One of the things I find interesting about Sal is how he is able to get along well with two completely different group of friends. In my opinion Sal belongs more with Dean and Carlo. Sal hasn't shown himself to be extremely pretentious like Roland Major. Indeed , I found even reading about Roland Major to be difficult as he is extremely condescending and Sal has to put up with it since he is living with him. I found Dean's hedonistic lifestyle insane, especially for the time period the book was set in.I think that is why Sal is so drawn to Dean , he is living a lifestyle that the rest of society shuns but does not care who knows about it.Sal even says "I was amazed.Everything was so crazy". I also found Dean's lifestyle indicative of what was to come. The fact that "On the Road" is set in the late 40s means that the 60s and all it's radical changes such as the sexual revolution are just around the corner. "On the Road" basically ushers in to the new decade by showing society a glimpse of the early stages of the radical lifestyle changes occurring in post-WWII america.
Dean seems to want to follow in Dean's footsteps and live life solely for pleasure.I think this is clearly exemplified as he turns down a steady job that Dean swings him , his excuse being that "he just won't sleep".Although me may want to follow in Dean and Carlo's footsteps he is still excluded from their cryptic conversations in Carlo's apartment, which I found odd as he still listens to them talk (seemingly) nonsense throughout the night in chapter 8.
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