Jack Kerouac's novel On the Road follows Sal Paradise on his travels across America. Sal spends most of his time traveling to on foot or in a car; however, the novel focuses on time spent in three American cities: New York, Denver, and San Francisco. Kerouac elaborates on his presentation of Sal in these cities to show how the character maintains an identity and perception of separate selves during each of his stays in the city. New York City serves as a home base for Sal and his writings, while Denver and San Francisco provide a more masculine take on the character “Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Exist.” Get an original essaySal begins and ends each of his continental journeys in New York City. This city serves as a place of congregation for Sal and his friends, as well as a professional base for writing of Sal. All of these aspects are included in New York City establishing a basic identity for Sal upon which the rest of the novel is based. Sal's first journey west begins in the winter of 1947. He lives as a writer and social outcast. Dean Moriarty is attracted to Sal's personality as a writer, which emerges primarily during his time in New York City. In contrast, Sal admires the way Dean deviates from the qualities found in Sal's audience in New York City. Dean's arrival inspires Sal to search for a new identity that opposes the general atmosphere of New York City which he describes in this passage: Besides, all my friends in New York were in the negative and nightmarish position of tearing society down and give their tired book or policy. or psychoanalytic reasons, but Dean just ran into society…he didn't care one way or the other. (7) Sal's description of these New York personalities signals his identity as a self-proclaimed outsider. He puts distance between himself and the group when he uses the label "all my friends from New York." The absence of "we" in the classification of his status in the group implies a separation from these characters. The word "friends", however, indicates a close camaraderie of some kind, even if Sal does not agree with their attitude. Sal's position as a social outsider is criticized by his colleague, Carlo Marx, upon his return to New York City on New Year's Eve 1948-1949: The ball won't carry you much longer. And not only that, but it's an abstract balloon. You'll all fly to the west coast and stagger back to find your stone. (121)Carlo Marx comments on Sal's desire to leave his base of New York City. He doubts the necessity of the trip. His use of the word "abstract" to describe the search for a new personality classifies Sal's New York identity as more concrete and natural than that of other cities. Despite Sal's efforts to distance himself from New York City attitudes, Carlo states that Sal will return to his home base and his profession as a writer. Furthermore, Carlo associates New York with a "stone". This contrasts with the abstract nature of Western American cities and makes philosophical and redemptive knowledge available in New York. Furthermore, the balloon represents empty and airy thoughts. It acts as a purposeless object whose fate ends in deflation. Carlo compares Sal to a clownish, childish view of life that changes and becomes more philosophical when Sal returns to New York City. In New York City, Sal is a self-proclaimed outsider. In Denver, however, he becomes a dominant male pioneer. His presence in Denver begins in July 1947. Sal's initial comments when he enters the city create a co-dependence on others and how they perceive him. Associate histravel experience to the legacy of Christ or Moses:... and in their eyes I would be as strange and ragged as the Prophet who crossed the land to bring the dark Word, and the only Word I had was 'Wow'! '. (32)This passage shows how Sal's attitude transforms from an external observer on the margins of the social world to a perspective that places him at the center. Sal believes he is a leader instead of a spectator. During his time in Denver, Sal is obsessed with other people's perceptions. This contrasts with his criticism and separation within the social world of New York City. Instead of opposing Denver's existing social attitudes, he creates a patriarchal presentation of himself to participate in society. Denver offers Sal a fresh environment and inspiration for an identity shift. He continues this distinct vision when he returns to Denver in 1949: “I saw myself in middle America, a patriarch” (169). The words "patriarch" and "prophet" suggest a hierarchy in lineage. Sal sees himself as the leader of a biblical journey. These two masculine words imply that those who follow Sal's example will draw their energy and inspiration from his travel experience. His patriarchal attitude is tied to his own admiration for the Dean Moriarty character that initially drew him West. Furthermore, Sal's transition from "prophet" to "patriarch" traces his maturation between one journey and another. He escapes dependence on external perceptions and gains self-confidence. His first comments about the role he wants to fill in Denver come to fruition upon his return in 1949. Sal continues to extol his masculinity when he reaches San Francisco. Sal's identity in San Francisco involves confirming his masculinity and heterosexuality through the role of a guardian. Until his stay in San Francisco, Sal's interaction with people occurs on a non-physical, but intellectually based level. In this city, however, communication manifests itself through force and violence. Sal describes this communication when carrying a gun: Several times I went to San Francisco with my gun and when a queer approached me in a bar I pulled out my gun… I knew queers all over the country. It was just the loneliness of San Francisco and having a gun. I had to show it to someone. (66)This passage highlights Sal's need to be masculine and heterosexual. The "loneliness" of San Francisco creates this attitude in Sal. It does not clarify what makes San Francisco lonely, but indicates a sexual loneliness due to her rejection of male advances. This is the only town where Sal carries a gun. The gun is a symbol of his masculinity. Sal uses this image and the word "queer" to reaffirm his heterosexual dominance. His action of showing off the gun matches his vision of Denver as patriarch. Each association refers to qualities of male dominance or hierarchy within a system. San Francisco's revolution around male-centricity is reinforced in the relationship between Sal's friends, Remi and Lee Ann. In one scene, Remi and Lee Ann argue involving the gun: "Remi pushed Lee Ann. She lunged for the gun. Remi gave me the gun and told me to hide it; there was a magazine with eight bullets inside." ” (168). Remi asks Sal to hide the gun while Lee Ann tries to grab it. This action symbolizes the transfer of power between men and the focus on maintaining masculinity that colors Sal's experience in San Francisco. San Francisco, Denver, and New York City each offer a place for Sal to explore various aspects of his identity and worldview. One connection between each of the cities is the use of imagery.