I think that so far Dean Moriarty does seem to be the center of this novel. There are 3-4 chapters where the Sal doesn’t really mention him and instead he just talks about his journey to Denver and all the different individuals he came in contact with. I think he talks about Dean a lot because he sees him as a brother, and Dean plays an important role in his life and impacts it deeply. For example he starts the novel immediately with, “I first met Dean not long after my wife and I split up”(1). Therefore, Dean helps Sal through tough times in his life. he also says that “somehow in spite of our difference in character, he reminded me of some long-lost brother” (7). Also, I think that Sal secretly wants to be like Dean. I think he wants to be like him, becasue Dean lives a very care-free,uncouth, free-spirit lifestyle, and on top of it he is a manipulator. He wants to live life on the edge and be dangerous like Dean. Sal seems to have a refine and structured lifestyle up to this point and being “On the Road” with Dean and his friends allows him a chance to escape from that.
Professor Laura Westengard
Email: lwestengard@citytech.cuny.edu
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I agree with you. I think Sal wants to have more freedom like Dean, yet he does, maybe because of his aunt (?) Also, i agree with you that Dean has been the main character from the beginning of the novel.
I agree with you. I think Sal wants to have more freedom like Dean, yet he does not, maybe because of his aunt (?) Also, I agree with you that Dean has been the main character from the beginning of the novel. I also feel, Sal depends on his aunt more than himself. For example, he waits for his aunt’s money to get home, and he rejects Sal offers to get a job. He seems like he’s from an upper class.
Part of this almost sounds like envy to me. It is clear that Sal’s life, in terms of fun and games (to him, because that is what he seems to want right now), pales in comparison to Dean’s. Although Dean may have seemed like the center of the novel in the beginning I believe this will not be the case in the long run. Sal talks about Dean because he puts Dean on a pedestal. He looks up to Dean as a person, an icon, almost a superhero-like way. This seems to foreshadow Sal’s possible change in personality later on in the novel.
I agree that Sal was to be like Dean.
i agree with all of you guys Sal find Dean life very interesting and in a way he want to be him or more like him, his freedom but something in him or his family don’t allowed him. it is also true Dean plays a important role in Sal life and in the novel his more of the main character.
It seems like Sal had been caged up to one scenario, and seeing Dean’s life, the complete opposite of him; living life on the edge had him wanting something different. And with that he has his admiration for Dean, and it seems with putting Dean into his scenarios he believes it worth while
I think Sal most definitely uts Dean on a pedestal, and I think he does depend on his Aunt, mostly solely financially. It’s really interesting to read because it’s like when the going gets rough he calls his Aunt. Therefore, I agree with all of you guys.