Friendship
In On the Road, entire sections are devoted to listing the friends of Sal Paradise. Friendship plays a crucial role in the novel. Sal, with his friendly demeanor, has a diverse group of friends. Some are creative, like the quirky poet Carlo Marx, while others, like Old Bull Lee, are highly unorthodox. Interestingly, Sal also maintains relationships with more conventional friends, such as Chad King. Throughout his journeys, Sal forms numerous fleeting yet memorable friendships. However, the most pivotal relationship in the book is between Sal and Dean Moriarty.
The deep connection between Sal and Dean drives the story forward. Shortly after Dean arrives in New York City, Sal becomes fascinated by Dean's lively personality. Even though Sal is aware that Dean is using him, he remains captivated by Dean's unlimited energy:
As we traveled by bus through the mysterious, glowing expanse of the Lincoln Tunnel, we leaned on each other, fingers waving, talking with excitement. I began to absorb Dean's contagious enthusiasm. He was simply a young man with an incredible passion for life. Though he was a con artist, he deceived only because he craved life and interaction with people who would otherwise ignore him. He was conning me, and I knew it (for room and board and "how-to-write," etc.), and he knew I knew (this was the foundation of our relationship), but I didn't mind, and we got along well—no pestering, no pandering; we tiptoed around each other like new friends on the brink of heartbreak. I started learning from him just as much as he probably learned from me.
From Dean, Sal learns to embrace living in the moment and to savor every experience. Initially, Sal's connection with Dean is so intense that he is willing to follow him anywhere without reservation. As they journey across the country, they share their life stories, dreams, philosophies, and visions. Together, they dive into the pulsating energy of jazz clubs and indulge in wild revelry at a Mexican bordello. Sal wants to stay close to Dean just to see what adventure awaits next.
Like most authentic friendships, Sal and Dean face their share of turbulent times. Sal feels a pang of jealousy after introducing Dean to Carlo, who then becomes close friends with Dean. In one instance, Sal even makes Dean cry during a minor argument in a diner. However, Dean's selfishness often overshadows their bond. He abandons Sal on the road twice: once in San Francisco, leaving him with Marylou and no money, and later in Mexico City while Sal is feverish with dysentery. Despite this, Sal's forgiving nature prevails, and he always forgives Dean. Eventually, Sal begins to pity Dean. By the novel's end, Sal is settling down with a new lover in New York City. Meanwhile, Dean, consumed by his wild compulsions, appears ragged and nearly incoherent the last time Sal sees him. Although Sal knows he will never forget Dean, this scene marks a somber conclusion to their remarkable friendship.
Rebellion
The theme of youthful rebellion in American literature can be traced back to Mark Twain's The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. However, the rebellion depicted in On the Road is distinct from the 1960s youth revolt against established norms (though one might argue that Kerouac's characters were a precursor to that movement). This form of rebellion is neither violent nor political; it is a rebellion of the mind and spirit. Sal, Dean, and their companions do not completely reject the "American Dream"; rather, they reject its conventional interpretation. Instead of directly confronting society, they choose to distance themselves from it. By indulging in drug...
(This entire section contains 343 words.)
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use, promiscuous sex, and a disdain for traditional middle-class values, they embrace their roles as outsiders. Their goal is to live freely in the present moment, regardless of the repercussions. For instance, Old Bull Lee feels a "sentimental streak" for America in 1910 because:
You could get morphine in a drugstore without a prescription, and Chinese smoked opium in their evening windows, and the country was wild and brawling and free, with abundance and any kind of freedom for everyone.
Dean, in particular, is in pursuit of this "wild and brawling" freedom. He rejects any form of responsibility. Dean is not interested in overthrowing the government; he simply does not want any authority, whether governmental or otherwise, to exert control over him, even if it means living in poverty. In a memorable exchange, he shares these thoughts with Sal:
You see, man, you get older and troubles pile up. Someday you and me'll be coming down an alley together at sundown and looking in the cans to see.
You mean we'll end up bums?
Why not, man? Of course we will if we want to, and all that. There's no harm ending that way. You spend a whole life of noninterference with the wishes of others, including politicians and the rich, and nobody bothers you and you cut along and make it your own way.
Thus, their rebellion is passive. They choose to ignore authority altogether rather than confront it directly.
Time
Time, along with an individual's personal connection to it, is a central theme in On the Road. Sal seldom mentions exact dates in the story; instead, time is often indicated by the shift in seasons. The events in the novel seamlessly merge into one another, reflecting the fluid nature of real life. Characters come and go, reappearing later, much like they do in the real world. Dean often tells Sal that "we know time," suggesting they recognize their inability to control it and should therefore live fully in the present.
Dean's preoccupation with punctuality serves as a recurring joke throughout the novel. He is always following some kind of "schedule." An illustrative example of his seemingly precise timekeeping occurs when he plans his next meeting with Camille after Sal first arrives in Denver:
It is now exactly one-fourteen. I shall be back at exactly three-fourteen, for our hour of reverie together, real sweet reverie, darling… so now in this exact minute I must dress, put on my pants, go back to life, that is to outside life, streets and what not, as we agreed, it is now one-fifteen and time's running, running—
Well, all right, Dean, but please be sure and be back at three.
Just as I said, darling, and remember not three but three-fourteen. Are we straight in the deepest and most wonderful depths of our souls, dear darling?
The irony in this passage, as well as in other instances where Dean carefully organizes his schedule, is that Dean is a person who strives to live fully in the present. By doing so, he ignores the existence of his painful past and uncertain future. Because Dean "knows time," he believes that the present is all he truly possesses.