I just finished pic related and I'd like to know your thoughts on it because some of you guys aren't completely retarded
Personally I found the first few books hard to read through but once they get to Denver and then Mexico it was an absolute pleasure to read
i bought it for my dad and he said it made him angry
especially the part where they drive 100mph down the highway in the wrong direction and then are angry when they're arrested
Yeah Neal was a bit of a dick
I unironically liked it a lot but yeah it takes a while to get started, the first few chapters read like a map
It definitely has it's downfalls, it could have used a little more time and editing imo, pretty sure he wrote it in one sitting on amphetamines or some shit. It really is the quintessential beat novel though, and regardless of how you feel about the beat generation, it deserves a place in the canon for that imo.
Yeah it could've used a little more polishing. My version said the last 5 pages were taken from drafts or something because some dog ate the edited ones.
I loved it tho
Who has read both the regular version and the original scroll? Is the difference that significant?
Yeah Kerouac practiced ''spontaneous prose'' where he just sat down and wrote whatever the first thing that came to his mind was
iirc waht he said about the writing process didn't chime with how the document looks and a lot more care went into making it look spontaneous than he wanted people to know.
I'm also a fan. It's very unpopular in lit. departments but super fun
It's a good read, but Kerouac gets better when you read on. He later stated that his collected works resembled something of Proust's In Search For Lost Time- he called it the Duluoz Legend.
Big Sur is probably my favourite of his, followed by Dharma Bums and On the Road; but the former wouldn't have been as enjoyable if I hadn't read the latter first.
I found it really comfy and enjoyed it a lot - it made me want to eat a lot of pie.
Just finished it as well, actually. My 2nd or 3rd read through. I have the opposite opinion of you. I think the beginning is filled with the passion and excitement that i come to the beats for. The back half turns into a broken pity-case. Probably accurate considering that lifestyle, but ah well. I think this one, and ones like this, get little traction on Yea Forums because that adventurous, spontaneous, reckless lifestyle doesn't fit with the NEET image.
As for the book itself, i got a lot more from it reading it this time around. I never realized how much jazz influenced his writing style. Thats a really cool idea and he does well to remain focused through the improv. Sometimes he falls back on redundant images, but if you're going to view the work with that critical of an eye, the book isnt for you. Its as immediate as writing can get. Also, a lot of ththe stuff with parents was interesting. Especially Dean's dad. Its clear that Kerouac had a good background in literature because of the tropes and themes he works with, but i could see how he would get brushed off because he aims to enjoy the surface.
A great book. A classic. Definitely worth reading. Most here won't like it.
I found it really boring desu
Neal was a psychopath and a self- centered black hole of a man
One of my all time favs desu, really gives me that joy-of-life feeling and makes me want to go on a road trip. Perfect to read in spring or summer
This.
If you ever stumble upon a Neal in real life stay clear. They'll probably entice you with lust for life and adventure, but these people and their mindset will hollow you out. They need drinking buddies and accomplices, they hardly care in what form- as long as you're willing. It's actually a good book on toxic friendship.
Isn't the whole point of the book is that Dean/Neal was selfish and toxic but he definitely played an important part in Sal's life until the end
Even on and after the end. I said it earlier in the thread, people of this site won't like/understand this book. It's a lifestyle that doesn't apply to the average Yea Forums user. They see it as a "toxic friendship," which maybe it is, and Kerouac is well aware, but there's something to it. Something beyond the label or they symbol of Dean as the American West. There's just that something.
tfw i wont get to charge around america listening to the birth of jazz
I'm: , I think the parallel with jazz quite fitting; it's like you're paying in this high octane duo with other people dropping in and out, and if you manage to hit the right notes its like your synchronising; it's a crazy powerful psychological effect. I've been involved with these kinds of characters and share a fascination for them with Sal, so I speak from experience, but I think its safe to say Kerouac's life took a negative trajectory because of it. I'd rather read about it -I like the book and find the Beats really interesting- and regard them with caution in real life.
the point of the toxic relationship was that Kerouac had a thirst for adventure to do something ,the man himself was a a bit crazy, to go out on an adventure a nomadic journey and everyone always, has that one friend that you can go to for a wild time. They have no care for themselves and nobody else but you know they are out squeezing everything possible into the small time frame of their life to see, as in the books says "to to, to go". Anyways if you read the original scroll you'll realise neal wasnt as big of a shit head to Kerouac at all they were actually well accompanied and they both saved eachother many times, if you read alot of the beats like myself theres multiple accounts talking about their relation ship; Neal: Crazy looking for, just more in life and Jack: A person looking for a crazy person to look for more in life and to join them
I totally agree. Maybe I worded some things wrong. What I can tell from experience and reading is that people like Neal are genuine and cherish friendship a lot- I'm sure he never meant to be malignant to anyone. The thing is most people quickly realise that they're a negative influence, and so guys like Neal have difficulty maintaining relationships. When someone does fall for them they obviously cherish that. It's a combination of -like you said- someone looking for crazy to have some kicks, and someone crazy having someone who puts up with them. it forms a strong bond, but you're at risk of sharing each-others delusions.
I always loved the warm voice Kerouac employs when he talks about the people he cares about tho- makes me fall in love with them a little too.
I loved it. The part where they smoke the huge joint in Mexico is the best.
can you throw in some beat literature recommendations in the round
do you remember the police officer who casually checks if one of them is dead or not and moves on
yeah, and then kerouac makes that quip like no way american cops would be that cool