Jack Kerouac's novel On the Road is a characteristic story of the Beat Generation, a movement defined by its rejection of conformity in favor of a search for deeper meaning. It is this quest that serves as the catalyst for most of the narrative's action, as protagonist Sal Paradise travels across the country with a host of companions, chief among whom is Dean Moriarty. The story revolves around a series of excursions including trips to Denver, San Francisco, New Orleans and Mexico. Both Sal and Dean seem incapable of settling down, especially Dean, who oscillates between three different relationships and gets married three times over the course of the plot. Ultimately, however, Sal becomes disappointed with Dean's recklessness when he is gravely ill in Mexico and Dean leaves him. He returns to New York and chooses to live a more sedentary lifestyle with a stable girlfriend. Dean visits, but is no longer able to enchant Sal with his impulsive behavior and philosophical musings. A rift forms between the two, as Sal remains steadfast and content and Dean continues to drift on his travels with reckless abandon, searching for the intangible meaning that will give his life purpose. Throughout the novel, Kerouac's unique writing style helps portray an era and the complex web of relationships that drive the story. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original EssayOne of the main elements of Kerouac's fiction is his use of characterization. Kerouac's cast forms a group of multifaceted individuals who describe in the context of their individuality and dynamic energy, the essence of his Beat Generation. Dean immediately establishes himself as a distracting character who likes to ramble and discuss metaphysical ideals. Kerouac describes a conversation between Dean and his first wife Marylou, in which Dean paces restlessly in his apartment, disturbed by the lack of activity. He tells her: "In other words, we have to take the leap, darling, what I say, otherwise there will be fluctuations, lack of true knowledge and crystallization of our plans" (3). He speaks in a way that makes the words seem to flow out of him in a stream-of-consciousness style. Dean is constantly eager to move and go, but it's never clear where he wants to end up. He simply doesn't want to stay in one place for too long, and he often expresses this in extended, nonsensical sentences that describe his inner agitation and confusion. Kerouac also depicts Dean's inconsistency through other characters' opinions of him. Marylou complains that Dean will "leave you out whenever it's in his best interest" (159) and Galatea chastises him for "having no regard for anyone but yourself" (183). Dean himself acknowledges his own discrepancy and characterizes himself as a constantly restless individual, saying, "my trunk is always sticking out from under the bed, I'm ready to leave or be thrown out" (239). The trunks serve as symbols of their lives on the road, and while Sal manages to figuratively and literally close his, Dean's is omnipresent, constantly urging him to move. All of these revelations foreshadow the novel's conclusion, when Sal becomes painfully aware of Dean's true nature after being abandoned in Mexico in his time of need. Kerouac also uses charged descriptions to portray the fast-paced, inquisitive atmosphere of the novel. Sal explains that he chases interesting people and that they "burn, burn, burn like fabulous yellow Roman candles exploding like spiders across the stars" (5). The use of repetition and figurative language conveys a sense of how the people in Sal's life.