McTague 1
On the Road to Individualism; Off the Road of Conformity
Jack Kerouac's novel On the Road tells the story of Sal Paradise (a character indirectly
representing Kerouac himself) on his quest to abandon his boring and depressing life in New York for
the ultimate search of purpose. Along with many other youth that made up the Beat Generation, Sal
rebels against social norms such as the concrete "nuclear family" implicated by 1950's culture because
he believes these norms to be futile and misleading. Many of these implied social rules, such as
degrading gender roles, limit individualism and selfÂexpression because challenging the adamant structure
would lead to social ostracism and inferiority. Kerouac follows Sal on his journey across America to
find "IT" (life purpose) and to explain how society in the fifties catalyzes the transition of young life into
the Beat Generation of rebellion and experimentation. Sal goes on the road to evade his adult
responsibilities such as relationships, emotion, and family. He refuses to accept reality and follow the
stereotypical adult life that is approaching him. Kerouac's central thematic message is that conforming to
a society built by the expectations of past generations cannot instill the sense of individualism that will
produce a diverse and content generation, which ultimately leads one to happiness and purpose that
humanity so desperately seeks.
The Beat Generation was a time period of strict conformity for all of society because the
majority of Americans could not find success in their uniqueness, and instead adhered to many false
icons of happiness, such as settling down, finding a job, and raising kids. The "American Dream" was
not so much of a dream to some after all, but rather an unwanted responsibility. According to Robert
Holton, "during the postwar era, the pressures to conformity in middleÂclass...