Question 2 (Post 2)

Can you tell Kerouac loved language? Reflect on where in the novel this love-of-language is most evident and explore its impact on the telling of the story.

As a reader it is quite obvious that Kerouac did not just love language, but was on the brink of obsession over it. While Kerouac wrote this book, I believe that he wasted no time making sure every sentence was perfect. Whether it was very detailed or sparse, his love for language was spread all throughout the book. Although on numerous occasions his language helps explain what is going on in Sal's life, it is most evident in two areas of the book that help the reader understand how Sal is the mediator in this novel.

Sal Paradise seems to always know what is going on with his friends. Whether it is from past or recent visits he keeps tabs on their personalities, love-lives, and job-lives. However where Sal seems to recall the most information is through his friends love lives. I do not think he can stay out of these situations because he practically thrown in the middle of them every time. The only time he comes to a full realization of his predicaments is when its too late.

"Things grew to worse proportions; the rain roared. Lee Ann originally lived in the place first, so she told Remi to pack up and get out. He started packing. I pictured myself all alone in the rainy shack with that untamed shrew. I tried to intervene. Remi pushed Lee Ann. She made a jump for the gun. Remi gave me the gun and told me to hide; there was a clip of eight shells in it. Lee Ann began screaming, and finally she put on her raincoat and went out in the mud to find a cop, and what a cop-if it wasn't our old friend Alcatraz. Luckily he wasn't home. She came back all wet. I hid in the corner with my head between my knees. Gad, what was I doing three thousand miles from home? Why had I come here? Where was my slow boat to China?"(75).

My first thoughts on Kerouac's description of this scene was the short depictions of Remi and Lee Ann's fights; The sentence structure was weak and easy to understand, implying that all this drama was happening within a matter of minutes. And here is Sal, just there to watch this whole fallout unfold. The last three questions in this scene helped me realize that Sal had gotten himself into a bit of a situation that was inevitable form the start. He knew from Remi's behavior in the past with women that this was bound to happen someday yet Sal persisted on helping in this situation he probably should of stayed out of. Sal does not want to be labeled a bad friend, nor does he want to be caught in the middle of things. He knows he can help Remi but he also needs to know that there comes a time to stop helping someone and let the learn on their own; otherwise you are putting yourself at risk. The fact that Sal knows rRemi and Lee Ann's relationship is really unstable tells you that he is being to much apart of their lives.

Sal has been confronted before about overstepping the bounds of mediation, but never really accepted it. "Dean, why do you act so foolish?' said Galatea.'Camille called and said you left her...'He didn't leave her, she kicked him out!' I said, breaking my neutrality. They all gave me dirty looks; Dean grinned. 'And with that thumb, what do you expect the poor guy to do?' I added."(198). Up until this point Sal was being passive without thinking of how it could effect his relationships with other people. Now I believe it is starting to resonate more and he sees from other people's perspectives how they do not agree with his mediation as well. To some extent the people he is helping do not even want his help anymore and I strongly believe that has recognize when to stop. From the language Kerouac used in this quote, you could tell this tied in with several other points in the novel. Between the point I previously brought up with Remi, his friendship with Dean, his love affairs with Marylou interfering; these problems all are intertwined with Sal's mediation. Maybe if he was not so agressive and eager to help his friends he would not be trying to get himself out of these messes.

Sorry if this response seems lengthy...