Tuesday 3 January 2012

On the Road: Part One, Chapter Four - wanna ride?

Hello friends and fellow Kerouac fans! Happy New Year to you and yours. Hopefully your holidays were as fun and busy as ours!


It's been busy times around KL. Our very own Lorabell has been busy as a Stew loving bee baking up some delicious Mean Apple Pie. Check it out. Oh, and if you make any our recipes or have any suggestions, let us know!  I've also added a new tune or two to the On The Road playlist. Listen along and get inspired.


I also want to take this opportunity to thank you guys for reading along with us and for your awesome participation! It makes us super happy! Stew would love it (we think...)!


Let's go on with it; shall we? Let's see who Sal gets to encounter on the road... It's going to be an interesting, ah, ride...


Exes and Ohs...
LettieLou

Read along with us HERE


You gotta double-pump the clutch ;)

Chapter Summary: 
Our guy Sal is getting ready to take the "ride of his life" hitching a ride on the back of a flatbed truck driven by two cornfed farmboys. They don't discriminate against who they pick up and so Sal encounters some of the coolest cats west of the Mississippi. He becomes attached to some members of this rag tag group and has a few laughs along the way. Ever hopeful, he has his precious Denver in his sights.




Breaking it down - an excerpt:


Lorabell: of course!
but his interactions with characters are more than fleeting glances here
we get to sit and chill with them for a bit


LettieLou: he loves them
he attaches to them


Lorabell: even if still briefly


LettieLou: like he might actually miss them


Lorabell: yup, he’s sad to see them go


LettieLou: exactly
his descriptions of the characters come to life more here. it's actually nice to not only hear about one or two people.


Lorabell: the story its-self is coming to live here - it's funny
trying to take a leak off the back of a truck...


LettieLou: oh god i know!
and i love how he said he did it "just fine" before
LOL!


Lorabell: and the two drivers with their big smiles
zigzagging all over the road


LettieLou: can't you just see them??
i can feel the wind whizzing around my hair


LettieLou: alloooo?
Lorabell:  myelloooooooooo
LettieLou:  how are you?
Lorabell: full J
you?
LettieLou:  what did you eat?
Apple pie???
Lorabell:  lol, not today
LettieLou:  it looked amazing!
 Lorabell:  thank you :) i was so proud
i made the pastry from scratch and it didn't split!
i nearly cried, lol
LettieLou: i don't know HOW you did it w/o a food processor!
Lorabell:  dude, I made the cream cakes without a scale!
shoux pastry!
lol
LettieLou: SO... FINALLY!!!!
Chapter 4!
LOL!
Lorabell:  lol
word
holidays are allowed
LettieLou:  of course.
you lead us off…
Lorabell:  ooooooh


much preesh
LettieLou:  hahaha
Lorabell:  OK, so Chappy 4
i like how he's settling into himself in this chapter
previously he's been so raring to go
but given the chance to ride along all the way to LA, he makes the decision to stop off on the way
starting to take his time and enjoy the experience
he keeps talking about everyone's slow pace of talking, etc and everyone’s good mood
i think it shows how he's enjoying going with the flow more
LettieLou:  like he's actually trying to enjoy himself... but lets not forget he can't let go of the damn dream of denver LOL!
Lorabell: of course!
but his interactions with characters are more than fleeting glances here
we get to sit and chill with them for a bit
LettieLou:  he loves them
he attaches to them
Lorabell:  even if still briefly
LettieLou:  like he might actually miss them
Lorabell:  yup, he’s sad to see them go
LettieLou:  exactly
his descriptions of the characters come to life more here. it's actually nice to not only hear about one or two people.
Lorabell:  the story its-self is coming to live here - it's funny
trying to take a leak off the back of a truck...
LettieLou:  oh god i know!
and i love how he said he did it "just fine" before
LOL!
Lorabell:  and the two drivers with their big smiles
zigzagging all over the road
LettieLou:  can't you just see them??
i can feel the wind whizzing around my hair
looking up at the sky
Lorabell:  under the stars you couldn’t see in the city
freezing my ass off!
all but whiskey for warmth
but he's happy as you like
LettieLou:  it's pretty exhilarating... i've done it a few times
not hitching
but w/ friends in high school
Lorabell:  i've always wanted to drive across the US
i drove myself from houston to new orleans last spring but i'm not sure it counts
LettieLou:  that still sounds cool...
Lorabell:  it was... until i got pulled over
i thought i was going down, lol
turns out they were just checking on me because it was the fricking bayou gone midnight
LettieLou:  OH MAH haha. I would have love to have seen your face!
Lorabell: :p
LettieLou:  i love in this chapter how he mashes characters up. like he'll say someone is a "this or that" version of someone else.and earlier (referring back to talking about the characters)... page 27
"That sounded like Big Slim; he was always practicing that one punch in the air; he looked like Jack Dempsey, but a young Jack Dempsey who drank"
I love that
Lorabell: his descriptions are so vivid
also, how he notes the change in the road texture
like it matches his own pace
LettieLou:  yes! it shocked him
Lorabell:  shocked?
LettieLou:  looking
Lorabell:  waiting for quote time
LettieLou:  you know me so well...
page 25
"What in the hell is that?" I cried out to Slim”
like he seems shocked by the change in the scape
Done now. LOL!
Lorabell:  lol, love your quotes
and the names are so funny
LettieLou: YES
love them
but it helps me identify them...
rather than just Joe or Tom
Lorabell:  nod
again with his descriptions
LettieLou:  Montana Slim, Mississippi Gene
Lorabell:  Big Slim from Ruston or Lousiana or wherever, lol
LettieLou:  I know. It helps keep track of them all, though right?
Lorabell:  nod
rather than "another interesting someone"
your mind creates faces and postures and mannerisms
LettieLou:  he wants us (the reader) to know them like he knows them
to give them their proper due, i think
to pay tribute...
OH and don't forget...'
the shoes make another appearance!
LOL!
Lorabell:  LOL
yup, i was laughing at that too
Lettie Lou: those damn shoes!
Lorabell:  falling apart after how long?
silly boy
but at least he can laugh at himself now
wiggling his toes through them
rather than cursing himself back under the gas shelter
LettieLou:  his mood is shifting
he's more hopeful
Lorabell:  nod
LettieLou:  oh, i love love love gene and the blonde boy
so sad.
Lorabell:  so sweet
LettieLou:  We don't even know that much about them
but he makes me love them
Lorabell:  just how gentle they seem
LettieLou:  nods
he feels protective of them i think
and attached
in turn, he made me feel attached to them, too.
Lorabell:  very
i wonder why…
LettieLou:  i think he was genuinely sad to leave them
I wonder why he was so attached, as well…
Lorabell:  other than they're so nice
grateful
protective
LettieLou:  page 30...
"I hope you get where you're going and be happy when you do."
Sniff
that's way emotional for Kerouac
thoughtful
Lorabell:  hmm
maybe all those stars are making him feel very small
and he’s realizing how grateful he is to be on this trip
LettieLou:  i agree... i think he feels lucky to be on the road
like everyone should be able to experience this
Lorabell:  absence makes the heart grow fonder, as they say and he's away from everything he knows right now, seeing so much new
LettieLou:  OH! LOVE THAT!
LettieLou:  he forms attachments... like to big slim
Lorabell:  yup – and especially when you know there’s almost no chance of meeting these fascinating people again
both are true
i think he’s learning to appreciate
LettieLou:  Another things Kerouac does so great is the way he plays with sound...
like writing things how people might pronounce them
Lorabell:  "jes"
LettieLou:  or writing out expressions
"YOW!"
LOL!
Lorabell:  lol, so effective
LettieLou:  Page 25...
"Whoopee!" yelled the high school boys. "Columbus so long! What would Sparkie and the boys say if they was here. Yow!"
Lorabell:  and he joins in a bit too…
not quite in the same way
just says something like how he yells out with joy when he realizes he's finally in Colorado
i like that he's matching the characters’ enthusiasm
LettieLou:  nods
agreed
Lorabell:  but he's still letting you see things from his perspective with the lack of a definite voice
LettieLou:  it gives the reader an insight into how he was feeling on the trip
i get elation and joy when he uses that language
Lorabell:  whilst allowing them (us) to feel they could be in his (terrible) shoes
keeps it relatable
LettieLou:  identifiable...
Lorabell:  uh huh
even though it's freezing and bouncy and loud
LettieLou:  LOL!
Lorabell:  you still wanna be having that much fun in the back of the truck
LettieLou:  there's a small sense of danger too... like you might fall off at any time
Lorabell:  lol, yup
especially when he describes the roads with trenches at either side
and they're speeding along - eeek
LettieLou:  right!
i read clenching the sides of my book...
Lorabell:  lol
LettieLou:  like oh crap!
Lorabell:  and as well as not wanting to speed straight to LA…
i did note how he doesn't seem to mention Dean or Carlo at all
he's enjoying where he is without them
LettieLou:  I agree w/ you...
the only sort of mention of them is wanting to get to denver
Lorabell:  yup
LettieLou:  but he really seems to be relishing these characters he's with right now
It’s refreshing
Lorabell:  agreed
bout time too!
LettieLou: nods
Lorabell:  side note – I’m amused how ironic it is that Sal’s finally settling into his experience and our convo is all over the place because of how much richer the story’s now becoming because of it!
well, that and it’s new year’s – bleh ;)
***

1 comment:

  1. Hiya gals!

    I thought Chapter 4 was soooo much fun! You guys mentioned it during your discussion, but I love the description of all the fellas on the flatbed. There is such detail of their mannerisms and especially their language. For every character I can almost hear their voice in my head as I read.

    And I love how each person on the truck is seeking something. Some want a summer of fun, some are headed to work the harvest, some are headed to family far away. On the road together but craving different things. There is a recognition of a kindred spirit as they barrel down the highway. A realization of what a small world it is despite the vast, unending plains of the West. It's almost sad to see the flatbed gang go their seperate ways!

    Cracks me up that those god forsaken shoes made a reappearence in this chapter!!! ;)

    Thanks for another stellar breakdown...til Ch. 5! xx

    P.S. @Lorabell - your pie looked A-MAZ-ING and @ LettieLou - the pic and movie quote above were super cute! (And spot on I might add...the pic matches the truck in my mind EXACTLY!)

    ReplyDelete