Sal Paradise
Encyclopedia
Salvatore “Sal” Paradise is the narrator
and the protagonist
in Jack Kerouac
's novel On the Road
. Sal, an Italian American
youth living in New Jersey
with his aunt, is an uninspired writer working on a book who follows and accompanies Dean Moriarty, a young and reckless Denver vagrant, on his journeys across America and describes his trips with and without Dean in search of kicks.
On the Road is known as a semi-autobiographic story, and Kerouac admitted himself being Sal Paradise, when journalists asked him if he was Dean Moriarty, who was actually inspired by another Beat hero and a close friend of Kerouac, Neal Cassady
. Indeed, the connections between Sal and Kerouac are significant. Jack, coming from a Quebecois origin himself, created Sal as an Italian-American based on his life; while Sal lives with his aunt in New Jersey, Kerouac lived with his mother in New York.
on the album Boys and Girls in America
starts with the lyric, "There are nights when I think that Sal Paradise was right / Boys and Girls in America, they have such a sad time together." Sal Paradise was also the name of an indie rock
band on Tooth & Nail Records
in the mid 1990s, and he is mentioned in a song, "The Story of the Blues (part 2)", by singer-songwriter Pete Wylie
, who quotes, "The city intellectuals of the world are divorced from the folk-bodied blood of the land and are just rootless fools." (In fact the quotation is from another of Kerouac's characters, Jack Duluoz - also based on Kerouac himself - in his 1968 novel Vanity of Duluoz
).
In addition, Sal appears as "Sal Paradyse" in the Crazy Wide Forever section of Alan Moore
and Kevin O'Neill
's The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen: Black Dossier
. He joins Dean Moriarty, Mina Murray
, and Allan Quatermain
against Doctor Sachs
.
The third track on the album "The Holiday" by English rock band Futures
is entitled "Sal Paradise" and makes references to taking to the road and driving to L.A.
Narrator
A narrator is, within any story , the fictional or non-fictional, personal or impersonal entity who tells the story to the audience. When the narrator is also a character within the story, he or she is sometimes known as the viewpoint character. The narrator is one of three entities responsible for...
and the protagonist
Protagonist
A protagonist is the main character of a literary, theatrical, cinematic, or musical narrative, around whom the events of the narrative's plot revolve and with whom the audience is intended to most identify...
in Jack Kerouac
Jack Kerouac
Jean-Louis "Jack" Lebris de Kerouac was an American novelist and poet. He is considered a literary iconoclast and, alongside William S. Burroughs and Allen Ginsberg, a pioneer of the Beat Generation. Kerouac is recognized for his spontaneous method of writing, covering topics such as Catholic...
's novel On the Road
On the Road
On the Road is a novel by American writer Jack Kerouac, written in April 1951, and published by Viking Press in 1957. It is a largely autobiographical work that was based on the spontaneous road trips of Kerouac and his friends across mid-century America. It is often considered a defining work of...
. Sal, an Italian American
Italian American
An Italian American , is an American of Italian ancestry. The designation may also refer to someone possessing Italian and American dual citizenship...
youth living in New Jersey
New Jersey
New Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware...
with his aunt, is an uninspired writer working on a book who follows and accompanies Dean Moriarty, a young and reckless Denver vagrant, on his journeys across America and describes his trips with and without Dean in search of kicks.
On the Road is known as a semi-autobiographic story, and Kerouac admitted himself being Sal Paradise, when journalists asked him if he was Dean Moriarty, who was actually inspired by another Beat hero and a close friend of Kerouac, Neal Cassady
Neal Cassady
Neal Leon Cassady was a major figure of the Beat Generation of the 1950s and the psychedelic movement of the 1960s. He served as the model for the character Dean Moriarty in Jack Kerouac's novel On the Road....
. Indeed, the connections between Sal and Kerouac are significant. Jack, coming from a Quebecois origin himself, created Sal as an Italian-American based on his life; while Sal lives with his aunt in New Jersey, Kerouac lived with his mother in New York.
In popular culture
The first song "Stuck Between Stations" by The Hold SteadyThe Hold Steady
The Hold Steady is an American indie rock band from Brooklyn, New York, formed in 2004. The band consists of Craig Finn , Tad Kubler , Galen Polivka , Bobby Drake , and Steve Selvidge...
on the album Boys and Girls in America
Boys and Girls in America
Boys and Girls in America is the third studio album by The Hold Steady, released on October 3, 2006 by Vagrant Records.On August 18, 2006, first single "Chips Ahoy!" was released as a free download from music site Pitchfork Media...
starts with the lyric, "There are nights when I think that Sal Paradise was right / Boys and Girls in America, they have such a sad time together." Sal Paradise was also the name of an indie rock
Indie rock
Indie rock is a genre of alternative rock that originated in the United Kingdom and the United States in the 1980s. Indie rock is extremely diverse, with sub-genres that include lo-fi, post-rock, math rock, indie pop, dream pop, noise rock, space rock, sadcore, riot grrrl and emo, among others...
band on Tooth & Nail Records
Tooth & Nail Records
Tooth & Nail Records is a record label founded by Brandon Ebel in the U.S. state of California in November 1993. The label later moved to Seattle, Washington, where it is situated today...
in the mid 1990s, and he is mentioned in a song, "The Story of the Blues (part 2)", by singer-songwriter Pete Wylie
Pete Wylie
-Studio albums:- Extended Plays :-Singles:-External links:***...
, who quotes, "The city intellectuals of the world are divorced from the folk-bodied blood of the land and are just rootless fools." (In fact the quotation is from another of Kerouac's characters, Jack Duluoz - also based on Kerouac himself - in his 1968 novel Vanity of Duluoz
Vanity of Duluoz
Vanity of Duluoz is a 1968 semi-autobiographical novel by Jack Kerouac . The book describes the adventures of Kerouac's alter ego, Jack Duluoz, covering the period of his life between 1935 and 1946...
).
In addition, Sal appears as "Sal Paradyse" in the Crazy Wide Forever section of Alan Moore
Alan Moore
Alan Oswald Moore is an English writer primarily known for his work in comic books, a medium where he has produced a number of critically acclaimed and popular series, including Watchmen, V for Vendetta, and From Hell...
and Kevin O'Neill
Kevin O'Neill (comics)
Kevin O'Neill is an English comic book illustrator best known as the co-creator of Nemesis the Warlock, Marshal Law , and The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen .-Early career:...
's The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen: Black Dossier
The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen: Black Dossier
The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen: Black Dossier is an original graphic novel in the comic book series The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen, written by Alan Moore and illustrated by Kevin O'Neill. It was the last volume of the series to be published by DC Comics. Although the third book to be...
. He joins Dean Moriarty, Mina Murray
Mina Harker
Wilhelmina "Mina" Harker is a fictional character in Bram Stoker's 1897 horror novel Dracula.- In the novel :She begins the story as Miss Mina Murray, a young school mistress who is engaged to Jonathan Harker, and best friends with Lucy Westenra...
, and Allan Quatermain
Allan Quatermain
Allan Quatermain is the protagonist of H. Rider Haggard's 1885 novel King Solomon's Mines and its various prequels and sequels. Allan Quatermain was also the title of a book in this sequence.- History :...
against Doctor Sachs
Doctor Sax
Doctor Sax is a novel by Jack Kerouac published in 1959. Kerouac wrote it in 1952 while living with William S. Burroughs in Mexico City.-Plot summary:...
.
The third track on the album "The Holiday" by English rock band Futures
Futures
-Finance:*Futures contract, a tradable financial contract*Futures exchange, a financial market where futures contracts are traded*Futures , an American finance magazine-Music:*Futures , a 2004 release by Jimmy Eat World...
is entitled "Sal Paradise" and makes references to taking to the road and driving to L.A.