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coriblake's review against another edition
adventurous
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Drug use, Misogyny, Racism, Sexism, and Alcohol
Moderate: Domestic abuse, Pedophilia, and Racial slurs
Minor: Death, Gun violence, Homophobia, Suicide attempt, and Death of parent
biljnavjestica's review against another edition
adventurous
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? N/A
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
1.5
Content Warnings
Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Homophobia, Misogyny, Racism, Sexism, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Trafficking, and Sexual harassment
Minor: Drug use, Homophobia, Infidelity, Pedophilia, Racism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, and Alcohol
beanith's review against another edition
2.0
Reading Around The World (2/199): United States
Okay, let’s start with the fact that On The Road inspired Eric Kripke to create Supernatural. Sam and Dean are based off of Sal Paradise (Jack Kerouac) and Dean Moriarty (Neal Cassady). So I started reading this on Dean Winchester’s 43rd birthday (yes, I’m that type of fan) to celebrate and learn more about his namesake.
Eric Kripke you are a basket case.
On The Road takes you through the time Sal and Dean (Jack and Neal) spent together traveling across the United States and even into Mexico. Kerouac uses stream of consciousness to report to the reader his memories of that time in his life. I’m sure there’s some fictionalization beyond changing a few names and places, but at the end of the day it is a reflection of his voice, life, point of view, beliefs, etc.
Which is why the blatant misogyny and racism was so awful. It’s not a character being a bigot, it’s the author. You know without a doubt that Kerouac thinks that women truly are creatures that need husbands to sort them out and that black people live simplistic lives and have no worries, unlike him a woeful white man. The one good thing this book provides is an example that yes, people really did think this way! 307 whole pages to show someone who thinks that casual sexism and racism of the 40s-60s wasn’t real.
I appreciate context; I don’t expect a book that was written 70-ish years ago to reflect my morals and values completely (or at all in some cases). But it makes Kerouac so detestable that it’s hard to will myself to read more. When a fictional character is vile we get to dig into that and see what it means in a literary sense and in the context of the book. When an author is writing about his own life and he comes across as vile…it just means he’s a vile man.
Kerouac is the kind of guy that thinks he’s a good guy. He’s so convinced that he has a heart full of love but he has no clue that he’s selfish, mean, and predatory. Cassady and Kerouac are frequently talking to and gazing at girls as young as thirteen years old. Cassady had a teenage wife. “Things were different then” yeah okay, things were streamlined for adult men to have child brides and call women above the age of 30 old.
There’s a part in the book where Sal and Dean live with a single mom and her children, including her (iirc) thirteen year old daughter. And it’s clear that Dean is attracted to her and Sal fronts himself as some kind of white knight protecting her, but there’s an inkling that he’s saving her for himself. There’s no other word for it; they are predators. They routinely hunt for young girls to “make it” with.
Sal worships Dean and all Dean does is use people and ghost them.
The worst thing about this book is something it can’t control; it’s impact on a generation (and how it echoes to subsequent generations). I’ve seen a fair number of people who genuinely love and connect with this book and I just don’t understand how. I’ve traveled the road, I’ve been across America - so the scenic descriptions and interactions with the kinds of people you meet on the road was interesting and sometimes really lovely. But I don’t know how you read this book without hating Sal and Dean. I can’t romanticize them the way others seem to.
The book is straightforward, it’s up to the reader to imbue it with social commentary or criticism. Kerouac never reflects on if his actions affected others, he just tells us where he went and what he did and what he thought. So if you can smooth over the parts where they objectify women and people of color then maybe you are left with the desire to travel and see what’s out there. I read it with a pen in hand because this was a book I had to argue with while reading it (literally haven’t done that since high school lmao).
But, I must admit that Part Five (the final chapter) kind of made me feel something other than disgust for Dean Moriarty. He ruined his body and cognitive abilities. The way Sal reiterates “he can’t talk” is so sad and pathetic since Dean is known for talking and never stopping.
This is the first book that’s made me remove things from my TBR since reading it - goodbye Howl and Kaddish! I was so interested in the idea I had about the beat movement, but now after my sample it is safe for me to say no thank you!
Also Eric Kripke you need therapy.
Okay, let’s start with the fact that On The Road inspired Eric Kripke to create Supernatural. Sam and Dean are based off of Sal Paradise (Jack Kerouac) and Dean Moriarty (Neal Cassady). So I started reading this on Dean Winchester’s 43rd birthday (yes, I’m that type of fan) to celebrate and learn more about his namesake.
Eric Kripke you are a basket case.
On The Road takes you through the time Sal and Dean (Jack and Neal) spent together traveling across the United States and even into Mexico. Kerouac uses stream of consciousness to report to the reader his memories of that time in his life. I’m sure there’s some fictionalization beyond changing a few names and places, but at the end of the day it is a reflection of his voice, life, point of view, beliefs, etc.
Which is why the blatant misogyny and racism was so awful. It’s not a character being a bigot, it’s the author. You know without a doubt that Kerouac thinks that women truly are creatures that need husbands to sort them out and that black people live simplistic lives and have no worries, unlike him a woeful white man. The one good thing this book provides is an example that yes, people really did think this way! 307 whole pages to show someone who thinks that casual sexism and racism of the 40s-60s wasn’t real.
I appreciate context; I don’t expect a book that was written 70-ish years ago to reflect my morals and values completely (or at all in some cases). But it makes Kerouac so detestable that it’s hard to will myself to read more. When a fictional character is vile we get to dig into that and see what it means in a literary sense and in the context of the book. When an author is writing about his own life and he comes across as vile…it just means he’s a vile man.
Kerouac is the kind of guy that thinks he’s a good guy. He’s so convinced that he has a heart full of love but he has no clue that he’s selfish, mean, and predatory. Cassady and Kerouac are frequently talking to and gazing at girls as young as thirteen years old. Cassady had a teenage wife. “Things were different then” yeah okay, things were streamlined for adult men to have child brides and call women above the age of 30 old.
There’s a part in the book where Sal and Dean live with a single mom and her children, including her (iirc) thirteen year old daughter. And it’s clear that Dean is attracted to her and Sal fronts himself as some kind of white knight protecting her, but there’s an inkling that he’s saving her for himself. There’s no other word for it; they are predators. They routinely hunt for young girls to “make it” with.
Sal worships Dean and all Dean does is use people and ghost them.
The worst thing about this book is something it can’t control; it’s impact on a generation (and how it echoes to subsequent generations). I’ve seen a fair number of people who genuinely love and connect with this book and I just don’t understand how. I’ve traveled the road, I’ve been across America - so the scenic descriptions and interactions with the kinds of people you meet on the road was interesting and sometimes really lovely. But I don’t know how you read this book without hating Sal and Dean. I can’t romanticize them the way others seem to.
The book is straightforward, it’s up to the reader to imbue it with social commentary or criticism. Kerouac never reflects on if his actions affected others, he just tells us where he went and what he did and what he thought. So if you can smooth over the parts where they objectify women and people of color then maybe you are left with the desire to travel and see what’s out there. I read it with a pen in hand because this was a book I had to argue with while reading it (literally haven’t done that since high school lmao).
But, I must admit that Part Five (the final chapter) kind of made me feel something other than disgust for Dean Moriarty. He ruined his body and cognitive abilities. The way Sal reiterates “he can’t talk” is so sad and pathetic since Dean is known for talking and never stopping.
This is the first book that’s made me remove things from my TBR since reading it - goodbye Howl and Kaddish! I was so interested in the idea I had about the beat movement, but now after my sample it is safe for me to say no thank you!
Also Eric Kripke you need therapy.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Pedophilia, Racism, and Sexism
erinhjackson's review against another edition
adventurous
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Cursing, Drug abuse, Drug use, Homophobia, Mental illness, Pedophilia, Sexual content, and Schizophrenia/Psychosis
wretchedtheo's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
reflective
medium-paced
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Cursing, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Homophobia, Infidelity, Misogyny, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexism, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, and Excrement
Minor: Addiction, Animal cruelty, Body shaming, Bullying, Cancer, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Hate crime, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Sexual content, Slavery, Excrement, Police brutality, Medical content, Grief, and Medical trauma