INTRODUCTION
What do Copernicus, Jesus, the German Green Party, and say the Impressionists have in common with Jack Kerouac? Obviously, all of them freed themselves from some prevailing belief or technique, or a similar, and introduced a new one instead. With all of them this introduction did not happen without resistance, especially not without resistance by the influential people of the respective branch. In all cases, the new idea experienced trouble to be taken seriously.
When Kerouac tried to publish his novel On the Road, subject of this essay, which he had finished in 1951, he was turned down several times before in 1957 Viking Press would eventually agree on printing the book. Among the things the novel was disapproved of were the way of life depicted in it, breaking with traditions and trespassing moral and legal boundaries, as well as the lack of a new set of guidelines that were to replace the ones trespassed. Had it previously been the introduction of a new set of guidelines (as with Jesus and the Green Party) or beliefs (as with Jesus and Copernicus) or a new technique (as with the Impressionists) that led to dislike, it was now, among other things, the alleged lack of such a set. Schönfelder (1985: 391) discusses in his essay ”Zwischen anarchistischem Protest und Eskapismus” the quality of the Beats’ behavior and comes to the conclusion that they are subjects of the latter: ”Im Endergebnis liegt eine Spielart eines romantischen Eskapismus vor.”. Starting from this I am going to show three things. Firstly, I want to illustrate that the journeys in On the Road are not as aimless as they might seem at a first glance. There is an aim the characters are heading for, hence one must not blame the novel for not offering alternatives to the ideas condemned in it. However, it will become clear that this aim, that is thought to provide happiness by a particular form of freedom, involves certain ways of behavior that do trespass both legal and moral boundaries. In ”On the Road” Asher calls the protagonists’ series of journeys a mere ”joyride” (n.d.: 2). One might indeed consider the novel a praise of unbridled hedonism and individualism. It certainly is -- to some extent. But I will secondly try to show that Sal, the narrator, is very much on the road between traditional and new ideas, i.e. that his physical movement is part of an inner movement. In the end, Sal has become aware of the dreamlike quality of his and his friends’ goal...
Table of Contents
1 INTRODUCTION
2 ON THE ROAD IN EVERY RESPECT
2.1 IT
2.1.1 WHAT IS IT?
2.1.2 HOW IS IT ACHIEVED, OR THOUGHT TO BE ACHIEVED?
2.1.3 THE IMPORTANCE OF THE SEARCH FOR IT
2.1.4 HOW IS IT REPRESENTED?
2.2 THE WEST
2.3 LIMITS
2.3.1 ”MAYBE WE OUGHT TO GO BACK, THOUGH?” (293)
2.3.2 TWO FURTHER CASES OF DUALISM
2.4 SOME REMARKS ON POSTMODERNISM
2.4.1 RACE AND GENDER
2.4.2 ”EVERYBODY GOES!”
2.5 NON-FICTIONAL BEAT LIFE
3 CONCLUSION
4 APPENDIX
4.1 WORKS CITED
4.2 WORKS CONSULTED
Research Objectives and Themes
This essay explores Jack Kerouac’s novel On the Road to demonstrate that its protagonists' journeys are not aimless, but represent a quest for a state called "IT." It further examines how the narrator, Sal Paradise, experiences an internal shift, and investigates the extent to which the novel's themes permeated Kerouac's own life.
- The conceptualization and pursuit of "IT" as a state of pure enjoyment and understanding.
- The symbolic shifting value of "The West" in American literature and the novel.
- The intersection of fictional narratives with the reality of the Beat Generation.
- Anticipations of postmodern cultural patterns, specifically regarding race and gender.
- The relationship between spontaneous prose and the novel's thematic structure.
Excerpt from the Book
2.1.1 What is IT?
Throughout the novel the characters are struggling to find something they call IT. IT might, in a first draft, best be described as the state where pure enjoyment is possible, with the basis of such a state being liberty and understanding. Admittedly, the concept of hunting an IT strikes one rather romantic than down-to-earth. But IT is not simply the end of a ”naiv” search for a meaning in life. IT contains a few fairly concrete concepts about how life is supposed to be. And, for sure, the characters at least sense what IT must be like, even though they are not capable of wording their notion. Freedom is one part of IT. More precisely what they long for is liberty from the compulsion to justify all of one’s actions and one’s conduct. This they try to achieve by living a life in which, especially in the context of sex and drugs, they do whatever they fancy at a particular moment. But this is just one thing, which I will talk about later, and in itself not the ultimate goal. Very touching is their love for life, the intensity with which they try to live and enjoy life. ”every moment is precious.” (97). The young men in the novel (the protagonists are all male) are eager for knowledge, and eager to hear other persons’ life stories.
Summary of Chapters
1 INTRODUCTION: This chapter outlines the central thesis that the journeys in On the Road are a purposeful quest for "IT," and sets the stage for comparing the novel's themes with postmodern concepts and Kerouac's reality.
2 ON THE ROAD IN EVERY RESPECT: This section provides a comprehensive analysis of the novel’s core motivations, specifically defining "IT," the failure of the West to provide promised happiness, and the inherent limits of the characters' search.
3 CONCLUSION: The final section synthesizes the argument, asserting that the novel is not a mere romantic escape, but a sophisticated anticipation of postmodern cultural sensibilities, while acknowledging the author's own struggle to embody the ideals he wrote about.
Keywords
Jack Kerouac, On the Road, Beat Generation, IT, Postmodernism, Spontaneous Prose, Search, West, Marginalization, Hedonism, Individualism, Narrative, Symbolism, Reality and Fiction, Literature.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the central focus of this academic work?
The work focuses on interpreting Jack Kerouac’s On the Road as a non-aimless, purposeful quest for a specific state of existence referred to by the characters as "IT."
What are the primary thematic areas covered?
The essay covers the definition of "IT," the transition of symbolic values regarding the American West, the presence of postmodern foreshadowing in the novel, and the intersection of fictional and non-fictional Beat life.
What is the primary research goal?
The goal is to defend the novel against accusations of being a mere "romantic escape" by illustrating the complex motivations of the characters and the intentional structure of the narrative.
Which scientific methods are employed?
The essay utilizes literary analysis, comparing the novel to cultural history, sociology (postmodern theory), and biographical comparisons between Kerouac and his fictional counterpart, Sal Paradise.
What is discussed in the main body?
The main body breaks down the characters' goal of reaching "IT" through various mediums like jazz, sex, and travel, explores the symbolic failure of the West, and analyzes the characters' reactions to societal norms.
Which keywords characterize this study?
The study is characterized by keywords such as Beat Generation, IT, postmodernism, spontaneity, and the intersection of reality and fiction.
How does the author define the term "IT" as used in the novel?
The author defines "IT" as a state where pure enjoyment is possible, fundamentally rooted in the desire for liberty from the societal compulsion to justify one's conduct.
What is the relationship between Sal Paradise and Jack Kerouac according to the text?
The text suggests that Sal represents a fictionalized version of Kerouac himself, though the author notes that Kerouac struggled significantly more with the reality of his own life and societal image than the character Sal does.
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- Gesa Giesing (Autor:in), 2001, Going to get somewhere, or just going. Kerouac's On the Road, München, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/28617
