On The Road

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.

My impression of Sal Paradise as a narrator is that he is unreliable. In the beginning of the book he seemed obsessed with Dean Moriarty. I found that strange and kind of wierd. If he was trying to be creepy he acieved it. For example Sal said," Dean Moriarty began the part of my life you could call my life on the road." (pg 1) To me thats a strange way of talking about another guy. Specially someone you just meet. Sal Paradise also just seems to assume things that he doesnt even know that it is true himself . He thinks that people are hitchhicking because they are running away from the law. For example,'"The blond kid was also quiet and he seemed to be running away from something, and it figured to be the law the way he looked straight ahead and wet his lips in worried thought." I kept wondering if he was sure about what he was saying or if he was just saying it. He was also confusing in some parts. He would change the subject repeatedly and personally i dont like that. Sal seems to just assume things and guess things so you dont really know what is true.