On the Road Lesson Plan

What role does authority play in today's reading? What statement may Kerouac be trying to make with our characters' various encounters with the police?

Sal's decision to take a job as a security guard, part of the police force, contrasts starkly with the free-spirited and rebellious lifestyle he had pursued in Denver and hoped to continue in San Francisco. The job symbolizes a shift towards a more structured and regulated existence.

The other guards, former policemen, represent an embodiment of authority and law enforcement: they adhere strictly to rules and regulations, taking pleasure in enforcing the law and making arrests. Sal, on the other hand, does not share...