Although they have contrasting personalities, he brought to mind a brother I hadn’t seen in a long time (10). The novel “On the Road” by Jack Kerouac tells the story of Sal Paradise and Dean Moriarty, two friends belonging to the beat generation. This particular generation, known for their drug experimentation, black attire, and love for jazz, emerged during the 1950s and early 60s. Sal and Dean embark on a journey from east to west and Mexico with hopes of finding euphoria through music. While these characters share a strong bond, they also display notable differences in their relationships with their fathers as well as how they perceive and treat women.
Sal and Dean had contrasting notions about life on the road, but Dean ended up facilitating Sal’s desire to travel. Sal refers to the arrival of Dean Moriarty as the beginning of his own road journey, stating that prior to meeting Dean, he had frequently fantasized about venturing West to explore the country but had never taken action. However, Sal explains that Dean’s presence served as a catalyst for his travel plans, as Dean was well-suited to accompany him on his journey due to his birth on the road and familiarity with the destinations they were headed to. Dean’s extensive travel experience made him an ideal travel companion for Sal.
Sal’s purpose for being on the road was twofold: to deepen his understanding of Dean Moriarty as a person, not just for the sake of writing a book about him, but also to cultivate a genuine friendship. Surprisingly, their bond grew to become an unexpectedly strong best friendship. As an individual, Dean Moriarty struck me as carefree and spontaneous, traveling without any particular objective except to indulge in drugs and jazz. At one point during their journey, he even embarked on a quest to find his father. Additionally, amidst their travels, he formed relationships with various women.
Dean embraces and handles whatever happens in his life on the road, without worrying about it at the moment. In contrast, Sal is a more organized individual who carefully plans and considers things before taking action. One example of this is how his decision to be on the road is influenced by Dean Moriarty. However, their shared interest in traveling and exploring new experiences is what brings them together.
Sal and Dean have contrasting views and ideas about being on the road, but it brought them closer together and strengthened their bond. Similarly, they both have different perspectives on the significance of their fathers in their lives. Dean is desperately seeking his beloved father, Old Dean, in Denver, demonstrating his deep love and longing for their relationship as his father remains incarcerated in Seattle.
Dean expresses his desire to support his father and bring his sister to live with him in New York, showcasing his family-oriented nature. He recently wrote a letter to his old man in jail in Seattle, receiving the first letter from him in years. If he can send him the money, his father will come and live in New York, if he manages to get there. Although Dean hasn’t spoken much about his sister before, he reveals that she is a sweet little kid sister whom he would like to have living with him as well (252).
Despite the potential impossibility, he is determined to reunite his family and longs to live with his sister. The belief in hope, love, and fate are his only anchors in the possibility of being together with his loved ones. His father serves as a pillar of strength for him, and now Dean has assumed the role of his father by actively working towards their family’s well-being.
While Sal Paradise does not have a father to reunite with because his Old Pop passed away, he considers his aunt to be his family. He was living with her in her apartment, and she was the one who sent him money while he was traveling. According to the “On the Road Introduction” handout, Sal reflects on how as a child, he believed in everything under his father’s roof. However, as he grew older, he experienced a moment of realization and vulnerability, feeling wrecked, miserable, poor, blind, and naked. He describes himself as a gruesome grieving ghost and navigates through a nightmare life.
Sal’s quote symbolizes the bond between his life and the absence of his father. This absence resulted in Sal being without guidance or instruction on navigating through life. Now, feeling adrift, he hopes for his father to be there as a source of support and guidance during dark times. However, Sal’s aunt has assumed the role of his father, becoming the sole dependable family member for him. Sal highly values his relationship with his aunt because she is consistently present for him, always ready to assist whenever needed. Additionally, Dean, who resided with Sal’s aunt during their separation period, has also become part of their family.
Both Salvatore Paradise and Dean Moriarty were greatly influenced by their families, and this had a significant impact on their lives—a shared similarity between the two. Additionally, they share a similar attitude towards women, particularly in their treatment of them. Dean Moriarty is not known for being serious in relationships; he often dumps and hurts his partners whenever he pleases. As evidence, the novel states, “So now he was three times married, twice divorced, and living with his second wife” (305). It is worth noting that Dean has been married to Marylou, Camille, and Inez, further confirming his tendency to play with women’s emotions and not take marriage seriously. An interesting detail is that despite being married to Inez, he was residing with his ex-wife Camille, which is quite peculiar.
It appears that he is reluctant to let go of Camille, but he also wants a reason to be with Inez. In contrast, Sal is the type of person who remains committed to one individual and will only settle down if he truly loves the person. In the past, Sal was deeply connected to Terry, but because he couldn’t provide for her and her child, he left them and returned to New York. Although Sal loved Terry, she wasn’t the ideal match for him. Sal treats women with respect and deserves the love he has been seeking. “I had always been searching for a girl with pure and innocent eyes… We agreed to love each other passionately. We planned to move to San Francisco in the winter.” (306).
Finally, Sal found Laura, the girl he had been searching for. They decided to move to San Francisco and settle down, as Sal was certain that she was the one. He promised to give his heart to Laura. There is a distinct contrast between how Dean and Sal treat their women, with Sal being more considerate and Dean being the opposite. Overall, Salvatore Paradise and Dean Moriarty have similarities and differences in their views on traveling, the importance of their fathers in their lives, and how they treat their women. The saying “opposites attract” holds true for Sal and Dean, as their differences and commonalities form a perfect friendship.
