"Guitars tinkled. Terry and I gazed at the stars together and kissed. "Manana," she said. "Everything'll be all right tomorrow, don't you think, Sal-honey, man?" "Sure, baby, manana." It was always manana. For the next week that was all I heard-manana, a lovely word and one that probably means heaven." --pg. 94
By the end of his journey "on the road", we see the vast transformation that Sal has gone through. From the very start, Sal represents a character that lives for the moment. He is constantly drinking and caught up in the surface of things. After meeting Terry, we see a more compassionate character as Terry is not portrayed solely as an object for sex. It seems that their relationship was true and not just a reflection of mainstream society for Sal. Although their time together was brief, Terry seems to have given Sal a different perspective on life. It seems that he is able to grasp the true importance of life as he "looked up at the dark sky and prayed to God for a better break in life and a better chance to do something for the little people [he] loved." It's here where we see the value of relationships in life, and the connection with Terry being on a different level then anyone Sal encountered previously on the road. It is at this point where Sal was able to alleiviate his judgements on life and got to enjoy his adventures on the road, even if they were temporary.
It always seemed as though Sal was trying to fill some void in his life ever since he left New Jersey and took off "on the road". What do you think that emptyness was, and do you think Sal ever found what he needed to fill that void?
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This quote summarizes Kerouac's road trip concept. A road trip is essentially a process. We have seen how each temporary stop along the way provides new opportunities for self-discovery and growth. The ever-changing surroundings can also influence hedonistic and reckless behavior. Sal’s journey has been one of dissatisfaction. This is not to say that his trip has been unfulfilling, but that Sal has been always eager for the next stop, as each seems to be more promising than the one before. Perhaps this explains his apparent love for the word manana, or tomorrow. The word is his hope, the single idea that keeps him moving along in his journey. Perhaps Kerouac is trying to portray a road trip as a journey without limits. There is always something more to see, something new to be discovered, something more to learn. The journey is essentially what the traveler makes of it, and as we have seen in Sal’s case, it can be quite an experience indeed.
ReplyDeleteBefore he finally raises up the courage to talk to Terry, Sal asks himself," Aren't you tired enough of yourself by now?" as if he is truly disappointed in his own character. Does this introspection eventually lead to the creation of a "new" Sal, or are his unselfish actions toward the end of Part 1 merely circumstantial occurrences?
As we reach the end of part one, Sal also reaches the end of his journey. His time on the road exposed Sal to aspects of American culture he was unaware of in his New York life. He welcomed these new experiences and in some ways thrived upon them. At the beginning, I had the idea that Kerouac was defining a road trip as a new beginning, a way to redefine yourself so to speak. But with Sal simply making a full circle and ending back where he started, I now believe Kerouac wanted his readers to see that (please excuse me for being extremely cliché) it's not necessarily the destination but rather the journey that counts. Sal matures as his road trip progresses but at the end of his journey, he still feels as though he has yet to find whatever it is he has been searching for.
ReplyDeleteIs it really possible to "find yourself" on the road or do you believe Sal's experience was just a waste of time and money?
I think it's interesting that four of us picked this quote. It jumped off the page to me because it is such a departure from where Sal was in previous chapters. For me, the overall feel of the beginning of this novel was a haphazard rush- rushing to begin his journey, rushing from adventure to adventure, rushing to find money, jobs, girls, rides, friends. When Sal meets Terry and builds a relationship with her, the tone slows and we see a different side of Sal. When the time comes for them to separate, he isn't running away, but sadly moving on.
ReplyDeleteThe laid back, easy manner of Terry and her family and friends is more on key with the way I feel about road trips. In my experience, being on the road is not something hurried; there may be loose plans and goals, but it is the company, not the destination that is most important. I really like the way jloh phrased it, "a road trip as a journey without limits".
Unlike with previous girlfriends, when Sal and Terry separate, they made plans to meet in New York. "She was supposed to drive to New York in a month with her brother. But we both knew she wouldn't make it."-page 101. Financial matters aside, I wonder, would Terry and her son have gone to New York?