On the Road Lesson Plan

How does Sal begin to change as he starts his many trips back and forth across the United States?

Within these opening chapters, we begin to witness Sal's transformation from a typical East Coast college kid to a quintessential representative of the Beat lifestyle. In Adel, Iowa, Sal encounters Eddie, a friend who provides a comforting reminder of his family back East.

As the journey progresses and they reach Des Moines, Sal's lodging in a modest hotel marks a significant turning point: crossing the Mississippi River, the symbolic gateway to the Western US, triggers a shift within Sal's character. Upon waking up in the hotel, he experiences a profound sense of...