In reading chapters one and two of One the Road, I instantaneously felt a strong connection to the narrator; I was already able to relate to and sympathize with him and I think that as the novel progresses he will allow us to feel the spontaneity and adventure that he will inevitably experience on his trip. I particularly liked the metaphorical comparison to the rose on the Hudson River; as Kerouac describes, “If you drop a rose in the Hudson River at its mysterious source in the Adirondacks, think of all the places it journeys by as it goes to sea forever” (pg. 9). I think we are able to compare that rose on the Hudson River to the narrator on his road trip, for he is an unconstrained traveller who has an uncertain future ahead. I think the narrator himself initially tries to be like the rose, taking one continuous path in the idea that “it would be wonderful to follow one great red line across America” (pg. 10). I think the narrator expresses the excitement of being young and unrestricted as he starts his journey on the road, knowing the potential consequences of the trouble he could get into with Dean. In my opinion, the author takes a common American experience and expresses the thrill of trying to conquer a vast nation by car. I am excited to ride along with the narrator as he experiences the ups and downs of life on the road and as he interacts with the many people from his hitchhiking adventures.
Meagan easily identified the most powerful quote of the first two chapters. The statement “If you drop a rose in the Hudson River at its mysterious source in the Adirondacks, think of all the places it journeys by as it goes to sea forever” (pg. 9) represents the freedom that Sal will experience on his journey. Meagan clearly understands Sal in that the quote that she chose has a direct relationship with him. She unknowingly characterized him through the quote and was able to introduce her blogging audience to the tone and feel of the novel. Meagan was able to interpret the metaphorical quote and connect the unbounded sea with Sal’s unrestrained expedition that he will take. Sal has no goals on this trip but to experience nature first handed similar to the way that the sea’s forces flows across Earth. I too connected to the narrator in that, like Meagan, I am intrigued by the journey that Sal has up ahead. Meagan identified with his free spirit and was able to realize the beauty and uniqueness in it. Similar to Meagan, I am excited to see who he meets, the animals and flora that he will be able to see, smell, and touch, and also how the unrestricted boundaries that he has set up for himself will affect his voyage.
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