ON THE ROAD by Jack Kerouac is a story about finding yourself in a system of a world that is full of traditionalism. It may very well be that conformity is viewed as a passive inclination but Jack believed in something more than just living conventionally. However, I believe Jack is caught between conformity and passivity. Jack has a deep curiosity for the significance of life and lives in what seems to be his friend’s shadows, Neal Cassidy in particular. He expresses a keen interest in this character by “keeping track of everything that happened everyday---everything Neal did and said” (150). Jack seems to be searching for his own identity and meaning and learns from experience that life is unpredictable and thus is unsure if his journey will provide him with life’s answers. On the road, he discovers a whole new language. This language is a form of connecting with nature, something that is quite a compelling attribute to Walt Whitman’s poem Song of Myself. Walt describes the physical nature of his body and soul and how his identity celebrates itself through renewal with the passage of time. This poem describes in parallel form Neal’s character and his connection to Jazz and sex. Neal is in constant lust, taking every moment of time to his advantage. He uses his sexuality to his advantage and like the poem he renews himself with acceptation continually and goes into a psychedelic mode of excitement in the presence of Jazz music.

     Because of Jack’s strong connection to Neal, he describes him as a “holy con-man” (112). According to society, Neal’s character is far from being holy; however, he lives up to the trueness of a con-man. So why does Jack describe him as holy? Is it because he believes that his actions are due to the nature of experimentation not causing any harm to an individual? Many people become curious of their sexual preferences as well as their sexuality. Jack views Neal as a strong minded individual who is searching for answers and discovers on his own that his inclinations are natural to him. His excitement for Jazz almost seems to connect him to God because he glorifies the musician “popeyed with awe” (229). Jack endeavors to assimilate Neal's searches for meaning and satisfaction in many forms, Jazz brings him almost to enlightenment. Neal brings meaning to his life through physical expression, sexually and through Jazz music, as a cycle of rebirth, similar to a rite of passage. Hearing a great melody can make many people nostalgic. It is an experience that is beyond understanding and is therefore described by Jack as "the moment when you know all and everything is decided forever" (229).

     Neal’s I don’t care attitude keeps Jack constantly wanting to be in his presence. Jack feels a brotherly affection toward him and finds himself divided between two lifestyles, his college life and his life on the road with his buddies. Jack finds his behavior out-of-his-mind mad and entertaining; I think he’s taken by his delicious absurdities. Jack most often finds himself lost literally and symbolically and still remains hopeful, always longing for a wife, despite his momentary rendezvous.  He is often forgetful and even asks his friends to help him remember something he was supposed to do back in New York. He heads out on a journey that I consider to be “nowhere and everywhere” because he gets caught up on searching for meaning and yet is unable to grasp the direction his life is going. Regardless, he doesn’t give up.

J. Angel Cardona