I can't say I agree at all with Allen Ginsberg. This book was probably published because it was so radically different from what people were used to. In fact, this book is very different from any recently published book I can think of as well. The slang and inappropriate "sex language" makes the story relatable. I loved reading a book that didn't have all the same slang that I use and that I hear other people use. It was kind of interesting to see the characters' honest reactions to situations.
It was also refreshing to see the way Dean lived his life and that it wasn't really glorified, even though Sal was kind of in awe of him. His constant need for sex and adventure is put in a perspective that we don't usually see. We get to see how this way of life drives him a little crazy and how he has absolutely no control over anything he does. Everyone just kind of watches this happen and pretends it's fine instead of trying to help him. On The Road also hits a really realistic note, embodying the restlessness that young adults experience and showing how different people handle that feeling. Whether they're like Dean, willing to steal a car and just drive, or like Sal, ready to pay and hitchhike his way across the country and appreciate all that he sees.
I've turned into kind of a Kerouac nut, so it goes without saying, that I'm very glad this book was published and I'm also glad that Ginsberg was wrong. This is my awkward ending to an awkwardly short post. yup.
3 comments:
I agree with you Jillian. This book is was more than likely way different from the books being published in that time period seeing that is was far from the norm (conservetive). It was written from more of a persoanl level. The publisher reading the manuscript for "On the Road" probably found it way more interesting than things being written about in that society because it so dareing and reliable.
I don’t think that your post was awkwardly short. I really liked it. The slang language that Sal presents does make the story a lot more interesting and likable. On the Road defiantly presents a lot of different characters and by doing this it gives the reader a better understanding of this time period.
I completely agree with you, I wouldn't be able to find anything negative in Kerouac's eccentric way of writing. I'm sure publishers immediately took to it for that reason. When Ginsberg says the manuscript is 'so personal' I immediately thought of how eager I would be to read such a book, and how glad I was that I got a taste of such writing.
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