On the Road Post 1

1. On the Road, while classified as fiction, is a loosely autobiographical account of the "Beatnik" writers' travels across America--narrated by Sal Paradise (AKA Kerouac). What is your impression of Sal as a narrator? Reliable? Unreliable? Explain and cite the text for support.

Sal Paradise (Jack Kerouac) comes across as a narrator who is equally reliable and unreliable. With his in depth descriptions, matter of fact recounting of exactly what happened, and honest voice, Sal seems to be a reliable narrator. Sal describes everything he sees in incredible detail – for instance “narrow streets chock full of chichi tourists” (46) – which gives the reader such a clear mental image that they can’t help but believe Sal. He also has an honest, explanatory, voice, saying things to the reader like “the reason I’m going into everything that happened in San Fran is because it ties up with everything else all the way down the line,” (55) and “I forgot to say that Ed Dunkel is a very smooth man with women,” (117) – details that could be left out but Kerouac included anyways. This honest, truthful voice pulls the reader in, getting them to trust Sal, and making him seem a reliable narrator.

On the other hand, throughout the book it is seen that Sal’s mental state is often affected by marijuana, hunger, and above all else, alcohol. This affects how Sal perceives what is occurring around him, and while what is written in the book may be exactly what Kerouac remembers, it cannot be ignored that he was a man who died whose death was the result of internal bleeding caused by a long time abuse of alcohol, and what he remembered may not have always been accurate factually.