Mei Harrison

Green 7
March 2, 2016
Final Essay for Choice Novel
On The Road​ by Jack Kerouac is an American Beat Generation classic novel based

loosely on a true story from the 1950s that focuses on westward and cross continental travel, as

well as the importance of friendship. Jack Kerouac and his good friend Neal Cassady take

several trips around the country and even down into Latin America. There is a sense of fluidity

that carries throughout the story that showcases the struggles and accomplishments of the

characters. Constant movement in ​On The Road​ is used to show the maturity and development of

the main characters and reinforce common themes.

In any piece of writing, there is most often a setting. A setting is an environment or

surrounding in which an event or story takes place, which encompasses social environment,

place and time. While a setting may not always be explicit, it can often be interpreted or implied

in the piece. Setting gives meaning and understanding to a certain story and allows for readers to

picture the image in their mind. Unlike most books, ​On The Road​ does not have a clearly defined

and permanent setting. While the story takes place mainly in New York, Chicago, Denver, and

San Francisco, this is all utilized within the context of the road. Constant movement, including

their time on the road, is the choice setting of Kerouac as it gathers all the messages of the story.

This constant movement allows for the development and maturity of the characters over

time. For instance, Jack began the first trip as an admirer of Neal, and was on the trip to gather

information and experience as a writer. At the beginning of the story, Jack talks about an

encounter with Neal, “Nonetheless I loved him for his madness and we got drunk together in the
Linden bar behind my house and I agreed that he could stay at my house,” (111). Jack is

desperate for Neal to befriend him, live with him, and confide in him. As their relationship

deepens, Jack begins to grow up and actually question his own actions. Toward the end of the

book, Jack talks of San Francisco, “really America’s most excited city---and overhead the pure

blue sky and the joy of the foggy sea...I hated to leave; my stay lasted sixty odd hours. With

frantic Neal I was rushing through the would without a chance to see it,” (304). Jack realized that

this constant movement that they go through is unhealthy and is not giving him the chance to

take everything in. As the story progressed and more trips took place, Jack builds up courage to

do and say what he wants for himself, not to please Neal, which is all influenced by this almost

forced constant movement.

Neal is the best friend of Jack and often is a negative influence on his behavior causing

conflict in the novel that Jack has to overcome in a variety of ways. Neal’s personality and need

for movement helps to show the development and lack of maturity. Neal’s two major romantic

interests in the novel, amongst several other short-term women, are Carolyn and Louanne. While

passing through New Orleans, Jack emphasizes Louanne and Neal’s love, “and she kissed him.

He stared ahead proudly. He loved her,” (241). Seconds later, Neal is exclaiming, “Look at

her!...Oh I love, love, love women! I think women are wonderful! I live women!” (242). Neal is

often demeaning to women, treating them like nothing, which Jack found difficult to address.

Neal’s charismatic, open-spirited personality is constant throughout the book, but the way he

portrays this changes over time. Towards the end of the novel, when they are in a whorehouse in

Mexico, Neal, “leaning like a statue toward her, ready to fly, and befuddlement cross his face as

she glanced coolly and imperiously his way and he stopped rubbing his belly and gaped and
finally bowed his head,” (389). Neal still has his misogynistic views, but he ages and gets almost

tired of following through with women. This is how the setting of constant movement added to

the development and almost lack of maturity that Neal experiences.

On The Road​’s setting of constant movement reinforces the themes of dissatisfaction and

admiration. As the characters are always in motion, this hints towards a dissatisfaction with the

present. This is apparent in the places they go and the women they’re with. This ​res​tlessness and

the resulting motion are tied up with the madness of the Beat Generation which Kerouac is

known for. The boys would move from one place to another as it seemed to die out or when

another place else became more appealing. Once they had tired out the U.S., they moved South,

“I finally went West alone with some new money and the intention of sinking down to Mexico

and spending it there...It was our last trip and it ended among the banana trees that we always

knew were at the end of the road,” (350). Neal and Jack decided to “go out with a bang” of

international travel, but this only added to the constant motion. Eventually, Neal gets tired of

even the vacation land and leaves, and Jack follows not long after. This sense of restlessness by

Neal and Jack is mirrored in their sexual relationships. Neal is involved with upwards of ten

women in the book, but he never ends up happy with a long-term relationship. Jack is different,

“All these years I was looking for the woman I wanted to marry. I couldn’t meet a girl without

saying to myself, ‘What kind of wife would she make?’” (218). He doesn’t settle, another sign of

dissatisfaction, especially because his previous marriage didn’t work out.

There is also a theme of admiration that is primarily shown from Jack to Neal. While

trying to get rid of cops Jack thinks, “I didn’t want to interfere, I just wanted to follow.” (233).

Also while traveling, Jack “We were on the ferry and Neal had leaped out to lean over the rail. I
followed, but Bill sat on in the car snuffing.” (248). Both of these situations refer to Jack having

a strong desire for Neal and Jack’s efforts to impress him. Jack worships Neal’s madness,

holiness, and vitality and conceptualizes his love through following him in movement, actions,

and beliefs. These two themes are major in the novel and reappear countless times along with the

movement setting.

In conclusion, Jack Kerouac’s ​On The Road​ novel is one that is very different than most

novels as there is no clear setting. However, the interpreted one of movement proves to be very

important to the story as a whole and ability of comprehension for readers. The setting, constant

movement, is used effectively to convey the development of characters and to reinforce common

themes. Jack and Neal through the book matured and grew wiser, older and also their purpose

was more defined and the uneasiness of one place pushed for that. Also, the two major themes of

dissatisfaction and admiration were shown and proven through the novel’s setting. ​On The Road

and it’s setting of constant movement impacts the book in general but specifically for the

characters and themes.