Description and Time

Compared to the other books that we have read so far this year in class; such as Atlas Shrugged, One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich and the Calvino short stories, the amount of description in On the Road is significantly different. Atlas Shrugged, for example, can spend an entire page, or even at times pages, describing a single moment. Unlike Atlas Shrugged, Kerouac in On the Road spends only brief sentences or lines for describing events that can happen over days. But we also get a larger range of time, for example in On the Road, within the first forty five pages we have covered a span of time of about six months. Although the ability of the author to portray the events, emotions, and internal thoughts of characters depends on the author’s control and use of language, both modes of description; spending pages describing moments or spending pages describing days, allow the reader further insight into the conflicts and the story lines of the novels. 

               Because Kerouac breaks up what we have read so far in the novel into three distinct sections; the first section during which he meets Dean while he’s still in New York, the second on his journey to Colorado, and what we have seen as the beginning of the third as his time in Denver, we have also seen the development of Sal as a character. Since his journey to Denver his own image of himself has changed. He no longer believes that he is just boy who has only ever seen the town of which he has grown up in, but instead he now sees himself as equal to the others in his group, such as Chad King and Roland Major.

Revisiting

I am tempted to say I am "back to square one" in terms of my thoughts on this book, but I do feel that I cannot deny the focus on Sal's environment and temporary encounters, nor do I think anyone can. However, I must revisit my dismissal of Dean as a "main character" figure. Dean is an interesting character, this is difficult to deny. He is first described to us as this fascinating individual that Sal admired greatly. Sal admires him in such a way that I got the feeling he was more of a supporting character than a main character. I still believe Sal to be a supporting character, now I'm just trying to see what exactly he is supporting. Obviously the main character figure does not need to be one thing/person, but one has to be more emphasized than the other, or at least this is what I expect.

Chapter five began with an interaction between Sal and an attractive young woman that I found interesting; Sal is not only comfortable with random interactions with strangers, but seems to love trying to be close to someone he has never met. Granted, this instance may be more sexually driven than emotionally driven, but regardless I feel that he has a certain love for people, more so for strangers. So this chapter continued to be more about the journey of Sal, but the second Dean comes into the picture we're on the adventures of Dean Moriarty, with Sal as the narrator, supporting character, and spirited best friend. Maybe Sal has an awesome backstory, maybe his writings are about his adventures in unexplored jungle, maybe he's actually the creator of the universe just trying out the human experience, but so far we have no reason to believe he is any more normal than what has been shown to us. Dean has been characterized more than Sal has, and Sal has been the narrator this whole time; Dean has been given a dark past, exciting motivations, and has shown himself to have an interesting personality. Sal has been given... well he's a hitchhiker, and that is an interesting story on its own.

I do not think Sal is the main focus of this story, and I am struggling to decide if Dean is as important as I had originally hypothesized or if its all about the journey. I know I may very well be alone on this analysis, but I suppose that's half the fun. I don't need Sal to murder someone, I just need him to be interesting, maybe then I'll see him as more than just a lens for the story.

An Abused Child- A Characterization of Dean

   This week, rather than having a better understanding of Sal, I was able to analyze why Dean is who he is. In his case, I believe that nurture triumphed against nature in that Dean was mentally abused as a child  as a result of of his drunken father. Dean most likely feels responsible for his father’s behavior. He grew up in a chaotic environment and thus was not able to learn the feeling of trust and safety in the world. Furthermore, Dean suffers from a lack of self esteem and self worth and is unable to trust others. Therefore, he is unable to form a meaningful relationship in his life.

    The threads that tie Dean’s blanket all came together this week. The reader now possesses a deep understanding why Dean never settles in one place. He does this due to the fact that he never learned how to create stability in his environment. He thrives in the uncertainties of life which he describes as the road as to not form any bond or relationship with the people or the settings around him.

    Dean’s constant action and movement is a coping mechanism as a result of the traumatic incidences that came about during his childhood. He is on the road not because he wants to be a free spirit, but rather, he is on the road as to not be betrayed once again as his father did when we was a child.

Sal's Cowardliness and Desperateness in the Reading

       In my opinion, this week’s reading of On the Road was the most entertaining thus far. The first subject I would like to address concerns the idea that Sal is wasting his money on going to bars and on other unnecessary things and he later wishes that he would get to Denver already. I do not understand why Sal constantly desires to get to the west so fast if he blows off most of his money that could help with his journey. Moreover, another major idea presented in these chapters is the idea that Sal has become fascinated with the women along his journey. Everywhere he goes, Sal marvels at the looks of the women and the descriptions tell the audience that Sal is desperate for a companion. Later on, he says, “I was the only guy without a girl” (p. 37). Here, the reader can foreshadow that one of Sal’s goals during his time “on the road” will be to find a woman. Once he is reunited with Dean, whom is currently sleeping with two women at the same time, Dean claims that he will find Sal a girl. My favorite part of the reading was the interactions between Dean and other characters. Dean’s personality is one that is captivating for the wrong reasons. Dean’s entire reputation revolves around all of his immoral stunts and chauvinistic attitude. However, he still comes off as a sort of admirable character. Looking forward to next week’s reading, I strongly anticipate the introduction of the waitress’ character and how it will affect Sal’s thoughts. 

The Kitchen is Calling

     After reading chapters five through seven, I was dissatisfied with the continuous discriminatory commentary made on the roles of American females at the time.  Throughout these chapters, Sal underscores the general conception that women are the inferior sex that can be taken advantage of for men’s own pleasures.  Sal describes a “Mexican and beautiful” (pg.29) waitress, a “beautiful Colorado gal” (pg.32), and a “beautiful blonde called Babe” (pg.37); these superficial remarks emphasize the use of women as objects of physical attraction.  Not only are all these women described by their physical appearance, but they also all play subordinate roles in the society, most as waitresses.  This further implicates that their role is to wait on the dominant men.  Not only are they slaves in the restaurant, but they are also slaves in the bedroom; they have a constant dependence on men which is exemplified when Camille, one of Dean’s objects of pleasure, asks Dean, “‘But what time will you be back?’” (pg.39).  Camille is willing to sit around, waiting for two hours so that Dean can do whatever he intends to do.   A particularly powerful description for me was when Sal describes Ray’s sister, Babe, as a “doll of the West” (pg. 37); here, we see clearly see him objectifying a living person so that she becomes an inanimate object. Also, the name, Babe, clearly connotes the importance of beauty to men, as they see women as targets of physical attraction.  Although in my prior posts I thought I could relate to Sal, in these chapters I felt it difficult to connect to a character who is so casually degrading towards my own sex.

On the Road for Real

  Sal once again allows himself to be used. Although his tolerance for and acceptance of other people do allow for some very interesting experiences and situations, he is also hurting himself, spending much of his money and ultimately limiting his happiness and the extent of his travels. I’m afraid that Kerouac is setting up Sal, who is this innocent kid traveling west with wide eyes and a hopeful open mind, who so ready to accept everything, just to be crushed. I believe that Sal is romanticizing the characteristics of many of the characters he meets and places he sees, and exaggerates what he believes makes them compelling, whether it be the “beautiful bevies everywhere” (15) in Des Moines or the fact the apple pie keeps getting better and bigger as he moves further west.

  The part of the reading that I enjoyed the most are the scenes where Sal is lying on his back on the flat bed of the truck, watching the scenery and landscape change around him where he describes his journey “like riding a railroad, just as steady and just as straight” (28). The entire time I spent reading the passage I was reminded of the scenes from Forrest Gump, during which Forest is running cross country. I felt the same wonder and serenity reading this passage as I did watching the movie.

  It was definitely interesting reading these chapters while driving from Hartford, Connecticut to Columbus, Ohio touring colleges, and being able to see how much the characteristics of the landscape, people, and even the weather could change so drastically from town to town.  

I'm Very Happy to Say I Was Wrong

      For those of you who read my first impression on this book, you may remember that I was hoping that Dean would be the intended main character but we would see him from the perspective of the narrator. While I still believe this would be a pretty awesome way to weave a story, I think I finally understand what the "main character", in a sense, is to be. The narrator is taking us on a journey, a fascinating journey filled with events, hardship, and most importantly people. The story is not about him, and I am inclined to argue that it isn't even about his journey across America, but rather I think it is about the people. I think the main event of this book is the people that the narrator encounters and describes in such a way that I at times was reminded of Calvino. Keroauc writes in such a way that I feel the characters encountered on this journey are real people with feelings, emotions, and stories. I stand by what I said two weeks ago, I think having Dean be the main character would be an enthralling experience, but I now understand that this story is not about the narrator, but entirely about what happens around him, and I fall for stories like that far too easily. If it is not entirely obvious by now, I think I am enjoying On The Road far more than I was two weeks ago.

Apple Pie in the Novel

       Throughout my recent reading of On the Road, I encountered a number of ideas that could serve great importance in understanding the novel. Firstly, I believe that the “hitchhiking” concept does a tremendous job in allowing the reader to realize a variety of things. For instance, because of his experience with different drivers or companions along his journey, the narrator becomes extremely culturally educated. He meets people from all around the United States and he then compares and contrasts life across state borders. When he first encounters a real American cowboy, the narrator becomes intrigued and curious about his lifestyle. Moreover, I found that Jack Kerouac also used symbols as a means of communicating to his audience. The most obvious one that I found was the apple pie and ice cream. “I ate apple pie and ice cream - it was getting better as I got deeper into Iowa, the pie bigger, the ice cream richer” (p.14). Here, the narrator notes the differences to something that is known to be stereotypically “American”. As he moves farther west, the apple pie changes along with the ice cream, representing the cultural disparity found in the United States. 

       In addition to these key features in the reading, I would like to discuss the importance of the ride throughout the conclusion of the reading. The narrator meets a good amount of people who are similarly looking for a new beginning and this allows him to sustain his self-esteem, for he is not alone. Furthermore, the narrator realizes that there are people who are in even worst shape than him, whether they are running from the law or simply do not have the same amount of resources as him. Overall, I have really enjoyed reading the novel thus far.

A Reaction to Sal's Character

   Through his adventurous and child like spirit, Sal made a deep connection with me in the first two chapters in that his innocent dreams of exploring the “promised land” rejuvenated the meaning of life. His vision of the people and places that surround him make earth seem like a real life heaven through his use of adjectives. All objects that he observes are incredible, the sweetest, or the best. However, because of this relationship that I formed with Sal, I was extremely frustrated at him this week. His righteous dreams consumed him, and as a result, he became similar to a naive child as illustrated by his relationship with Eddie. He believed Eddie to be similar to his family which was his greatest downfall to date in that Eddie was a complete stranger. In this world, people have learned to kill or be killed whether it be people from the east or west coast. In other words, people such as Eddie are willingly ready to squeeze Sal like a lemon of everything he has and then dump him in the trash in order to further continue on their journey. Even though Sal pays for Eddie to take a bus to Omaha, the second that Sal is no longer useful to Eddie, he leaves him alone like waste.

    I was aggravated with Sal in that he should have known better. Even if people from the west might have different moral values and remind Sal of his family, in the end, it is in the nature of people to be selfish in order to further themselves in life. It is heartbreaking that Sal allows himself to be taken advantage of and be disappointed by ‘friends’ because he allows his idealistic dreams to take hold of him and blind him of reality.

    Despite his light setback, I still believe in Sal. He is a unique force in this world in that no one today will bravely pack up all their belongings and take themselves out of their comfort zone in order to have a journey of finding their true selves. I now see that these dreams can create some weaknesses such as naiveness; however, I also realize that it can give people the strength to become self actualized.

A Big Thumbs Up (Meagan Adler)

  After reading chapters three and four of the novel, I unintentionally found myself relating to the mundane, yet extraordinary experiences of a hitchhiker.  I find it admirable how the narrator is able to connect us to a person whom normally we find ourselves trying to avoid; I know that when I see someone with their thumb up on the side of the road I automatically classify them as a sketchy abnormality who I could in no way relate to.  Yet, the narrator's natural and humble approach in reflecting upon his experience blended with his unexpectedly insightful observations of the nation as a whole makes the reader relate to him.  A particularly mundane comment is made when he describes the trends of music in America as he says, “I thought of all my friends from one end of the country to the other and how they were really all in the same vast backyard” (pg.11); this comment underscores the influence of contagious trends in America and how conformity unifies the vast nation.  This idea is one that defines the country, even today, in that it describes a spreadable force that connects us to each other. I also found that the color gray (pg. 17,18) is continually used to describe the narrator’s surroundings; to me this dull color refers to the hazy future the narrator has ahead of him.  Another comment the narrator makes in his depiction of his stop at the diner is that the restaurant was “run by a bunch of women” (pg.22); this was a slight comment made that had no direct intention in being the focus of the description, but suggests the subordinate roles women played in society at the time.  I admire how the narrator was able to suggest the influence of gender on society in an understated manner.  Lastly, I liked how the narrator describes the Minnesota truck drivers as the “captains” of their ship (pg.22); this made me think of the Hudson river reference made earlier in the novel and how he is like the rose on the river, unknowing of where he will end up.  Furthermore, I feel like I am on this journey with the narrator as he flows next to the many roses beside him in his hitchhiker alliance that forms on the back of the Minnesota drivers’ truck; a big thumbs up for the novel so far.