On the Road

Book, 1957; Movie, 2012, R

Premise - Jack Kerouac’s roman a clef of his life on the road in the late 1940’s and early 1950’s. While everyone’s names are disguised (his own as Sal Paradise), the stories are primarily based on truth of his own experiences, reading like a long, extended essay or journal.

Review – It took me several months to power through this novel. I wasn’t even sure if I was going to make myself finish it, but I’m a person who feels like time was wasted if I don’t complete something. However, I don’t even know if I could honestly say I “read” this book. More like, let my eyes gloss over all of the pages…

It’s a novel, but it’s more accurate to say it’s a really, really long journal. Too long for my taste. The reason I make this distinction is that I am attracted to plot and narrative, both of which is lacking in On the Road. The novel is more well-known for the essence of his experiences, his insight into real people, and his writing style. That’s great and all, but it didn’t need to last 300 pages. And even the parts that I did truly internalize, I did not really appreciate. I don’t think I’ve ever read a novel through such overtly male-oriented eyes. So much of what was written may have been considered acceptable in the 1950s, but was uncomfortably misogynistic and racist to read today.

It probably would already anger critics that I had such a negative opinion of the book. But here’s the kicker… I watched the 2012 movie adaptation…. and I really liked it.

What?? The movie had mixed reviews, made no money at the box office, and just generally went unforgotten. But it’s on Netflix, and I gave it a try considering it’s only a two-hour addition to my several month long journey to finish this story. Those two hours flew by so fast; I was stunned. After feeling like I was dragging myself through mud to finish the novel, maybe I should have just watched the movie. Of course, details were changed, but I wasn't attached to the original by any means.

Now comes the question of why. Obviously it was more enjoyable just because it was condensed in length. And, from a personal standpoint, I generally favor visual media. I loved the directing style of this film, and the acting performances were phenomenal. The man who played Dean had an uncanny resemblance to Brad Pitt, and I do really like Kristen Stewart.

But perhaps my reasoning goes deeper than that. The novel is not one about the road itself, but the people on it. Something about bringing those people to life had so much more resonance with me than any written interpretation could. I mentioned how the male-oriented writing was bothersome to me, but when watching actual human beings, the boyish spirit instantly became more attractive. I love the idea of the Beat generation as people more than the works they’ve produced. (Also, side note, I didn't even know who was who when I read the book because I had no background knowledge. Watching the movie I was able to say "Oh! Carlo was Allen! Bull was William!" because I recognized what they looked like.) Their misery was far more palpable as well. No one runs away unless they show a profound dissatisfaction with their life. As “fun” as being on the road sounds, there’s a true sadness behind every one of the characters. Of course Jack Kerouac poured this sadness into his writing, but I always find it more profound to visualize it.

It’s difficult to give my rating of the story because there is such a wide gap between my reception of the novel and film. The novel ranks somewhere in the teens, and movie perhaps in the forties. Placing more weight on the original, I’ll give my final rating somewhere in between (24/100)

Quote - "When a man dies he undergoes a mutation in his brain that we know nothing about now but which will be very clear someday if scientists get on the ball. The bastards right now are only interested in seeing if they can blow up the world."

If you liked this book or movie, I'd recommend Kill Your Darlings!

Author: Jack Kerouac

Publisher: Penguin Books (2011 edition)

Director: Walter Salles

Distribution Company: IFC Films