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Born: March 12, 1922 - Lowell, Massachusetts
Died: October 21, 1969 - St. Petersburg, Florida
| Excerpt from On the Road |
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 'd been poring over maps of the United States in Paterson for months, even reading books about
the pioneers and savoring names like Platte and Cimarron and so on, and on the road-map was one
long red line called Route 6 that led from the tip of Cape Cod clear to Ely, Nevada, and there
dipped down to Los Angeles. I'll just stay on all the way to Ely, I said to myself and confidently
started."
Link to the Work
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Teaching Topics in Social Studies
On the Road offers students a first-hand look at the lifestyles and
adventures of America's BEAT GENERATION OF THE LATE 1940's AND EARLY 1950's. The story takes place in POST-WORLD WAR II AMERICA and confronts issues of REBELLIOUS YOUTH and defiance against CONFORMITY.
Teaching Topics in Language Arts
Kerouac often uses STREAM OF CONCIOUSNESS style of writing. His limitless and FREE STYLE OF WRITING
promotes a wide range of ideas and emotion. His STYLE provoked much criticism. On the Road can be considered a NARRATIVE and even AUTOBIOGRAPHICAL since he incorporated stories from many of his own cross-country travels into the novel.
| Facts About Jack Kerouac and On the Road |
- Jack Kerouac attended Columbia University on a football scholarship
- Kerouac also wrote poetry, such as Mexico City Blues, (1959), and travel pieces, such as Lonesome Traveler (1960)
- Jack Kerouac was born into a French-Canadian family and English was not his first language
- Kerouac battled alcoholism throughout his life
- Kerouac is credited with coining the phrase, "The Beat Generation"
- On the Road character Dean Moriarty is modeled after Kerouac's real life friend Neal Cassidy
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