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Description
First published in 1957, this novel epitomized to the world the Beat philosophy. It chronicles a spontaneous and wandering life style founded both on jazz and drug-induced visions.
Ridiculously Simplified Synopsis
Cast of Characters/Important People
- Sal Paradise: He´s the narrator and the protagonist. An young writer, who lives with his aunt in New Jersey, and leaves home to cross united states with his budy Dean Moriarty, always looking for parties, woman, drugs and good jazz. The author of the book, admites that this character represents himself at reall life.
- Dean Moriarty: He´s the company of Sal Paradise in the travels he made, and object of admiration to his friends because of his energetic and crazy lifestyle. This character was addicted to women, drugs, alcohol, adventures, travels and intellectualism. During his travels, he always searches for his alcoholic father, who had left him when young. During the book, he get involved to many women, such as Camille ( wich him got married and divorced), Mary Lou and Inez. This character was based on Neal Cassady, close friend of Jack Kerouac.
Memorable Quotes
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“"I shambled after as I've been doing all my life after people who interest me, because the only people for me are the mad ones, the ones who are mad to live, mad to talk, mad to be saved, desirous of everything at the same time, the ones that never yawn or say a commonplace thing, but burn, burn, burn like fabulous yellow roman candles exploding like spiders across the stars and in the middle you see the blue centerlight pop and everybody goes 'Awww!'"”
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“"I like too many things and get all confused and hung-up running from one falling star to another till I drop. This is the night, what it does to you. I had nothing to offer anybody except my own confusion. "”
First Sentence
I first met Dean not long after my wife and I split up.
Table of Contents
Glossary
- tea: marijuana
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