Four Possible Themes (Pedro Diaz)

1. The true meaning of being part of the “Beat Generation”…What are the characterizations that allow for one to become a part of the “Beat’s”…how does Sal’s time on the road allow him to become immersed in a different culture? This topic is particularly easy to write in the sense that you could almost directly define the "Beat's" using Sal's words..however, it is difficult because it will probably be harder to find good supports for it. Overall, the topic is very interesting in my opinion because of the role that the novel could have played in terms of influencing the audience of the 50's and 60's. 

2. The element of individuality in the novel…to what extent are the characters of Sal and Dean unique and different in relation to the typical American culture of the time. How do their experiences across the country assist in this development? This topic has a great amount of supports, but may be a little difficult to write in terms of getting the point across in a clear way. Both characters evidently change throughout the novel in ways that make them different from everybody else, but how different?

3. Sal’s time “on the road” as a metaphor for his overall development as a character. How does Sal change from the beginning of his journey to the end of it? What are the major events that help shape Sal’s new lifestyle? Can Sal’s time on the road with Dean be considered beneficial? This topic is particularly interesting in that it offers a lot of supports because of the characters' time in different places across the country. The one flaw that I find is in regards to the idea that the essay may become almost entirely opinionated.

4. To what extent does the novel accurately represent its time? How do the character’s actions help define the setting? The way women are treated..African American culture..etc. The novel’s overall portrayal of a complex time period in American history. This topic is my favorite for a variety of reasons. I believe that the idea offers the most amount of supports and it will also be easy to discuss in essay form. In addition, it allows for the perfect balance of opinionated and factual text. Overall, the topic is one that I was captivated by since early in my reading of the novel because I was interested in how Kerouac's life impacted his portrayal of the novel's setting.