Seung+Woo+Eun's+Summer+Reading

=On the Road by Jack Kerouac =



Essay #1 (Season) Plot is a key ingredient in blueprinting an overview of a novel. However, in __On the Road__ by Jack Kerouac, there is no defined plot because the story is preoccupied with the developments of characters. Since the journeys of Sal Paradise are sporadic, the changing seasons act as a plot throughout the novel.

Sal Paradise, a young writer, is tired of writing his book in New York. Introduced by a friend, Sal meets Dean Moriarty and gets curious about Dean’s life in Denver. They go out for a party to drink, and Dean invites Sal in a journey to the West. Because Sal has never visited the West, he is delighted by the offer.

The reference of seasons is first introduced in the beginning of Sal’s journey. Although spring can be ironically symbolized such as tragedy, it generally represents rebirth or happiness. In Sal’s soliloquy, “Then came spring, the great time of traveling, and everybody in scattered gang was getting ready to take one trip or another,” he yearns for a new journey (6). In this example, spring not only indicates a beginning of a new journey, but also indicates Sal’s immaturity. Jack Kerouac emphasizes the relationship between spring and journey in order to mark the beginning of Sal’s character.

On the contrary, winter is characterized as an end of a journey, “It was October, home, and work again” (107). Perhaps the author has chosen winter as an end of the plot because winter is antithesis of spring. Apart from the plot, Sal’s writing becomes more detailed and specific as Sal returns home. Through Sal’s writing, the author relates a link between Sal’s growing maturity and his writing. Having no definite outline, the novel can be abstruse for one to follow along. Therefore, to avoid obscurity, seasons play a significant role in indicating character’s developments through a start and end of a journey.

Essay #2 (Quest)

There is always a goal or a quest in one’s prolonged life, but one’s immediate reason for a quest may differ from that of a long-term. In Jack Kerouac’s novel, __On the Road__, Sal Paradise engages himself on a quest to the west, but only finds it depressing.

Sal finds out that Dean and Carlo are already out of New York. When Sal reaches them in Denver, they are with their girls. After a short visit, Sal travels to San Francisco and California. On the way, he meets Terry, one who Sal falls in love with.

It is easy for readers to make mistakes by taking a quest literally. Therefore, it is essential to examine Foster’s criteria of finding the real reason for a quest. In __On the Road__, Sal, who plans to capture the beauty of the west, is the quester. Although the travel may seem undemanding, Sal, having hardly any money, hitchhikes most of the way. In the beginning of the journey, Sal is delighted with his plan of the trip, “Somewhere along the line I knew there’d be girls, visions, everything; somewhere along the line the pearl would be handed to me” (9).

Despite Sal’s pleasure for his trip to the West, the real reason for the quest is self-knowledge. Sal eventually criticizes the sadness of all the cities he visits, “I have never felt sadder in my life. LA is the loneliest and most brutal of American cities; New York gets god-awful cold in the winter” (82). He comes up with the conclusion that America itself is sad. The quest turns out to be an irony of its initial attempt. Through the journey, the reality of the West eventually collapses Sal’s fantasy, which is the result of self-knowledge.

Essay #3 (Vampirism)

Both Bram Stoker and Jack Kerouac in their novels __Dracula__ and __On the Road__ portray literal and symbolic vampirism. In the novel __On the Road__, male characters continuously have sexual-intercourse and exploit women for their own pleasure.

Sal and Dean are on another journey to the west. Moving from place to place, they seek for drink and women. Dean stays with Camille while Sal spends time himself. When Dean leaves Camille for Marylou, Sal, Dean, and Marylou start a new journey on the road to keep up with the beat generation.

The two prominent characters Dean and Sal fail to discriminate between love and lust. Dean wishes to marry every girl he lusts, whereas Sal yearns for sex. Although Dean is not kind of a nasty old man described by Foster, he regularly gazes at young girls. Dean’s lust for young girls is evident in his words, “Wow. Wait till she grows up! Can you see her cutting down Canal Street with her cute eyes?” (152). The author implies Dean’s pedophilic nature by putting an emphasis on his recurrent lusts after young girls. Furthermore, Dean’s lustfulness on women perhaps illustrates a replacement of his pleasure or his desires of youth.

Dean’s evil act continues when he abandons his second wife, Camille, bearing two of his sons. Along with his growing madness, he deteriorates Camille’s life as well. Dean describes her as, “She’s getting worse and worse, man, she cries and makes tantrums, and won’t let me out to see Slim Galliard” (187). Not realizing his own fault, Dean blames Camille for her growing madness and abandons her. His departure indicates a symbolic vampirism in which he exploits Camille for his selfishness.

Essay #4 (Symbolism)

In most novels, there is always a reoccurring symbol. Unlike absolute solutions or definitions, symbols can be interpreted in different ways depending on reader. In Jack Kerouac’s novel, __On the Road__, symbolism is stressed through objects.

After Sal departures from California, he returns to New York. Although Sal did not expect Terry to come along, he feels lonely in his trip back. Here, Sal yearns for a woman to marry. In New York, he settles in with his aunt to finish his novel.

Time plays a crucial role in the novel because the characters fear death and feel the need of movement. In the beginning chapters, Dean feels a sense of urgency, “It is now” (looking at his watch) “exactly one-fourteen. I shall be back at exactly three-fourteen. It is now one-fifteen and time’s running, running” (43). Because the novel sets its basis on the Beat generation, time is continuously tied up with keeping up with the music. Therefore, the characters place their importance on “Knowing Time.”

Although Dean has been more frantic with time than Sal, Sal becomes conscious with time when he visits Times Square. Sal’s words, “I was back on Times Square and right in the middle of a rush hour, too, seeing with my innocent road-eyes the absolute madness and fantastic hoarier of New York,” represent his sense of urgency in fear of death and indicate that he realizes time is running out (153). Times Square is important because it is a reoccurring symbol that reminds Sal, who measures things in terms of places, to be aware of the time with the Beat generation. Thus, one possible interpretation of the Times Square is that it symbolizes Sal’s need for a physical location to represent time.

Essay #5 (Geography)

A novel is not complete without a place. Thus, most places symbolize or mean something about the character or the plot. Just by a glimpse of its title, __On the Road__ by Jack Kerouac reflects character’s exploration of geography on the road.

Spring blooms again, and Sal has earned enough money by selling his book to a publisher. Dean also finds his place and supports both Inez and Camille. Although the story seems to settle, Sal and Dean are off to another journey to Mexico.

The context of the novel elucidates the setting during the 1950’s. With this in mind, it is easy to understand Sal’s sadness with places in America. Sal incessantly dissatisfies with the nation after the war because of its inadequate support. However, the nature of the Beat generation being reconcilable patriotism, Sal once again loves his country. In this phenomenon, parts of America symbolize love.

The character’s constant movement from places to places delineates the landscapes of America and Mexico. These landscapes are not just landscapes, but they symbolize American culture. Through the lens of Sal, he constantly characterizes places with alcohol, poverty, and jazz. Ironically, even though Sal refers America with sadness, he indicates the places as a home, “Furthermore we know America, we’re at home; I can go anywhere in America and get what I want because it’s the same in every corner” (206). Sal is conveying an idea that his characterization of America reflects the sadness of modernization and post war. The author uses these aspects along with the Beat generation to inform his point of view on America’s cultural history through geography.

Comment on Sun Young’s 1st essay.

Hi Sun Young, I think the introduction is very interesting. Starting off with a rhetorical question lead readers to think about the subject and get curious about the rest of the essay. Furthermore, the introduction has a clear thesis of “kinship” by giving a contrast example. The summary part seems a bit protracted, but it vividly explains the storyline of the novel. The last paragraph begins with the reference from Foster’s __How to Read Literature Like a Professor__, which is one great way to inform the readers about how communion is defined. Although you have provided an example of a quote an analysis, I think the writing can be improved by more analysis. For example, you could further the argument about what the author is trying to convey through the characters’ communion. The essay contains a variety of sentence structures, but some sentences block the flow. Also you have done a great job in writing in present tense. Seung Woo Eun

Comment on Phillip's 3rd essay.

Hey Phillip, how was your summer? I really like how you start off your introduction by contrasting two different types of symbolism: Object and Action. This is very productive, but I think this would be better if you put some transitional words such as however. The introduction also links with the Foster’s novel, which makes readers easy to follow. I like how you have a concise summary because if it is overdone, the essay will be like a summary. The start of the last paragraph was great, starting off with the main topic, symbolism. You also provide some understanding of how the quote reinforces your argument. However, there is one thing I am confused with. In the beginning paragraph, you said there is also a symbol of action, but then in the analysis, you kept talking about food. Apart from this, the organization and the voice were great. One minor grammar mistake can be found on the last sentence. You should be aware of using present tense rather than past.

Seung Woo Eun

