Who's / Whose on First?

On the Road, by Jack Kerouac

 

The importance of the road trip in Western Literature and film.

Why?

It goes back to The Bible, when Paul, an important writer of it, found enlightenment (deep understanding of life) on the road to Damascus.

It is also an easy way to write a long story.

Picaresque: when the heroes (protagonists) usually without a lot of money are forced to take road trip.

Autism: they like rituals (which do everything the same from day to day)

Kmart (Walmart): it is where poor Americans go to buy clothes

Dementia

Stereotype

Midwest: people there are poor and uneducated (flyover states)

Static character (actor in a movie): someone who does not change; they are the same at the end of the movie

Dynamic character: does change

Tom Cruise is a dynamic character. Is Rain Man a dynamic character?

This scene is weird and uncomfortable. You will see the reason for this scene later.

Homework: Answer the following questions. Write a couple of sentences for each. Remember to explain what you write.

1. Is Charlie (Tom Cruise) a dynamic character?

2. Is Raymond (Dustin Hoffman) a dynamic character?

3. Why is the theme "on the road" important in Rain Man?