Juan's reaction to alexa's 13-14

            To begin, I don’t really understand what Alexa is saying concerning the quote she put up. I think perhaps she may have misinterpreted whatever Sal was saying at the time. What I understand from what Sal is saying in, “For the next fifteen days we were together for better or worse,” is that their relationship during that time grew. I don’t think it has anything to do with the fact that Sal cannot get married. In fact, contrary to that, Sal has been married previously. I do agree with Alexa on the fact that Sal was not bothered very much by the fact that Terrie could not go to New York with him. I think this may be because it is just another chapter in Sal’s life, but it is also tied in to the fact that he wanted to be back on the road. Also, I sort of agree with the romantic statement she made, “The way I see it is if a guy really wants something, he will make it happen no matter what.” It is true that a man will try to make something happen if he really wants it, but not always will it be possible. Because of this, I don’t know if Sal is to blame in this situation as I think it was quite difficult for Terrie to be able to make it to New York in this situation. On the other hand, Sal did move on from Terrie quite quickly, leading me to believe otherwise. To conclude, I am also excited for whatever Part 2 has in store for us and I am unsure as to what to expect.

Juan's reaction chapters 13-14

            In this section of the book, it has dawned on me the Sal may perhaps want to experience different things and that that is why he may be on the road. For example, in this part of the book, Sal enjoys being a “husband” and being a “laborer”. I know that Sal says he is seeking adventure and wilderness, but honestly, at this point I am simply beginning to think that he just wants to have experience under his belt. He wants to learn not by way of books or sitting in a classroom, but by going out and living a little. It would explain why he has been so impulsive, why he hasn’t settled down, or wanted to for that matter. Furthermore, with Terrie, he feels what he thinks is love. He genuinely cares for her and plans to spend at least a part of his life with her, even going so far as to planning for her to go to New York. In the end though, he simply forgets about her. As he travels, he is changing whatever experience he is going through. That time period in San Francisco he began to settle down, but as he left, he once again longed to experience something else. This led him to make out with a girl on a bus nonchalantly. I think he doesn’t feel bad because it’s a different life from the one in San Francisco. Furthermore, I think part of the reason he misses Dean is because Dean is in a similar situation. Although perhaps not entirely the same, Dean also acts impulsively, on whatever whim. It is these kinds of actions that start up another sequence of Sal’s life, leading me to believe that that is the reason Sal seeks out Dean. All along I’ve been thinking that Dean took advantage of Sal, but perhaps Sal takes advantage of Dean’s character as well. Sure, Dean isn’t exactly the definition of a good friend, but who’s to say that Sal can’t use Dean just like Dean may have used Sal. I may be entirely off track. What I am saying may have nothing to do with the story. But from what I know so far, this seems to be a very possible theory. 

Sharon's Response to Alexa's Reaction

           I agree with Alexa that the characters’ lives on the road seem to go by twice as fast as everyone else’s because everything just comes and goes for them. While it seems true that no one stops to feel, I think that what’s keeping them active is the adrenaline; it’s the excitement of the unknown and the expanse horizon of wild chances and choices that they live off of. I like how Alexa described Dean as a ‘very passionate man with crazy emotions’. I feel that after attempting to settle down, and breaking out of it, Dean is wilder than ever. Like Alexa, I’m glad that Dean has someone to love in a head-over-heels fashion. I think that the reason he and Marylou complement each other so well is that they both have the same need and desire for the rush and excitement. Anyone else would just be too boring for them, and there’s something quite remarkable how despite the number of partners they have in between, the two of them always choose each other over anyone else when it comes down to it. I’m also eager to see how the second part’s life on the road is going to be different from the first part that ultimately ended with Sal returning home.

Ciara's Response to Gabe

First off, Gabe, you remind me of Sal.  I tell you this all the time but its true. 

Anywho, I agree that Dean has definitely grown up, and that his ideas have changed, but I am not so sure if I would call a maniacal lunatic “mature”.  If he has matured, he has matured into a frenzied mess whose life is even more messed up than it was before.  Though I understand what you are saying about Dean enjoying his life, I am not so sure how he would respond to the question, “Are you happy?”  I feel like he just keeps moving so he does not have enough time to sit down and realize that his life has no purpose, and that he is ultimately headed nowhere.  He has a wife and a kid he cannot support, no job, no money, and no future. 

I agree with you when you say that Sal leaves with Dean because he has not been fulfilled yet.  If Sal really was content with moving forward with his book and spending time with his family, he never would have went back on the road again.  He is looking for something else; he may not know what this something else is, but he still believes he can find it on the road with Dean.

Part 2, Chp 1 & 2 Reaction

           I found it extremely telling that in the year that Sal hadn’t seen Dean, he managed to complete his book, go to school and find the girl he wants to marry. While I initially thought maybe he’d finally decided to settle down, I realized that Sal was just taking a break and still wanted the impulsive lifestyle; he had written letters to ask Dean to get him, and had no hesitations about leaving the moment Dean arrived on his doorsteps. I thought the juxtaposition between his current and past life was particularly interesting -Sal had been talking about the weather in ‘low, whining voices’ with his family when Dean and his flashy car whisk him away. Sal seemed to feel that Dean was rescuing him from his tedious life, and the fact that his relatives were surprised of Sal’s ‘type’ of friends prove that when he’s not with Dean’s group, Sal’s true nature is that of a reserved guy.
           What stood out to me the most was Sal’s remark that “this was the new and complete Dean, grown to maturity.” In my opinion, Dean hasn’t changed at all, and if anything, he’s more wild and crazily weird with no hint of maturity. He even tried settling down to the point of becoming a father with a stable job, but just blew it off one day for another try of life on the road. I do not really like the way Dean drags Sal into everything as a means of support, pulling Sal away from his structured life as a result. For example, the incident in the fast food restaurant –Sal, Dean, Marylou and Ed had to help clean the dishes, but in the end, Ed and Sal were the responsible ones to earn all their free hamburgers while Marylou and Dean just played around in the back.
           Yet I feel that if anyone is to blame, it is Sal for letting himself get used. He mentions to Dean that he wants to settle down but can’t because they’re constantly jumping around and that “we’ve got to go someplace, find something”. He knows he can’t always be wild if he wants a stable life, yet sees this problem as something he and Dean have to solve as a team and settle down together. In reality, Sal could just separate from the group, and live his own peaceful life as he wants it. The problem, however, is that Sal seems to internally yearn for the on-the-road experience with Dean no matter how much he decides it’s not for him.

Alexa Ferrer Reaction to Philip

            I like how Phil compared Sal to Dean’s presence. In the year that Dean was not in the picture Sal was able to get his life back to normal, he started working, found a girl, and settled down. Dean not being there helped life go back to normal (whether that is a good thing or a bad thing is hard to tell.)  Now that the pace of the book is getting faster I wonder if Sal is struggling to keep up. Phil made an interesting point about how Sal’s view on life on the road might change in this part, however; I think the adventure is really about to start.

            Something I didn’t touch upon in my reaction but I found interesting after reading Phil’s reaction was Sal’s extended family. They were described so briefly and quickly and immediately the focus was shifted directly back to Dean. Everything revolves around Dean because he brings this passion and excitement to every aspect of Sal’s rather ordinary and boring life. I think this adventure will be his last hoorah, and like Phil said, he will end up sticking to one city, one career, and one girl. 

Alexa Ferrer Part 2 Ch 1&2

            Life on the road is incredibly fast paced now that Sal has had a year to calm down. In the year without Dean he has finally gotten his life back to normal and Dean’s return of course means a whole new adventure. Within the first 3 pages of part two it is evident how crazy life is for people like Dean; people on the road. Things that should take time to develop happen in a flash and end in a flash. Marriages, babies, jobs; everything just comes and goes. The most interesting part about it all for me is that no one stops to feel. Once one thing ends it’s onto the next girl, the next job, the next city. It’s almost as if this is an era of robots just trying to do as much as possible, as fast as possible, and as cheap as possible. The type of life they live is both intimidating and exciting and I enjoy reading about it.

            “The madness of Dean had bloomed into a weird flower,” is probably the best way to describe Dean at this point. He is a very passionate man in general with crazy emotions. I am very surprised to see Dean return with Marylou. From what I know Dean is an absolutely crazy, selfish womanizer. I do like the fact that he went back for her. Even though he is crazy and she even knows it, their love is described with such immense passion. I think that is one of the greatest things in the world. Not necessarily from experience because obviously I’m only 17 years old but from what I’ve picked up upon, it doesn’t seem like there is anything better than the type of love that drives someone absolutely insane, so I’m happy that Dean has that.

             Fast. Everything about the beginning of part 2 is much faster than part one. I remember feeling incredibly bored at the beginning of the book but it is evident that the pace is picking up and the adventure is really going to begin. I’m excited to see what’s in store. I wonder if Dean and Marylou will make it because I have a feeling they won’t, the best kind of love usually doesn’t. 

Part 2 Chapters 1&2

            In the next section of the book, Sal finally finds his way back home.  He returns to the east coast, clearly tired of the constant running around and barely making enough to feed himself.  His long relationship with Terry has obviously left him empty, and for the first time Sal seems to want to slow down rather than speed it up.  Yet, even with the thought of finding a wife on his mind, he still manages to get out on the road again with Dean Moriarty.  Dean seems to have some sort of effect on Sal that makes Sal crave the experience of a journey with no real end or destination in sight.  I would like to see if Sal’s attitude changes toward Dean, as it seems that Sal’s love and passion for being on the road is changing. 

            In the first two chapters of part 2, we finally get to meet Sal’s extended family for the first time.  His family is extremely spread out, and not very close.  He barely makes conversation with any of his family members, and immediately leaves with Dean as soon as he shows up.  Once again, Sal shows his obsession for Dean.  This runs true to the character of Sal, who isn't really extremely close to his friends.  Sal’s friends are spread out, and he doesn't maintain contact with many of them.  Dean is everything that Sal isn’t, and it is for this reason why I believe Sal enjoys Dean’s company so much.  Opposites attract, and I think this is why they are friends.  But for the first time, we see Sal show some disinterest in Dean’s amazing idea to race around the country again.  My guess is Sal is going to follow Dean once again, but this time he will find a girl he can actually stay with.  So far every girl he has met has either been a very short term relationship, or simply unable to stay with him due to family or some other obligation.  His change in attitude at the end of chapter 2 is a sign that the books plot is going to change soon also.  I don’t think Sal, being educated and bright, is the kind of guy that wants to spend the rest of his life as a manual laborer and hitchhiker.  It’s a good form of escapism now, but eventually the fun of it will dry up.     

Ciara's Reaction to Part II: Chapters 1 and 2

Sal’s life is so much more productive and full without Dean.  Part II begins with Sal telling the reader that he has not seen Dean for over a year, and follows this up by saying that he finished his book, went back to school, and spent time with his family.  Without Dean, Sal is able to focus on his goals and ambitions; his maturity has progressed by leaps and bounds in the last year.  The same thing happened when Sal met Terry.  He settled down with her as best he could, took on the responsibility as father of her young one, and got a job to try and provide for her and her son.  Dean is a bad influence on Sal, and as long as he continues to show up at Sal’s front door with his maniacal behavior and irrational ideas of adventure, Sal will never be able to truly progress.

            Sal needs to realize that Dean is using him.  Whenever he is in a bad situation, Dean uses Sal for food, money, and a place to stay.  Dean knows that Sal will always be there to take care of him, no matter what, so the first person he thought of when he went broke was Sal; however, Sal is so happy to see Dean and to know that he has Dean’s attention that he never considers the real reason for Dean’s visit. 

I do not think that the sole purpose of Dean always going back to Sal is because he wants room and board.  Dean also tries to use Sal for motivation.  He sees that Sal just wants to settle down with a wife and kids and a home, and I think Dean secretly wants this too; however, Sal cannot sit still.  He is always looking for some way to be successful and to be the person he has always wanted to be, but his decisions are illogical and adverse to his goals.  In using Sal to advance his own life, Dean just ends up dragging Sal’s life down to the gutter as well.  Whenever Sal has his life together, Dean comes rushing in and ruins whatever headway Sal has made.  Before, I saw Dean as a harmless kid who just wanted to have a little fun.  Now, he is scaring me a little.  His behavior as he drives around in his Hudson is analogous with that of a schizophrenic; if Dean had a powerful influence on Sal’s behavior before, I am worried about how this new behavior will affect Sal now.

Comment on Sharon's 11-12 reaction

            I agree with Sharon on the fact that it was refreshing to see Sal go off on his own, rather than following “the pack”. That being said, I don’t see Sal’s reaching out to Remi as him being dependent of Remi like he was with Dean in a way, I see it more as being resourceful. On everything else that Sharon says about Remi and his relationship with Sal I agree. I think that it is very intriguing how Remi is the first character that is presented to us with a true back-story, and I also agree that it plays an interesting dynamic in his relationship to Sal because it adds an element of loyalty; something that Sal’s other friends seemed to lack.

           

            Subsequently, I also agree with Sharon that the fact that Sal stayed so long with Remi seemed a bit strange, almost like Sal’s character is changing. The fact that she noted that Remi getting a job has an aspect of settling down in it is interesting to me. While I do see her point, at the same time I think one can make an argument that he was following what was Remi was doing while he also needed to make some cash so he could be independent. Whether independence reflects elements of settling down I cannot assert accurately and concisely. Additionally, I never really thought about Sal as an impulsive character because when I think about someone as impulsive I think of that person as high in energy and whimsical, while Sal has neither one of these characteristics, I find Sharon’s description of Sal as “impulsive” quite accurate.

Reaction to chapters 11-12

In this section of the book, Kerouac finally introduces background information and a back-story for one of Sal’s friends. Remi Boncoeur is the first of Sal’s friends that I actually like. I find it interesting that Kerouac chose the last name “Boncoeur” for this character because it translates in English to “good heart”. Thus far, I have found him to be a good-natured fellow. Although perhaps at times he is immoral, when he steals for example, he is truly a nice guy and he has really helped out Sal by giving him a home. Furthermore, Remi seems to take genuine interest in Sal. He often compliments him calling him the “funniest guy alive,” and because Kerouac notes that Remi and Sal go way back to college, it adds to the nature of their relationship, establishing a sort of loyalty that I just did not see or feel with Dean. Also, Remi and Sal, in a way, become a team. They help each other out, and unlike what it would be like with a friend like Dean, one of them is not taking advantage of the other. What does bother me is that Sal went and ruined his relationship with this character that I thought was a true friend, something that is incredibly scarce and hard to find, especially for Sal.

            Subsequently, I feel like in this chapter I saw some true emotion for the first time emerging from Sal. Throughout the story thus far, maybe he’s shown bits and pieces of what he feels but Kerouac made the story so monotone that it made Sal seem indifferent towards everything, almost to an inhuman and robotic point. What I saw in this chapter was fear from Sal. For what seemed to me to be the first time, Sal was watching out for himself instead of doing things according to those around him. This action backs up my previous idea that Sal is changing as a character. I’m not exactly sure how it is that he is changing, or what the cause of this change is, but I know that as a character Sal is changing.

            One detail I found to be quite interesting as well in this chapter is that Sal spoke directly to the reader for the first time. He stated, “The reason I’m going into everything that happened in San Fran is because it ties up with everything else all the way down the line.” I wonder what Sal means by this, and how the rest of the story will play out, considering the fact that the narrator has been brought into the story.

Sharon's Response to Philip's Reaction

          Like Philip, I believe that the split between Terry and Sal was inevitable -but not because they are completely different people, rather because the directions both are going towards are different. I felt that while it is true the two do not come from the same background, Terry and Sal are alike in the sense that they are both free, independent people. Both live in the moment, and are wanderers just looking for some place to be happy and support themselves. However, in the end, Sal is not looking to be tied down and Terry knows she has family to attend to; for this reason, I feel that both recognized it would not work out and agreed to separate, just as Philip said. 

          I also felt like Sal enjoys the road the most. He often bonds in the strangest of ways with the people he encounters, and I think that it is the idea that they are also wandering towards somewhere else that keeps Sal interested in meeting them. However, I do not particularly think that Sal misses Dean and Carlo until the end of Chp. 14; while he is with Terry, Sal even mentions that he completely forgot about the East and his ‘gang’. It is only at the end, when he is feeling depressed and sorry for himself as Philip said, that Sal is reminded once again of Dean. Additionally, like Philip, I also feel that once Sal gets back on his feet, he will hit the ground running and attempt to once again meet up with Dean ‘on the road’.

Reaction to Chp. 13 & 14

           I was quite surprised to read that Sal was traveling with Terry; I did not think there would be any long term commitment to her by Sal, who is now accustomed to just picking up and leaving. While I did find it strange how fast Terry and Sal become a family unit with Johnny, I felt that the two were, in their own ways, a good match; Terry is just as daring and used to moving around as Sal is. They seem to just get each other and live in the moment. The fact that Sal also becomes a father figure to Johnny also shocked me as I did not see that coming in any way at all.
           It was also interesting to hear Sal decide that he would be satisfied and content to just pick grapes and stay in a tent with Johnny and Terry, respectively his “baby boy” and “baby”. To me, this is the most he has changed in any chapter so far; he seems to have settled down. Sal has always been struggling to support himself and earn money, as in Denver with Dean and in San Francisco with Remi, but in this chapter, I feel that Sal is quite content. He has not completely given up his impulsive lifestyle, as Terry wants one too, but he has become more caring. I feel that the reason for this is that Sal, for once, has responsibility. He decides to work in the fields not only to support himself, but also to support his new family. There is even a line when he flat out states that he forgot all about Dean and Carlo and being ‘on the road’.
           But I did not expect Sal to stay with Terry because Sal is Sal and he would inevitably want to travel again. Thus, I was not surprised when he moved again at the chapter’s end. I had sensed before, but not completely thought about outright, how bittersweet each chapter is in summarizing and closing up literally, a chapter of his life. Each new one starts when he goes somewhere new, meets someone else, stays for a while, then leaves again, developing his own character along the way as he encounters all these new influences.
           It was surreal to me that Sal was actually going home in Chp. 14. It seems that he has all but given up on the West; this made me think that Sal has not truly realized how much he has changed. While it may seem obvious to us how far he has progressed since the beginning, I feel that Sal does not realize it himself. It is also interesting the way Sal’s life cycles; he gets home, ready to settle in again, only to hear that Dean has been looking for him. I get the feeling that this may be the catalyst for him to venture out and be ‘on the road’ again.

Reaction to 13-14

            These next two chapters center around Sal’s want to return to New York.  Sal is trying to make it work between him and Terry.  I think he loves Terry for her beauty and resilience, but at the end of the day they are completely different people.  She is tied to her family in California, while he is a smart educated man from New York.  Plus his discontent with the LA environment makes it even more difficult for him to stay with Terry.  His split with her is inevitable, and it finally occurs in chapter 13.  Their split is mutual, and both he and Terry leave each other happily.  I think she realized that it was unfair of her to keep him working like a dog in the cotton and grape fields for her family, when his dreams lied in New York.  Sal’s original reason for going on the road was to be wild and free with his friends.  His time in California has been the opposite of that.  Sal has been working real jobs while simultaneously managing a real relationship with a woman and her child.  His home is New York, and Sal always knew he would never truly leave the city forever.  His time on the road to Pennsylvania is happy and fun.  Sal loves the road the most and he makes the most of his time on the bus trips.  Unfortunately he doesn’t have bankroll to make all the way.  Sal loses his happy spirit when he reaches Pennsylvania.  He misses Dean and Carlos, and his girlfriend back in LA.  Even though he made plans to meet her again, he knows they will never see each other again.  By the time he reaches Ohio he has already started getting with another girl from upstate New York.  His spirit slowly breaks down when he runs out of money.  Sal feels sorry for himself, and I think he has misplaced sadness.  He chose to leave Terry, and he chose to spend all of that time with her.  He could have left at any other point in time, but he chose to make a commitment.  He has created all of his own problems, and he will pay the consequences, even if that means going broke and missing out on seeing Dean and Carlos.  By chapter 14 Dean has finally made it back to New York.  His aunt takes him in, but he realizes that Dean had been waiting for him for a while at his Aunt’s house, and had left two days earlier.  Part one ends at a depressing time in the novel, but I think it will regain its positivity rather quickly.  Sal is always great at coming up with ideas, and I think once he earns enough money he will go back on the road out to San Francisco to meet up with his buddy, Dean.  

Alexa Reaction to Ciara

I don’t agree with Ciara’s stance on getting upset about Sal falling in love. I think what he was searching for when he initially went on the road was something new; something exciting. In my opinion, one of the most exciting things you can do in life is to fall in love. Falling in love across the country and meeting new people along the way is even better. Even if he did end up at home the same way he started, at least he experienced things. Falling in love is possibly the best experience and he got out of it before he fell out of love, which was even better. I don’t believe you have to stay with someone forever just because you fall in love. The best loves are sometimes fast and then they have to end.

            I think it just goes to show he can’t escape what he thought he could going into this journey. I can relate this to the lecture in class and how we always try to escape from society but end up being caught in the same vicious cycle. This vicious cycle is just the way life works and sooner or later Sal is going to accept it. What makes it all worth while, however; is the little moments. It’s following random people on the road and making friends. It’s falling madly in love for a short period of time. It’s everything he’s doing. He’s just living and doing the best he can and for him maybe that’s enough. Maybe we’re expecting too much out of him. 

Alexa Ferrer Ch 13-14

I found the way chapter 13 opened interesting. “For the next fifteen days we were together for better or worse.” That basically states the closest he can get to fulfilling a matrimonial commitment is two weeks. Two weeks is all it takes before reality set in and he realized it was not going to be perfect the entire time. However, I think they made a good couple. They seem to be in love or at least starting to fall in love with each other. They fell in lust before they built their friendship and now that they were building the friendship I thought their love would be able to grow.  I found it unfortunate that she could not go to New York with him, but I do not think it bothered him as much. Now that he had a taste of what it was like to settle down I think what he really wanted was to be on the road again. The way I see it is if a guy really wants something, he will make it happen no matter what. If Sal could absolutely not live without her, he would have made sure she got to New York also.

Sal quickly moved on from Terry on his way home. I was kind of disappointed when he made out with a random girl the whole way to Indianapolis. I guess I was waiting for some big emotional realization and I thought him falling in love with Terry would be it. On the other hand he is young and I guess it would be cool to fall for people and get over them easily and do it over and over all across the country. Even though he’s home the journey is still not over; it is only the ending of part 1. I hope part two has more interactions with people and he builds more relationships. I like to see how different people interact especially in different places in America at this time. I feel like there is a lot more of Dean to come because there is such a big emphasis on him but we really haven’t seen a whole lot of him. I think since the book is so short it would be better to read it quickly than to spread all these chapters out over a long period of time. 

Ciara's Response to Chp. 13-14

Sal starts off the chapter by stating that he's decided to hitchhike to New York with Terry, which immediately pissed me off.  The whole point of Sal going on the road in the first place was to leave New York behind, along with all his responsibilities.  Now, he is heading back to the place he spent so long running away from, all for a girl who never even ends up traveling back with him in the first place.  At the end of Chapter 14, Sal ends up right where he started in the beginning of the novel, with no money, no girl, and most importantly, no life. The situation reminds me of the well-known advice parents give their children before they go to college: never choose where you're going to go based on where your girlfriend/boyfriend iss going, just in case things don't work out.  Sal is so blinded by his love for Terry that he agrees to go back to New York even though he spent all his time and money trying to leave there.  

I am not so convinced about Sal's love for Terry.  I am not sure if they actually love each other, or if they just like the idea of loving someone.  They're in love with the idea of havign someone to sleep with every night, and someone to call "baby", but I never got the feeling that they were actually in love with the idea of each other.'

Throughout these chapters, I felt like Sal reversed right back to where he was at the beginning of the novel.  His purpose for leaving New York was to leave his wife and the rest of his responsibilities behind, but he ends up having to take on a job as a cotton-picker (and a miserly one at that) to support his new girl Terry and their son.  He has to worry about making money to buy food to prevent his new family form starving, and to pay the rent so they have a roof over their head.  All of a sudden, all this stress comes pouring into his life; stress that evokes emotions in him I haven't seen since the early chapters of the book.  Most noticeably of all, Sal ends up back east in New York after spending a third of the book trying to get as far West as possible.  I do not see Sal being content here for long, and I suspect he will be up and on the road again soon enough.

Ciara's Reaction to Phil's Response

I think Phil is right; each of Sal's visits is like watching the same movie over and over again.  Sal meets his friends, they fool around with girls, and get into trouble; however, Remi is already experiencing difficulty with his girlfriend when Sal arrives, and his presence just makes the situation worse.

I am not so sure if I agree with Phil about the reason for the San Francisco trip ending so badly.  I think it is partly true that his extended stay had something to do with it; the reason Sal went on the road was so he would not have to have responsibilities and have fun.  I think he feels thrust into the police job that he never wanted in the first place.  Nevertheless, I think the real reason the San Francisco trip ended so badly was because Sal was so used to being able to mess around, getting wasted and doing whatever he wanted, and now he has responsibility which he has consistently been avoiding.  Remi has a job, a girl, and aspirations, and Sal has none of these.  Furthermore, Sal sees that Remi is not doing well in any of those categories, which I think further convinced Sal that he needed to leave.  I think Sal is trying to avoid all the responsibilities that left him so disenchanted with New York, and San Fran is looking too similar.

Alexa Reaction to Sharon

I found it interesting how Sharon focused on the history Sal and Remi had and I agree with her points on it. After reading her reaction now I believe that because they do have so much history together that is why Sal finds it okay to take complete advantage of him. To Sal, Remi is not exciting like Dean and maybe Sal believes Remi has no adventure to offer him, so he just takes what he can get and leaves Remi like it’s nothing. Remi actually values Sal and appreciates him as a person, while Sal treats Remi just like Dean treated him. However, I don’t really see his getting a job as settling down. His drunken behavior reflects how unsatisfied he is which forces him to get on the road again. I feel like if he were to actually settle down he would try to make things work instead of just trying to find better luck in a different location.

I agree with Sharon’s point on his personality change. I think the Sal we met at the beginning of his journey is already a different man. He is much less timid as we saw with his relationship with Terry occurring so quickly. In addition he has stopped chasing Dean but hasn’t stopped chasing. Exactly what he is chasing I am not completely sure. I feel like he is waiting to feel something different and thinks the only way to get there is by traveling until he finds it. I wonder how long him and Terry will last because of how restless he 

Alexa Ferrer

I think it is starting to hit Sal that it is not about where you go, but who you’re with and what memories you can make there. He has traveled across the country and has not reached what he was looking for. Whatever feeling he was trying to escape in New York he just encountered again in San Francisco. What he hasn’t realized is that he wasn’t trying to escape New York, he was trying to escape something within himself.  I think Sal has some deeper-rooted issues he needs to figure out with himself because he thinks he needs to find a specific place, but maybe he needs to learn how to be comfortable with the idea of settling down. I think he has commitment issues because of how badly he feels he needs to move around from place to place. He does not give things a chance to settle in and get better. Because San Francisco was immediately not amazing, he felt the need to leave right away. He also struggles with keeping relationships with people and hops around from person to person. I can barely keep track of all the relationships he has had and lost thus far. This is again seen in his relationship with Terry and how he struggles trusting her.

In these two chapters we were also introduced to a different side of Sal. I always had this idea of Sal as a nice, people pleasing, self conflicted guy looking for a little fun. The way he treated Remi showed his negative side. Remi gave him so much and Sal respected him so little. I think Sal is a perfect representation of how many people act with other people. When it comes to Dean, who pays so little attention to Sal, Sal is always there for him and admires him. When it comes to Remi, who is nice enough to give Sal everything he needs, Sal treats him like sh*t. I think this is a reoccurring problem in society. We always take for granted the people who actually care and we spend too much time chasing after people who don’t give a damn about us. I can relate and think I too have this flaw of not appreciating the people that truly care.