Jack Kerouac’s On The Road - The Impact of Dean on Sal's Identity

This novel is separated into three ‘parts’. Each section tells of one of Sal’s travels from New York to the West. The sections are ordered chronologically, and arguably by importance to the development of Sal’s ignorance. He stumbles blindly into his first trip chasing unrealistic dreams of the western world. As his travels continue, he learns how to ignore how people live across the continental United States and in Mexico. Each trip is anti-climactic for Sal, as well as the reader, as he is never satisfied with what he finds. He chases cheap thrills and never finds the true contentment that he was searching for. Beginning with a clean palette however, each ‘part’ encourages the reader to think that he will find his true west, but that it just hasn’t happened yet. Structure provides interest to the story as well as draws out the anticlimactic ending to each story

1) Page 1: Salinger hasn’t even finished the first sentence and he’s already characterizing Holden Caulfield as isolated from his family, a bit self-absorbed, smart and informal with his narrative style.

In Chapter Eight of Part Two, Dean steals gas and oil as Sal runs into the station and takes bread and cheese while the owners are eating dinner. This act is a direct contradiction of the values that Sal expressed earlier in the novel, when Montana Slim asked him to steal from strangers in alley ways, and Sal refused. Such behaviour is a further illustration of the tremendous impact that Dean has on Sal’s identity, and demonstrates just how malleable Sal’s personality - at this point - is.

    Holden Caulfield sees childhood as the ideal state of being. He thinks adulthood is filled with corrupt people. The only way anyone can win in the adult world is if the cards are stacked in his favor. The characters in The Catcher in the Rye play a diverse set of roles in the war between childhood and adulthood.

When Holden takes a cab to "Ernie's" in Greenwich Village he has a conversation with the cab driver, Horwitz. Salinger demonstrates the paranoia of the 50's by emphasizing how angry Horwitz is that Holden is asking him so many questions.

Here are some of the internal conflicts that Sal has. She changes from these internal conflicts because of her feelings. The first internal conflict that Sal has describing from the book, is when Sal’s mother leaves. In the book this is the first evidence that we know that Sal mother has died, “ Gram and Gramps wanted to see momma, who was resting peacefully in Lewiston, Idaho,” (pg 5). Even though she knows that her mother had died, Sal still thinks that she can still be able to be alive so she starts to go look for her mother. This shows that Sal has a great heart and never gives up. The second Internal is when Gram died. In the book it says this, “I am sorry to say that our gooseberry died at three

One of the most significant external forces that changed Sal was the road trip. In the beginning of the story Sals mom had left her and her dad on an April morning. Then later on in the story her grandparents take her on a road trip to Lewiston so she can see her mom. On the road trip she doesn't want to believe her mother is dead but throughout the story she starts to realize that her mother might be dead. On page 249, the author wrote, “A bus when the of the road here a year ago,” he said. “Skidded right there, coming out of the last turn, and went sliding of this here overlook and through the railing and rolled over and over into those trees. A helluva thing. When I came home that night rescuers were still hacking their way throug the brush to get to in. Only one person survived, ya know.” I knew.” This shows that sal is starting to realize that her mother died on the bus crash. And if Sal didn't want to believe her mother was dead she would have said “no I don't know” instead of I knew. This changed Sal

Salinger in his story, “The Catcher in the Rye”, uses motifs to write about how one's ideology can cause alienation. The motif that was used in this story is sexuality, throughout this story, Holden is seen looking for new relationships and constantly talking about sex. Talking to the prostitute in the hotel room, he thinks to himself, "I know you're supposed to feel pretty sexy when somebody gets up and pulls their dress over their head, but I didn't. Sexy was about the last thing I was feeling. I felt much more depressed than sexy." (Salinger, 123) The elevator boy, Maurice, at the hotel that Holden was staying at was also a pimp and he offers Sunny's services to him. Holden was about to have his virginity taken by Sunny, but he changes his mind. This proves that one's ideology can cause alienation because Holden of how, who is scared of changes, rejects Sunny’s company and this causes him to be alone for the night. Another story that demonstrates alienation is “Death of a

One of the greatest American Literature writers, J.D. Salinger, was familiar with a rough childhood by experience. He was able to parallel his experiences to the experiences of Holden Caulfield, the protagonist in The Catcher in Rye. In this novel, Holden experiences conflicts that most youth are not familiar with. The conflicts in Holden Caulfield’s life are caused by various forces and circumstances.

In the essays Passengers by Ian Frazier, the Author paints the Main Character Salvatore Siano but known as Sal to be a well liked, goofy, kind and caring man. In passengers, On September 11, 2001, “Sal was driving a No. 66 bus that began its run at eight-twenty-five. As he headed for the city on Route 3” picking up passengers along the way and dropping them off at their normal stops. While driving down the road he saw smoke and fire coming from buildings. Sal turns around and drops everyone off at the stops they were picked up from and refunded them.

In The Catcher in the Rye, J.D. Salinger discusses the ideas of alienation and isolation. He notes that if one is unable to keep up with society they lose touch. Salinger portrays alienation and isolation through literary devices such as symbolism. Some of the symbolic features use in the novel is Holden’s red hunting hat which shows Holden’s uncommon desire compared to society’s desires. Another significant symbolic feature is the catcher in the rye; this represents Holden’s idea of protecting children from maturing as adults and facing reality. Another literary device is tone, although Holden seems preoccupied, he constantly tries to seek companionship throughout the book. J.D. Salinger also portrays irony, it is ironic that Holden calls the people around him loners and phonies when he, himself is a loner and a phony that refuses to accept taking on responsibilities and growing up. The literary devices used in this novel, further support Salinger’s recurring theme of alienation and isolation.

Jerome David Salinger’s only novel, The Catcher in the Rye, is based on the life events shaping main character, Holden Caulfield, into the troubled teen that is telling the story in 1950. The theme of the story is one of emotional disconnection felt by the alienated teenagers of this time period. The quote, “ I didn’t know anyone there that was splendid and clear thinking and all” (Salinger 4) sets the tone that Holden cannot find a connection with anyone around him and that he is on a lonely endeavor in pursuit of identity, acceptance and legitimacy. The trials and failures that Holden faces on his journey to find himself in total shed light on Holden’s archenemy, himself.

I had just gotten over a serious illness that I won't bother to talk about, except that it had something to do with a miserably weary split-up and my feeling that everything was dead" (Kerouac 1). Thus begins Sal's life on the road and his search for a more meaningful, authentic life. He has failed to find authenticity in mainstream society but hopes to find it on society's fringes. In the novel, Sal's search for authenticity begins and ends with his association with Dean Moriarty. His highly charged friendship with Dean Moriarty continues throughout the novel but finally ends with a denouement in Mexico City. In his frenetic search for authenticity, Sal encounters a continuous progression of marginalized people that include not only Dean's friends and sexual partners but also hobos, migratory farm workers and black jazz musicians. Sal feels that all these people have authenticity because they all value the immediate over the traditional expectations of mainstream society. Kerouac defines the intense moment or "It" as the culmination of the immediate. "It" is well illustrated when Sal and Dean, together with a group of their Beat friends, go to a wild party at the house of Rollo Greb on Long Island, and Dean enthuses about Rollo saying, "if you go like him all the time you'll finally get it." "Get what?" "It! It! I'll tell you - now no time, we have no time now" (127). Later in

Jack Kerouac is considered a legend in history as one of America's best and foremost Beat Generation authors. The term "Beat" or "Beatnic" refers to the spontaneous and wandering way of life for some people during the period of postwar America, that seemed to be induced by jazz and drug-induced visions. "On the Road" was one such experience of Beatnic lifestyle through the eyes and heart of Jack Kerouac. It was a time when America was rebuilding after WW I. Describing the complexity and prosperity of the postwar society was not Karouac's original intent. However, this book described it a way everyone could visualize. It contained examples and experiences of common people looking for new and exciting

     Jack Kerouac is the first to explore the world of the wandering hoboes in his novel, On the Road. He created a world that shows the lives and motivations of this culture he himself named the 'Beats.' Kerouac saw the beats as people who rebel against everything accepted to gain freedom and expression. Although he has been highly criticized for his lack of writing skills, he made a novel that is both realistic and enjoyable to read. He has a complete disregard for developed of plot or characters, yet his descriptions are incredible. Kerouac?s novel On the Road defined the post World War II generation known as the 'beats.'