Simply, the road is life. It represents life and journeys both spiritually and physically. For Sal, the road leads away from his symbolic death in the city– a life of rule, regulation, pressure to conform, work and marriage. The road takes Sal from traditional American life to a life that rejects all notions of authority and rule and is the escape from the responsibilities of the systematic world. We follow a journey that explores this underbelly of American culture full of sex, drugs, and lost youth, a part of America that was truly off the map.
Professor Laura Westengard
Email: lwestengard@citytech.cuny.edu
Office Hours: Mondays and Wednesdays from 10:30-11:30 am and by appointment
Office/Mailbox Location: Namm 503
Phone Number: (718) 260-5761-
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I completely and utterly agreed regarding the wholesome symbolism of this novel. Sal has been living under and following the “normality” of old-fashioned Americans during those times before. According to your statement, “a life that rejects all notions of authority and rule and is the escape from the responsibilities of the systematic world.” I also agreed because Sal never tries to leave that sort of lifestyle and try something anew for himself until acquainting to Dean.
I agree with your statement. Sal seems to go on this journey to get away from what people deem to be “normal”. It is like an invisible set of rules that people seem to go by, but many people like to get away from it. This is what is seems Sal is doing, changing fate.
I think Sal is trying to escape his old life, which was full of regulation and stucture like you said. I think he thinks that his old life is boring and he has decided to reject it and trun away from it. I agree that “the road ” does symbolize a spiritual and physical journey of life;I think that a life filled with drugs, sex and rejection attracts Sal,for example his choices of freinds, Dean is the perfect example.