Cati Sesana
There
are works that represent a social movement that is going on at the time they
were written. On the Road by John
Kerouac is an example of one of these works because it captures the soul of The
Beat Generation. This was a cultural movement that occurred during the 1940s
after the war and continued into the 1950s. The main character, Sal, goes
across the country meeting new people and having amazing experiences everywhere
he goes. He has no agenda or rules for his trip or his life. Kerouac
personifies the whole beat generation and movement in Sal Paradise.
The
beat movement consisted of people who believed that society was corrupted and
wanted to deviate from it. It started when the youth of the postwar era began
rejecting the norms of previous generations. This was very radical at the time
because before the movement people were very prude and proper. The Beats
opposed this moralist way of living by bringing taboo topics like sexuality and
jazz to light. They explored what society shunned. (http://www.online-literature.com/periods/beat.php). The Beats had other characteristics
that made them stand out; they did not believe using marijuana and other drugs
should be seen as a crime, thus it was not against their laws. Opposition to
the military and police probably developed due to the war and its violence.
They established a love for nature and animals that was not there before. Being
in nature and away from society was their goal. (http://www.heureka.clara.net/art/beat-generation.htm). The Beat generation and society before
the movement were complete opposites.
Sal
Paradise is a prototype for the beat generation because he has all the
characteristics that defined the movement. Part one is when he gets a “bug” for
wanting to move around. This is because he met Dean and is inspired by him. His
new desire to be on the move represents the beginning of the Beat movement. Sal
did not want to have an average life like the people around him and the new
Beats did not want lives like their parents. They both reject the standard way
to live so they can be free of responsibilities. Sal meets a bunch of people on
his way to Denver. He hitchhikes and gets rides from people who are also
constantly travelling. He gets a ride from some boys who are also doing a road
trip and picking up hitchhikers on the way. He becomes friends with the people on
the truck but they are gone as fast as they met. This shows how people would
meet and it would seem as if they knew each other for years but they left no
connection. They would move on and continue travelling without establishing an
actual relationship. That way they would not be attached and settle somewhere.
When
Sal gets to San Francisco for the first time, he gets a job as a security
guard. It is not a hard job but he does not keep it for a long time regardless.
He clearly does not care about having a job because one night he gets drunk
instead of doing his job. This represents how the Beat generation did not take
work seriously. They did not want a serious job because that would cause them
to stop moving around. Money did not interest them so they did not care for a
job that paid well. The main reason for getting a job was to get money to
survive and continue travelling. It was not something they enjoyed having.
After San Francisco, Sal meets Terry and
falls for her. This is the first girl that Sal commits to for a little. They
travel together for a while but he eventually leaves her to return to New York.
This shows how the people of the Beat movement cared about love but to a
certain extent. They would meet someone and start a serious relationship even
though they barely knew each other. It would be a serious relationship but it
would last for a short amount of time. Staying in a serious relationship did
not interest them because that would possibly result in settling somewhere. Sal
has thoughts about finding a girl but once he finds one he leaves her in order
to move on. It is like a thirst that is never fully satisfied.
The
desire for travel sets in on Sal again after he spent a good amount of time in
New York. This is the beginning of part two and it is cause by Dean’s visit.
Dean is what inspires Sal to be on the road because Sal is inspired by the life
that Dean has. While they are at a party, Dean tries convincing Sal to sleep
with his girlfriend while they are at a party. This is an example of how the
beat generation had no boundaries when it came to sexuality. They did not care
about knowing a person before sleeping with them and there were no exclusive
couples. This was very radical because the generation before them was extremely
prude. Sex was never talked about because it was considered taboo. The Beat
movement changed this way of thinking because sex was not something so
secretive.
Once
they have been travelling for a while, Dean leaves Marylou for Camille in San
Francisco. This is another example of how easily people would move without
thinking twice. No planning went into it and he left unexpectedly. The people
from Beat Generation did not plan things. They just played it by ear and hoped
it went well. This also shows how uncommitted they were. Dean continues to go
back and forth between the two women without a problem. This lack of commitment
is because they refuse to stay in only one place. He goes from loving one to
leaving her for the other. There is no remorse for playing them. The women
obviously do not seem phased by this because they continue to take him back. It
is not that they are stupid, they too are part of the beat generation and do
not seem to care. They are as easygoing and uncommitted as he is. This shows
how women were also part of the movement even if they stayed in one location
like Camille did. Even though he had been traveling with Sal and Marylou, Dean
leaves them on their own in a second. People not only stayed on the move from
location but also from people. It was as if people got bored of each other and
wanted new friends around them. This shows how the beats always desired change
in their lives in every aspect.
The
fun of being on the road is starting to fade away by the time Sal makes his
third trip. He is depressed and does not seem to have a good time with Dean.
Camille is pregnant and Dean is injured because he tried hitting Marylou for
sleeping around. This shows how hypocritical Dean is because he has been moving
between the two women for a long time now. The two friends start to have
conflicts due to Dean’s recklessness and conceited mind set. Dean gets another
girl pregnant in New York knowing his wife in Camille is about to have their
second child. Sal starts disapproving of Dean’s actions and life. The Beats
cannot stay young forever no matter how hard they try; they will mature and
start developing morals of right and wrong. For example, Sal starts off by admiring
Dean and wanting his life but by the end of the third trip Sal is much more
mature and stable than Dean. He realizes it is not right to get another woman
pregnant while your wife is about to have a child. Sal starts to get some
independence from Dean because he no longer finds Dean’s actions to be
glorious. The people of the beat generation develop despite their desire to be
away from society.
Part
four is the peak of Sal and Dean’s conflict. Sal is completely independent of
Dean at this point and plans to go on the road again with his friend Stan. It
is now Dean that follows him and buys a car in order to go on the trip with
them. After a party in Georgia, Sal is very sick and is not entirely conscious.
Instead of caring for his friend, Dean continues without Sal and moves on. Sal
is upset at Dean but realizes that this is who he is and nothing will ever
change him. By this part of the book Dean and Sal represent two different types
of Beats. Sal loves being on the road but he knows wrong from right and has
loyalty. Dean is selfish and only cares about being on the move, he drops
anything that will cause him to stay still. The beats that were like Dean will
never have solid friendships or relationships because they are unable to stay
committed. Beats like Sal can balance being on the road with being a good
person.
The
final part of the book is the most significant. Sal plans on moving to San
Francisco with his girlfriend while Dean is still running around between
Camille and other girls. Dean offers Sal one last adventure to San Francisco
but Sal denies it. Sal has had his times of craziness and freedom but is now
ready to settle down. Everyone, including the Beat Generation, will eventually
have to settle down in order to have a stable life. Once they are satisfied
with being on the move that will want a change towards a calm and normal life.
Sal realizes this and chooses a girl to be committed to and a city he will live
in for a good amount of time. Dean refuses to calm down and continues with his
unstable life and failed relationships.
Sal
Paradise represents the Beat Generation and movement throughout the whole book.
He loves his times on the road but realizes that he must settle and develop a
stable life. Sex and jazz do not bother him, he is very comfortable around
these once shunned activities. He is it the happiest when he is alone with
nature because it is very peaceful. The reader completely understands what it
was like to be part of the Beat movement and generation once On The Road is wrapped up.
