As a first read, we Kristen's Lit Girls agreed that On The Road was the place to start.
Not only are we stoked to see the film finally release in 2012, but LettieLou actually wrote her dissertation on Kerouac's scroll and I... well I just have a thing about reading the books before watching the movies!
Call me OCD - I'm largely inclined to agree with you - but mostly I just think it's respectful to the story :)
So... road trip, anyone?
Go HERE to read along with On The Road
Chapter summary:
On The Road opens as with our protagonist recalling his first memories of Dean, our supporting character who was "actually born on the road".
Dean arrives for the first time in New York with his new (and occasional) wife, MaryLou and we're hit with his high energy and inconstant focus.
Dean meets his match in Carlo before returning to the road with our hero quick to follow in his footsteps wanting "to know Dean more" and experience what his wanderlust entices...
Breaking it down - an excerpt:
Breaking it down - an excerpt:
Lorabell: Speaking of, we're introduced to MaryLou in chapter 1. Now, I've read Kristen saying something like how she realized that MaryLou wasn't this two-dimensional character she could have been played as and when I say "realize" I don't mean "came to think" but "made happen" as it were.
LettlieLou: Yeppo. His intro of characters is genius. He sets the tone for them ALL in this first chapter.
The majors anyway. He gives you a sense of them right off the bat. With a line. A word.
Not just what they look like.
LettlieLou: I got the impression from her that she really GOT Marylou
Lorabell: And of course all these characters, no matter how briefly we meet them, were people with lives and backgrounds and hopes and flaws.
LettlieLou: True. And I think it's fascinating to see them through Kerouac's eyes.
Lorabell: But because we DO meet them so briefly, I could see how it would be too easy for the performances of some to come off flat.
Lorabell: And especially with MaryLou who's almost a supportive role, a translation to screen could be shallow.
LettlieLou: I think even though we get a brief glimpse here, he is so brilliant in how he weaves them into the tapestry of the entire story. Like he wants to give them the credit in the story for the profound effect they had on his life. No matter how brief
