and neither of the duo have any distance they would not go for the other. when dean is stealing or driving or tripping, Sal never stops him, because he trusts him with his life.

10/19/2011

          Coming back to the issue of the unreliable narrator, I wanted to address author’s relationship to the main character. In this context, Sal Paradise can again be characterized as both unreliable and trustworthy. For instance, since the novel is largely autobiographical, Sal represents the author himself in a report of his own experiences. There are very strong parallels between the author’s personality and Sal Paradise, as they are, in general, the same person. Therefore, the character Sal can viewed as a mask for the author, who, due to the autobiographical context, appears to be narrating the story himself. However, the figure Sal does not have the burdens and history the author has. With Sal Paradise, Kerouac can create a more reliable, less subjective narrator than himself. As Paradise does not have earlier relationships with any other characters or places, he is able to give plainer and objective descriptions. It seems that the author creates a reliable narrator, paralleled to his own life and experiences. Nonetheless, Sal’s lack of sophistication, originally making him more reliable, causes him to be less authentic. Consequently, the main character does not know human behavior and reactions as well as the author, which makes him less aware of immorality and risky situations.
          Completing my soliloquy on this subject, I was also interested in Sal and Dean’s relationship during my last reading. I have almost finished reading part three, in which the main characters’ relationship steeply develops. After Dean is abandoned by his wife, Camille, he and Sal plan to travel to New York. After they traverse the country once again, they even dream to fly to Italy. However, before the two leave San Francisco, they spend several nights in the city’s jazz bars. At this point already, Dean develops criminal, almost mad patterns of behavior. Why is Sal so loyal to and supportive of Dean? Why does Sal remain under his friend’s wicked influence throughout their voyage to Chicago and New York? I did not expect for Sal, a usually humble, caring and honest figure to misjudge his criminal friend. The main character seems naive in his interactions with Dean, as he cannot predict the risk and danger these situations involve. For instance, in Frisco and later on, Dean steals several cars, for which he has to leave town. Dean constantly disobeys traffic rules, which not only endangers Sal legally, but might have a fatal outcome. Although Sal seems aware of Dean’s recklessness, especially after they get stuck in a ditch, he still has future plans with his friend. In novel’s beginning, Sal mentions that he like Dean because he is different from anybody else. This is, however, not a good justification for risking so much.

Blog Entries 1-3

#1

I’m very interested by the character of Sal Paradise. His style of narration seems to leave a lot of work to the imagination, at least this early in the story. His way of describing people tends to lean towards giving factual details about the character. He then continues to let the character unfold by describing their actual actions. Although this is an honest way to describe characters, it only makes me curious about the qualities of Sal (Kerouac) himself. Surely as the story continues to unfold, I will be able to see more about Sal.

#2

The way that Kerouac narrates the story is intriguing. I can find refuge in his words. The way he describes events and his feelings about people is very relatable to the way I think about those things. In this way, I find I can understand his story more than other narrations. When he was leaving town on a bus, he described himself observing passing by landmarks in such a way that I could imagine myself there, feeling what Sal was. I’m not sure if Sal is such a relatable character to everybody, but I myself can say the story is much easier to follow when I can see myself in Kerouac’s words.

#3

I’m interested in the actual connection between Jack Kerouac’s “beat” journey and the generation that was inspired by his writing. There seems to be a stark difference in the idea of purpose between Kerouac’s story and the generation that soon followed in his footsteps. By this, I mean that Jack found himself in his place because he ended up there, because it became his desire to live “on the road” and put himself where he knew he belonged. The contrast between this and the Beat Generation is the ostensible illegitimacy strewn throughout the culture of beat. Supposedly Kerouac had a dislike of the culture he had spawned. I’d like to introduce a quote from an article regarding misinterpreted literature. Keep in mind the article was written in an intended humorous fashion, but the point raised remains valid:

“…he thought they were a bunch of posers. Anyone who wanted to be a part of "The Beat Generation" completely missed the point. In his mind, those who were "Beat" were beaten down by society's demands and struggled to find their place in the world. It was not something you chose to be because it would help you meet chicks”

A link to the article, if anyone’s curious: http://www.cracked.com/article_18787_6-books-everyone-including-your-english-teacher-got-wrong_p2.html#ixzz1bH8p8jTN