After reading the excerpt from Robert Sullivan's Cross Country and the one from Jack Kerouac's On the Road, write one paragraph explaining the similarities between the two texts.
I notice that both novels talk about discovering a new world. More like finding out a new way of a lifestyle to adapt to. It's almost like explaining about starting over in oneself like discovering about your self and looking for something that leads you to some kind of pursuit. For example in the of "On The Road" as more of the theme of just escaping to paradise; with a group of intellectuals taking a restless journey across the country changing their lives. The same goes for "Cross Country" but its just a person moving at the other side of the country to live a better life.
While I was reading both of the stories, it's obvious that they were both traveling. They both had to travel whether they wanted to or not, because they both wanted to find happiness. To find happiness, you might need to take risks. These kind of risks would challenge you, but it would help you find out who you really are. In the stories, they both took their own risk for their chance of happiness.
Kerouac and Sullivan both have texts based on road trips, and are quite similar. They both write with a sense of freedom and free spirit that allows them to thoroughly explore America for themselves. As Sullivan travels with his family across the United States, he comes across his idea of the “real America,” which consists of all the seemingly ordinary landmarks or aspects that everyday Americans usually just pass by. He understands that the real America is not made up of giant landmarks or famous places, but a land of ordinary hometowns and highways that have soaked up the true history of American lives. Similarly, as Kerouac travels from city to city, and state to state, he also draws a conclusion about America and himself. He encounters what he calls the “raw body of America” in the Mississippi River, which is like Sullivan’s definition of the “real America.” This body of water might not be anything special, but it symbolizes what America is really like. Kerouac also comes to a conclusion about himself. He awakes in a hotel room feeling a strange sensation of not knowing who he is until his mind understands what his final destination should be- the West. Kerouac and Sullivan both describe their travels as if the reader is right there travelling alongside them, giving the reader a true sense of what the real and raw America is. In these excerpts, one can draw the conclusion that America is not made of glistening statues and historical monuments alone. America is the heart and soul of the everyday Joe and Jane living in America, along with the small gas stations or shops no tourist would find attractive, and I think that is what makes both pieces very compelling. Each author is able to relate the everyday places Americans see as they go to work or school, and show that they are the true form of America.
In both of the stories when they reached some destinations they realized the beauty of the country. They go on these trips to find joy or inner happiness. Looking to satisfy their inner need for joy. They both search in a sense for a history of either themselves or the country. A sense of soul searching by the authors is shown. Both looking for what they want to do and see. Both while traveling move closer and closer to their past. Kind of like they are searching for their roots or their beginnings.
Both Cross Country by Robert Sullivan and On the Road by Jack Kerouac both are obviously road trips to different places. They are also both not alone while they travel. Cross Country has a family going with him. The On the Road character, even it’s essentially on person, actually meets a bunch of people along the way and helps them get to where they need. These stories really put a lot of detail about their surroundings. On the Road might describe the people more, but they focus a lot on what people miss out in their own country. They also get really nostalgic and passionate about it, suggesting that people should also go out and explore the land they live on. Gradually, their stories talk about how much better it is the more one travels like they are about to reach a treasure of some sort.
In both Robert Sullivan’s Cross Country and Jack Kerouac’s On the Road you have people who are travelling across America. In Cross Country we follow the story of a family who crams into a car with all their luggage excited about the journey that's ahead of them. Excited to travel thousands of miles and see and learn new things and new people. In Kerouac’s On the Road, a man tells his story how he dragged himself across America. This man’s story is more real and tough. It explains how he has to travel on bus with crying babies and he has to hitchhike with random truckers. Even though the two are really different perspectives, they both explain what real America is. In On the Road the family explains how taking the back roads on the countryside meeting new and different, unique people is what real America is about. While that family is most optimistic and having the best time on their trip the man in On the Road is living day to day watching how much money he has and relying on help from the people around him. He’s still on a road trip across America just like they are, but he’s doing it by making real connections by hitchhiking and making friends and meeting new people. The point of both these stories is that you can't define America in one sentence or by living in one city. It’s too diverse, you would be leaving out way too much. To define real America you have to meet all the different kinds of people America has to offer. You have to fight traffic in New York, visit a family owned diner in Philadelphia, a coffee shop in San Francisco, all the fields in the mid west. All of this is what these stories define as real america.
Both excerpts talk about travelling in road trips. They both discuss going on a road trip, and although their reasons and observations of their trips are slightly different, in many ways there is similarity in what they get out of the roap trips. What they both get out of the road trips is that they get to view the world around them and the culture of our country and to discover who they are. The various things they see on their trips also give them a sense of what America really is and not just what most people know it as. They both explore an important part of our culture which is travelling and exploring (i.e., road tripping).
Even though the two excerpts are base on two completely different backgrounds, they have one thing in common, road trip. In Cross Country, Robert Sullivan wrote about his journey with his family, while Jack Kerouac wrote about his hitchhiking experience to get across the country. The transportation and people might be different, but the feeling for traveling is almost exactly alike. Both of the men believes that there’s no turning back after the car have started. Through the road trip, they both gain better relationship with people; Robert to his family, and Jack towards strangers you thought you would never talk to. During the road trip, Jack forgot who he was for 15 seconds, mostly because through all the area and stops he’s been to, he drifts further away from the person he was before the trip. He’s pretty much starting over since he’s trying to find a future in the West. Robert admitted to losing himself too, but in a positive way. He lose the stress and day -to -day lifestyle he lives for that short period of time on the road. The two men get to see America with a whole new perspective because they get to see the real America. The dusty, one lane road America. They took a break from city lights, advertising bulletin boards, and saw the true beauty of America without it having to be advertise.
After reading both excerpts, I could see that Sullivan and Kerouac were focused on one thing: a journey. Be it mentally or physically, a road trip, in a way, is a journey to reach a certain place. These stories created many images in my mind, from the dark and lonely roads at midnight to the green and lush prairies and cornfields. While these men came from different time periods, what they saw on the way gave a sense of how diverse and different America is as a country. Also, another point that was quite evident is how a road trip gives one much time to think; it allows them to reflect on their life and who they are as a person. Sullivan and Kerouac both have a sense of nostalgia in their writing, as if they are trying to go back to a place where they belong. In both excerpts, in my opinion, the road trip symbolizes America in a way that it is constantly moving and on the go.
Both writings talk about finding something new in life in my opinion, as in to get away from what your use to everyday and go someplace new , try new things with your friends and just to explore life in a different way or better your life. I find "Cross Country" not as interesting as "On the road" because in "cross country" its not much of a road trip he goes out to find a new place to live.To have a better life, even though had had to travel a lot and experienced many things but , to me that's not much a road trip but more of moving to a new place to live. Where in "On the road" it talk about going to places you enjoy with friends and that to me is a road trip where you go out with friends or family and enjoy new things together , "on the road" reminds me of the movie "eat Pray Love" in a sense because they travel to experience new things and to find themselves in life.
Cross Country vs. On The Road Dean Obsuna Period 3
The two excerpts have many similarities. After reading through both excerpts, one thing that I found similar were that when both narrators traveled, they experienced a different culture in America. They both were expecting to experience these different cultures. Also, both excerpts thought differently about the new things that they see when traveling through America. They would compare the new place to their own place that they come from, which is a big difference to them. Also, traveling throughout America makes you think of yourself. For example, the character in “Cross Country” makes him/her think of the transcontinentaists and who crossed the country before them. The character in “Off The Road” makes him think of how his life differs from the others that he meets during his trip.
The common things that both Sullivan and Jack have are that they talk about their experiences during the trips they would take. They would describe what they saw and create an imagery for the audience as if they were with them. They explain that taking a road trip is not just about going out to see other things, but to realize what real America looks like and taking a glimpse of how different cultures, and traditions all played out through different states.
In the excerpt Cross Country, Sullivan talks about how a man’s view of America while on his road trip with this family. He explains how he isn’t the first to go on road trips and then talks about Lewis and Clark. Sullivan mainly talks about how the United States has grown from travelers. In On The Road, Kerouac writes about a male character who is traveling alone from one state to another. This character is meeting new people by hitchhiking and learns about their life. Both men are trying to find out who they really are while on this trip. At one point, both men refer about pie. Sullivan talks about how pie makes the phrase “Real America” pop into his head, while Kerouac is eating pie when he stops in a state. I think that this is referring to how both men are trying to learn more about America. In Cross Country, the character seems eager to go on this road trip and experiencing the idea of traveling. The character explains the history of America and who traveled among the roads. The tone in Cross Country is similar to On The Road because the male character seems like he is interested and curious about American. Both male characters are seeking to find their own individuality by creating new experiences.
In excerpts from both "Cross Country" and "On The Road", it is obvious that both narrators enjoy traveling and going on road trips. They both display similarities about traveling on the road such as not wanting to stop, why they are traveling, and just enjoying what America has to offer. In "Cross Country", the narrator says that stopping is one of those things to avoid when you are on the road, but it is a “have to”. In "On The Road", the narrator, while traveling with a person, makes a stop on the way to a destination, but he does not want to do it because it makes him feel like a “tourist”, which is not what he is there to do. In both stories, the narrators think about why they are traveling; the main reason is to see what America really is. The narrators focus on the idea of just wanting to see “the real America”; they both travel all over to just feel what it is to be a true American.
In both of the texts, Sullivan and Kerouac both talked about their lives on the road, how they get to discovered new places and see the beauty of America. As Sullivan travels, he was with family and even though Kerouac was alone, he met quite lots of people throughout his journey. These two texts maybe somewhat different but they did shared lots of similarities; how both get to see a whole different side of the world and discovered who they really are. Sullivan believed that the road is America and that America is not made up of how big it is, or the famous places but the people and the nature of it. "On the Road" and "Cross Country" are similar because the two male characters get to experience new things and find their-selves.
Both Sullivan and Kerouac traveled across the country because they wanted to see America, and what it holds. They both saw things that were not wanted, and those were the effects of a mainstream culture. In “Off the Road”, Sullivan drove past some cities that had an absence of the mainstream cultures-McDonalds, 7-11, etc.; in “On the Road”, Kerouac has found help from drivers that he has never saw before. They both describe people who are followers, they express their own opinions about it. It is also clear that they both enjoy on what they have discovered on their journey through America (they did enjoy that pie). The title to both excerpts are not accurate on what they want to express (semantics won’t really help at this time) they wanted to find a sense of adventure of what the real, raw America was before it was affected to what we call modern American culture today.
In both stories Cross Country and On The Road, there are many similarities. They were both travelers and there is a sense of adventure and finding oneself. On On The Road, a group of people travel around the country to see what it’s like to live a different lifestyle. It is kind of pointing out to finding oneself and traveling to explore America. On both stories there is a sense of searching inside oneself. Also, when they traveled to different parts of the country, they realize how nice and beautiful it really was. Both characters get to see what it’s like outside where they are from and see what it is like to travel to different places around America. When traveling, both characters feel what its like traveling around the United States and seeing different cultures. Both characters actually got to see the “Real America” by traveling on a road trip.
The excerpts Cross Country and On the Road Share many similarities of what a road trip is and what its influence did in their lives. In both of the excerpts the narrator is taking a trip to a place away from their normal lives. Also their trips are being taken as a way to see new things from the perspective of other places. The men in each of the excerpts are traveling with other people on a road trip that is taking them to new places. Both excerpts the narrator is traveling to reach a goal of some kind such as traveling across Across America or getting to a place to find a part of himself. Both stories also use pie as a way to block out the rest of the world and keep that feeling of America. Lastly both of the men from the two excerpts are traveling as an adventure to experience what other place have to offer.
From the excerpts of Jack Kerouacs, ON THE ROAD, Jack talks about his experiences of going cross country. He includes descriptions just like Robert Sullivans, CROSS COUNTRY, however puts them in a more interactive point of view. He speaks about his experiences when on the other hand, CROSS COUNTRY deeply explains the fact of going across the country from a present point of view. I believe that in a way Jack wanted his viewers to know how doing so may work out, which is why he made his excerpts first person. On the other hand i believe that Robert wanted his viewers to get a deeper understanding of exploring, and how people don’t really know america as much as they think. If you think about it both excerpts actually correspond to each other since Roberts convinces you in a sense, and Jacks lets you experience it through his excerpts yet all together you can tell that they are trying to convince viewers to discover this, “new” america.
Both Jack Kerouac in “On the Road” and Robert Sullivan in “We’re Off” travel America without a map. They have no destination, but they have a goal; the goal is travel more. They travel to see America when America is already in front of them. They both speak of Americans during their trip and how they have a bit of “America” in them. The people we, not just who Jack Kerouac and Robert Sullivan, meet can impact our lives. Kerouac even talks about a man he traveled with because it reminded him of his college writing friend. It gave him a homey feeling which made him more comfortable. That’s what America is; it’s home. Pie is represented as America in both excerpts because it symbolizes something hearty. Both writers talk about pie in the story; one just sees and the other is constantly eating it. When one thinks of pie they think of a sweet apple pie sitting on the counter in the window of a house and that in a sense is home drawing you back. American is home, no matter where in America one is.
Sullivan and Kerouac both have very similar writing styles. These two writers wrote in a very positive tone in their novels. Whether their characters in the story were in a sticky situation or not, it seems like these two authors find a way to keep their readers in a joyful mood. Also, both authors wrote with some type of suspense. The authors used a common subject which was traveling, and traveling can be very unexpected especially when they’re traveling very far. One last similarity they had was the thought of pie. Sullivan and Kerouac both used pie to represent their home in America, or their origins.
Both stories are about road trips. While travelling through the country, both authors describe the changes they see throughout the trip. Both also mention eating pie on the trip. The pies demonstrate that American culture never changes. The changes during the trip represent the diversity of one country. The trip also reminds the authors of their pasts thus helping them discover who they are. Jack Kerouacs and Robert Sullivan both deliberately explain their perspectives of America and its beauty. Considering both authors are from different time periods, the diversity of America is a feature that will never change.
Robert Sullivan and Jack Kerouac’s stories both revolve around road trips and America. In Sullivan’s “Cross Country,” he describes how he left his home spontaneously, “driving and we’re not turning around, even though we usually do, even though we probably forgotten something” (3). Going across the country gives him time to think while he travels the open road. He feels weary and given the free time, he thinks to himself; in some sort finds himself through his trip. In Kerouac’s “On the Road,” the main character is by himself, catching a ride from unfamiliars as he journeys his way to Iowa. As he travels from city to city, state by state, he tells stories of him hitchhiking and his experience dealing with the variety of the people he has associated with. For a short time, he looked at himself and stated that he was a stranger, someone he did not know. He was halfway across America and he felt as if he was just a lost soul. Both stories have a defining point, where both characters give some time to analyze who they are. It is very American to travel from place to place, experience different things, and meet stranger to find themselves. Another similarity is that both authors incorporate pie in their stories. Pie is a very traditional dessert. It is typically homemade, and it’s interesting that travelers eat pie throughout their journey. Perhaps it makes the travelers feel closer to home, indicating that they know where home is but do try something different and exciting.
Robert Sullivan’s Cross Country and Jack Kerouac’s On The Road share the similarity that both authors visualize their destination as having a connection with their future, and where they’re leaving as having a connection with their past. Although Sullivan is traveling with his family, and they have a planned destination, he feels that “when [he] [heads] east” he feels “as if [he] [runs] into memories, and then history itself”. Kerouac is hitchhiking ito Des Moines, and feels that when he reaches “halfway across America” he has come to “the dividing line between the East of [his] youth and the West of [his] future”. Both authors, although traveling across the country by different means and in order to reach different destinations, share the feeling that when you go somewhere new, you’re taking steps into your future and reaching a point in your life you’ve never reached before, and when leaving somewhere and returning home or to somewhere you’ve been before, you step back into your past.
CROSS COUNTRY by Robert Sullivan and ON THE ROAD by Jack Kerouac are both stories of their road trip. Both have similar themes, such as finding the unknown, freedom, and finding oneself. They enjoy traveling and don't want to stop. In both trips, they get to see the world and meet different people. Sullivan gets to see the world with his family, while Kerouac travels alone but meet many people that gives him rides. They are both taken outside their comfort zone and they see the world from a different perspective. They both discover America's "beauty" on the trip.
Both CROSS COUNTRY and OFF THE ROAD have many things in common. The main character in an excerpt from both novels are about them traveling throughout America using automobiles. They do not know where they are heading to, but want to travel regardless. The main characters from both excerpts think about their lives, what they want to do, or why they are doing what they are currently doing. It seems that both main characters in the excerpts have a “bag of mixed feelings” They want to explore, meet new people, have new adventures, etc. Yet they also have thoughts such as where to go next, how to cope to new environments, and so on. Both the main characters eat pie throughout the excerpt. This symbolizes the “traditional” part of America, being that pie is considered a traditional food to eat in America. Both main characters feel like exploring “new worlds” but they also want to stay connected to their “old world”, thus they eat pie to gain that sort of connection with home. Both main characters overall want to find out who they really are as a person. They want to go road tripping and see and experience new things to determine how to ultimately live their lives.
Jack and Robert both traveled across America in order to get from one side of the country to the other. Both these writers take the path that is not necessarily the most used or the most popular one. They travel through the muddy trails of America trying to examine the Nation and what it has to offer. Even though they both travel from where they grew up from to somewhere else, both writers learn to analyze themselves for they do not actually know who they really are. They are able to analyze themselves during their road trip because it takes hours to get from the East Coast to the West Coast or vice versa. Their experience on the road helps them figure out who they are. Both writers write with an adventurous tone. Both are not afraid to travel to someplace new and not familiar. They are not afraid to travel to such far places, meeting new people, or seeing new scenery. At the end of both excerpts, the two writers find what they were searching and longing for from their road trip which is simply to experience and learn new things and helping themselves understand themselves. These two writers see traveling from one side of the nation to another is either revisiting their past or seeing their new future.
Cross Country by Robert Sullivan and On the Road by Jack Kerouac, both tell the story of a man traveling across the country alone. The two stories have plenty of similarities and differences. I found Robert Sullivan’s work to be less darker than Jack Kerouac’s story. But I find that Jack Kerouac is being more honest about the cross country trek in his text. The two men in the texts both travel across the country for the excitement. When you pass through the entire United States, you get to see a variety of new things and gain some brand new experiences. The foreign nature of the journey makes their journeys better. On the trip each of the characters get to spend a lot of time alone to themselves. So they get to reflect on who they are, where they’re from and where they’re going.
In both the excerpts Cross Country and On the Road, the authors illustrate their passion for traveling across the country to unexpected destinations. The only difference between the two men traveling is that one is alone and the other is with his family, but they both experience similar things. At one point they have trouble figuring out who they really are, but end up finding themselves towards their final destination. Both of the characters look at the road trip as a way of getting away from their normal life and learning new things. While on the road these men get time analyze and think about many things, including who they are. Both of the characters are not afraid to meet new people and experience new cultures.
The excerpt from Robert Sullivan's CROSS COUNTRY and the one from Jack Kerouac's ON THE ROAD are both about traveling across America. In both of the excerpts, there is some mentions of truckers. In CROSS COUNTRY, the author mentions the truckers as angry, while in ON THE ROAD, the author writes how the main character meets truckers that are rowdy, loud, and friendly. Both of the travelers are in a sense, trying to find who they are as they are traveling their own ways across miles and miles of the “Promise Land”. In CROSS COUNTRY and ON THE ROAD, pie is talked about by both the authors. While one sees pies, the other one is always eating pies. Pie is seen as something “American”. When we see a pie, we think about Apple pie and how pies are sweet and give a feeling of comfort when eaten by people. It makes the people eating the pie think about home and that's basically what America is. America is home.
In both excerpts from these stories we follow characters on a journey. In Robert Sullivan’s CROSS COUNTRY, we follow a man and his family on their cross country journey. In Jack Kerouac’s ON THE ROAD we follow a man on his road trip through america. Both stories tell a journey of people going across America in search of a new perspective. The Authors often refer to the “old country” or “back country”. These stories explain men and their journey to connect with the past of America and get back to the “roots” of what it truly means to be an American. While ON THE ROAD is a journey of a loan man it seems to be the most relatable because he describes things in a harsher or more real perspective that is easily relatable.
Sullivan and Kerouac both have similarities in their books based on their personal experience about the “road trip.” Sullivan and Kerouac have completely different situations because Sullivan travels with his family to escape their struggles and go to the promise land, but Kerouac travels by himself only relying on how much money he has left to take the bus, eat, and hitchhike to be able to reach his destination, the West. Even though they’re in completely different scenarios, they essentially begin their journey to find a sense of freedom. The whole structure of their books are similar in writing because both Sullivan and Kerouac used a lot of imagery. They both successfully paint pictures in their reader’s mind about what’s happening because of very specific details. As they both travel and see more of America, they both gradually begin to see what America really is not only from one perspective but multiple point of views. They both begin to see how diverse and different each place is. Sullivan and Kerouac both realize that to be able to define what America really is, it is best to explore it and see what else America has to offer.
Both authors in each of the excerpts talk about their journey, and taking a road trip in which each character is distancing himself from all things familiar. These stories are similar because each author describes an anticipated trip, a long journey and memories. In Robert Sullivan’s story, it is described that everyone is excited for the trip but know that it will be wearisome. Jack Kerouac’s character talks about looking “forward to [everyone] with joy and anticipation” and also mentions being tired because of the travel (3). Both characters know that the trip to their desired destination will take awhile. Sullivan’s character sees America as a continual expedition and believes that the country itself is the road while the man from On the Road feels as though closing in on Iowa is like getting closer to paradise. In Cross Country, the boy feels that heading East is like heading into the past and running into memories from that time. Simultaneously, Kerouac talks about the East representing his character’s youth while the West signifies his future.
The similarities between the two excerpts are that they go deep into the culture of America, and that means they cover all the aspects of traveling. When people travel some go for the experience of the actual road trip others may travel just because they need to get from A to B. What is very similar in in the two passages is how both of the writers go over the fact that traveling is much more than leaving one place to arrive at another, both of the writers show how they absorbed all the different kind of cultures and values that America had to offer. For example, in Robert Sullivan’s On The Road he displays a man who is hitchhiking his way across the country, and on that trip he meets all kinds of new people who are from different places and are going to different places. But in Jack Kerouac’s passage of Cross Country he explains that the real America is all the highways and intersections that transformed from just land we received from other countries to what it is now-a-days and that is a modern road that connects all of America.
Both Jack Kerouac’s “On the Road” and Robert Sullivan’s “Cross Country” touch on many similar points throughout both excerpts. One obvious point is that both of them are based on travelling across America whether by car, foot, or hitchhiking. Another point that both excerpts touch on is that during one point or another, both men lose their sense of identity because they have been on the road for so long. Jack Kerouac’s character forgets who he was in a cheap hotel room far away from his home while Robert Sullivan’s character questions why he is on the road in the first place. Both men want to keep travelling as they feel as American wants them to explore the beautiful country. They feel as though the roads themselves represent the country of America. Another similarity of the excerpts is the how the authors integrate pie into them. Jack Kerouac’s character is always eating pie and talking about how the pie gets better as he gets closer to the destination. Robert Sullivan’s character imagines a pie on a counter and how that connects to the phrase “real America”. Both excerpts connect on multiple points about road trips and the experience of travelling.
Cassie Garza While reading both of these excerpts, both of these stories talk about traveling the world and exploring the different ways of people and their cultures. They talk about having road trips and traveling from the East coast to the west. When traveling they experienced new cultures and compared them to how they live, which is very new to them. While comparing different places to where they live it gives them a time to think about themselves and how they live and what could be different, or be glad they live where they live.
In both stories, the main characters experience the emotions and adrenaline rush of going on a road trip. In the story CROSS COUNTRY, he describes how spontaneous his family was on the road trip. He mentions how although they might have forgotten something, they did not go back to get it. In a sense, this road trip is an opportunity for him to get away from his busy life. While on the road trip, it gives him time to self reflect and think. Since Americans are constantly so busy and caught up in their lives to just sit down and relax, road trips are valued for this factor. In the excerpt ON THE ROAD, the character is also spontaneous by hitching rides from people he doesn’t know and going wherever his heart desires. Along the way, he realizes that he doesn’t know who he is. By going on this road trip, it allows both characters to reflect and think to themselves. They are able to experience the diversity of America and the new surroundings instead of being sheltered in an environment that they lived in their whole lives. They are able to rediscover who they are and find themselves again.
In both excerpts, Sullivan and Kerouac describe the real America with different experiences, but similar perspectives. Both describe how large America, specifically about the roads, like the highways, country roads, and city streets all connected to each other. On these roads, Sullivan and Kerouac write about the excitement on their adventure such as exploring new places and the different cultures from these new places. On their road trip experiences both authors feel weary. In the excerpt “Off” of CROSS COUNTRY, Sullivan says that he is weary because of the fact that other people have traveled or gone on these road trips before him and for traveling for about three to five days on the road. In ON THE ROAD, the character is always exhausted due to constantly hitchhiking and receiving any rest. In both excerpts, both include the perspective of continuous moving until finally reaching to the place you want to be in.
The excerpt from "Cross Country" by Robert Sullivan and "On The Road" by Jack Kerouac, both take place traveling on the road. Both excerpts are traveling across America to see what the country has to offer. The main characters in "Cross Country" and "On The Road" both talk about their experiences they have while traveling. In "Cross Country", the main character talks about how exciting it is to travel the country because of the freedom it gives us. This is similar to "On The Road" because the main character actually goes through an exciting experience hitchhiking from car to car, traveling plenty of miles. Robert Sullivan mentions that the “real America” is the landscape and “heart” of America. He mentions that is it not the advertising signs and motels, but the things that use to exist in America long ago. In the excerpt by Jack Kerouac, he experiences the “real America” by seeing the beautiful Mississippi river and more. Other similarities between the two excerpts include traveling on Route 66 and around Santa Fe. Both excerpts also mention eating pie in America. Overall, "Cross Country" and "On The Road" talk about the joy of road tripping and how it expands your experiences.
After analyzing Robert Sullivan’s Cross Country and Jack Kerouac’s On the Road, I found several similarities on both the two texts. First all of long, both of the texts are pretty explanatory; it’s simple, Sullivan and Kerouac both wrote about being on the road and having an adventure. Furthermore, Sullivan focuses on how going across America, being able to just drive off and not looking back. He also states that Lewis and Clark might not even be the first ones to explore America, there were pioneers back then who might have explored it first. Then he starts talking about the modern times like right now where we have cars, and back then the pioneers gathered up all their equipments and brought their station wagons along. Sullivan also wrote about his whole adventure crossing America with his whole family. He writes about their whole experience as a family, and also his whole experience as an individual traveler. Throughout Sullivan’s text, he kept writing about Lewis and Clark and how they crossed the country just like him and his family did. Robert Sullivan mentioned about seeing “the real America” where it’s also known as “back-roads America”, “the heart of America”, or “America’s heartland”. He writes down all the examples of typical Americans; from a lobsterman from Maine, a logger from Oregon, a rancher from Texas, and even a farmer from Missouri. He basically tells us that those types of Americans still exist, which means the real America still exists even though our society now is having its difficult times. As for Jack Kerouac’s On the Road excerpt, it is quite similar to Sullivan’s because Kerouac also wrote about his experience travelling with his friends exploring America. However, instead of driving by car, Kerouac and his friends took the bus and headed to as many different cities as they can possibly can. In my opinion, Kerouac's excerpt was earlier than Sullivan’s because Kerouac wrote his excerpt around the year 1947. He talks about all the different places he has been to in every detail, and also the struggles of actually getting to those places. Both of these passages are very similar, not only because it is travelling around America, but their experiences are also very similar to each other. Another reason why these excerpts are very similar because they had to adapt to all the different things that they see and the events that they experience.
Between Robert Sullivan's "Cross Country" and Jack Kerouac's "On The Road", both authors are very descriptive and go into great detail about their travels. They both feel that the further they travel, the closer to their future they get. Jack Kerouac says “...at the dividing line between the East of my youth and the West of my future”. By this he means that the closer to his desired destination he is, the closer to his future and the further from his past he is. Both authors believe that while traveling, they are free. Free from home, free from responsibilities and free from life. They can be who they want to be and do what they want to do while experiencing new things and meeting new people. These two authors and texts are very different in many ways. For example; Robert Sullivan is a family man while Jack Kerouac is a carefree person. Despite their differences, both authors have the same views on how traveling brings you closer to you future, and closer to your freedom.
CROSS COUNTRY by Robert Sullivan and ON THE ROAD by Jack Kerouac both demonstrate the importance of an American road trip. In Sullivan’s excerpt, he describes the importance of discovering and viewing the “real America,” or individuals who represent American ideals. He emphasizes that real America is in every area of the world, and although many tend to ignore their surroundings, it is always “right there.” Sullivan’s personal road trip makes him realize the necessity of thinking, and the significance of his opinion on America. To keep moving forward, to move on to a brighter and better future, and to keep pushing towards a better life is America’s desire of him; in his trip, he notices that while heading east, he feels as though he is “heading to the past” and “runs into memories.” He constantly thinks about his life’s purpose and value. The road is his place of escape, his place to think. Similarly, in Kerouac’s excerpt, he describes his life and experiences on the road. While constantly switching rides to head to the west, he enjoys himself and discovers his own self as a missing soul. Kerouac and Sullivan both show their journey through the west, and realizes their individual purpose of a road trip. They constantly think about their life while traveling, and discover the comforting feeling of heading toward their destination.
Robert Sullivan and Jack Kerouac both write about their experiences of being on the road. The excerpts CROSS COUNTRY and ON THE ROAD both talk about Route 66, and how they drove on it. They both talk about how road trips are fun because you have a chance to really think. Additionally, they talk about the good and bad parts of being on the road. Robert Sullivan’s CROSS COUNTRY is about a man and his family and how they run out of money while on their road trip and Jack Kerouac’s ON THE ROAD about a man’s struggles of having to hitchhike to travel all across America. Both authors write about how the characters want to be on the road to experience different cultures and environments. The characters in both stories also want to find who they truly are. In ON THE ROAD, Jack Kerouac writes “I didn’t know who i was--I was far away from home.” Being away from home changed their perception on how they viewed the world and themselves. While being on a road trip might've been very difficult for the characters in both texts, they all still continued their journey to find themselves and experience other places. Both stories also mention pie. Pie is a symbol of home, but the characters in both texts ironically are not home.
Both ON THE ROAD by Jack Kerouac and CROSS COUNTRY by Robert Sullivan are no doubt about road trips but to different places. They both described the feeling of being free in their journey [road trip.] Both of them didn't go through the journey alone. Kerouac got to his destination by hitchhiking, while Sullivan got to the his destination with his family. In both excerpts, it shows that a road trip can better and build a relationship between one and another person. For example, Kerouac met and talked to strangers and got to know them better to kill time. In Sullivan’s point of view, him and his family bond got stronger. I think both went through that stage because when one is stuck in a vehicle with a person or people for a large amount of time, and it gives them no choice but to communicate with each other. Also, going on road trips made them a sense of finding out who they really are as an individual. Both excerpts mention pie because it reminds them of home, but they are not home.
The similarities that these two authors have are they like to cross country. They both talk about typical american lives. Robert divides the american into four categories, truckers, pioneers, and underground cross country racers. They have a lot of passion for apple pie. In america pie can be a symbol for home and warmness. Jack loves to eat pie with ice cream in a sense it’s almost like he misses home. Both of them travel and like to talk to observe the surrounding. They look at the people around themselves and wonder why people cross country. Both of them see as if they are trying to find sanswer at any place they stop or look at. Jack meets a lot of peoople and he says thehardest thing to do is it get along with them or not make them reject giving him a riade. Robert always is caring of what people look at him of what the real american is.America is the road.
In the excerpt from Robert Sullivan’s story, CROSS COUNTRY, he writes this story from memory as him and his friends travel from the East coast to the West. In this story, the group of people that he traveled with on the road trip have their own vehicle and supplies. In this story, he also mentions a number of historical events on why traveling across the country is related to America as one thing.
In the second excerpt from Jack Kerouac’s, ON THE ROAD, the main character is fictional as he goes on a bus trip from town to town. The main character describes everything around him, the setting, the objects, the people, even his own opinions in a way that makes you feel as if you are the same person, experiencing traveling to those same locations. There was a slight bit of personal humor in the excerpt as well, which made the story entertaining as well as interesting.
Robert Sullivan’s Cross Country and Jack Kerouac’s On the Road are similar in a way that both of them are seeking a better understanding of America. Throughout their adventures, they begin to experience a new kind of excitement. Both of them see many landscapes which helped them open up their minds. At the same time, they talk about pie which makes them feel like home since its a American tradition dessert. While traveling, Robert Sullivan and Jack Kerouac seem to feel more free and also it made them think about who they truly are. Overall, it gave them a new perspective of America
Robert Sullivan and Jack Kerouac both have novels that are about traveling across America. In Sullivan’s CROSS COUNTRY, a man and his family have a road trip across America in their luggage-filled car. The family is very relaxed and having a good time during their road trip. Kerouac’s ON THE ROAD is about a man who is trying to find his identity by traveling around the country. He finds people to hitchhike with and travels in buses in order to make his way to different cities in America. In the excerpt from CROSS COUNTRY, the man and his family seem in a really good mood. The trip is a vacation for them. On the other hand, the man in ON THE ROAD is having a more difficult time in his trip. He constantly watches how much money he has left and also has to find his means of transport. Besides these differences, there are many similarities between the two excerpts as well. First of all, the main topic is traveling across America in both of the novels. Both of the excerpts mention diners and gas stations. This shows the importance of small businesses in America. Being your own boss and owning your own business has always been a popular tradition in America, many would even say it to be the American dream. In CROSS COUNTRY, it talks about the “real America.” These small businesses that are given importance throughout America and are shown to be all over the country in the two novels. America is also a very diverse country. There are very industrial areas, urban areas, and the farm lands as well. Both of the novels mention different types of areas within America and the different landmarks that make the country what it is. Pies are mentioned in both of the novels as well. A pie can represent people’s homes and comfort. The main characters in the two different novels eat pie during their road trip and it shows that they are still linked to the comfort of their home by eating pies. A major value of road trips is the freedom and sense of exploration that comes along with it. Both of the characters experience a sense of free spirit during their trip.
Kerouac and Sullivan both use the idea of a road trip to describe the true essence of America. Sullivan states that the “real America” is a country that is about freedom. People have the freedom to travel and do as they please. Sullivan travels across country with his family and is crossing what he calls “the American heartland”. Kerouac is hitchhiking across country. He is traveling with ordinary people and gets the chance to meet and converse with them. Through this, he is able to see the real America. Sullivan says that this is the real America but it is overlooked by most people because it is not the host of a famous landmark or destination. Sullivan and Kerouac both appreciate this aspect of America. They both feel that the true America is about ordinary towns and ordinary people.
Excerpts from Robert Sullivan’s Cross Country and Jack Kerouac’s On the Road, both illustrate the life on the road and explain their experiences while traveling. Sullivan writes about his personal experiences with a more reflective tone, and writes about how his travels have made him realize what America truly is. Kerouac’s On the Road is more descriptive of the environment itself, and the specific events that the character goes through while traveling. Both of these excerpts define the purpose of traveling and shows what kind of mindset that these people had while going on these road trips. Kerouac and Sullivan express their sense of freedom with this road trip, and explain that the destination and the experience is the essence of it all.
“The real America is also sometimes known as ‘back-roads America’ or ‘the heart of America’”(Cross country) and in this way Robert Sullivan, author of CROSS COUNTRY, defines what America is while Jack Kerouac, author of ON THE ROAD, writes on a character that brings Sullivan's definition to life. Kerouac’s main character hitchhikes his way across the US by getting rides on buses, cars, and trucks which happens to be part of Sullivan’s definition of getting across the country where he writes “(truckers, of course, are the subset of cross-country drivers who cross the country all the time, everyday)”(Cross Country). Kerouac’s story lives through Sullivan's definition mentioned in CROSS COUNTRY. This is one of the main similarities in both pieces of writing. Another similarity is the fact that both writers are trying to accomplish one goal and this is to get across the country.
In the excerpt of Robert Sullivan’s Cross the Country and Jack Kerouac’s On the Road , both authors talk about road trips . In both stories they travel across the country to get away and find themselves. Kerouac writes about a man who travels on his own and Sullivan travels with his family, both want to get away from their busy lives and explore America’s beauty . Sullivan and Kerouac both describe what America is to them and how it has evolved. Kerouac and Sullivan explain how the roads and ordinary towns is what the real America is.
Both authors explain the complexity of America in every spot in the U.S they moved to different places. They seem finding about the truth of America in what makes up this country, all they would do is keep driving threw the vast roads of west. They state there are things that represents us. Like Kerouc interprets Jazz music representing the people of America in how life is. Second that America has many things to find out according to Sullivan, and would never stop because the U.S keeps on moving and changing that's way one say’s America is a continual expedition of a never ending race to the last frontier.
Jack Kerouac’s On the Road and Robert Sullivan’s Cross Country both share the similarity that both authors imagine their destination has some kind of connection with their future, and for their leaving a connection with their past. In the story Cross Country, the author Sullivan, describes his journey with his family as a planed destination. He feels that when he heads east, he feels “as if he runs into memories and then history itself”. Kerouac’s On the Road, is hitchhiking to Des Moines, and imagines that when he reaches half across America, he is in the dividing line between the east of his childhood and the west of his future. These both authors share a similarity of some experience from the past and their future. Miguel Sanchez Period 4 1-10-13
Sullivan and Kerouac's excerpts are about the experiences of male individuals participating a road trip across the country. In the Sullivan's Cross Country he partakes an adventure with his family as they explore the West, whereas the text of Kerouac writes about a man hitchhiking. On their journeys the two characters become more compassionate about their surroundings. Both of these excerpts demonstrates individuals trying to understand themselves and find new meaning in life. The narrators of the Cross Country and On the Road describes their trip to the opposite coast. In Sullivan's text, he sees and enjoys the historical aesthetics of America instead of the commercial, famous trademarks he is used behind the window of a moving car. As for Kerouac's excerpt, the protagonist explores the country one place at a time. He visits new cities in different states and notices the differences of the surroundings. Sullivan sees what he ignores and thus he understands what is " the Real America." Pie is feature in both texts. The characters eat slices on their journey. Pie reflects the symbolism of home.
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ReplyDeleteI notice that both novels talk about discovering a new world. More like finding out a new way of a lifestyle to adapt to. It's almost like explaining about starting over in oneself like discovering about your self and looking for something that leads you to some kind of pursuit. For example in the of "On The Road" as more of the theme of just escaping to paradise; with a group of intellectuals taking a restless journey across the country changing their lives. The same goes for "Cross Country" but its just a person moving at the other side of the country to live a better life.
ReplyDeleteWhile I was reading both of the stories, it's obvious that they were both traveling. They both had to travel whether they wanted to or not, because they both wanted to find happiness. To find happiness, you might need to take risks. These kind of risks would challenge you, but it would help you find out who you really are. In the stories, they both took their own risk for their chance of happiness.
ReplyDeleteKerouac and Sullivan both have texts based on road trips, and are quite similar. They both write with a sense of freedom and free spirit that allows them to thoroughly explore America for themselves. As Sullivan travels with his family across the United States, he comes across his idea of the “real America,” which consists of all the seemingly ordinary landmarks or aspects that everyday Americans usually just pass by. He understands that the real America is not made up of giant landmarks or famous places, but a land of ordinary hometowns and highways that have soaked up the true history of American lives. Similarly, as Kerouac travels from city to city, and state to state, he also draws a conclusion about America and himself. He encounters what he calls the “raw body of America” in the Mississippi River, which is like Sullivan’s definition of the “real America.” This body of water might not be anything special, but it symbolizes what America is really like. Kerouac also comes to a conclusion about himself. He awakes in a hotel room feeling a strange sensation of not knowing who he is until his mind understands what his final destination should be- the West. Kerouac and Sullivan both describe their travels as if the reader is right there travelling alongside them, giving the reader a true sense of what the real and raw America is. In these excerpts, one can draw the conclusion that America is not made of glistening statues and historical monuments alone. America is the heart and soul of the everyday Joe and Jane living in America, along with the small gas stations or shops no tourist would find attractive, and I think that is what makes both pieces very compelling. Each author is able to relate the everyday places Americans see as they go to work or school, and show that they are the true form of America.
ReplyDeleteIn both of the stories when they reached some destinations they realized the beauty of the country. They go on these trips to find joy or inner happiness. Looking to satisfy their inner need for joy. They both search in a sense for a history of either themselves or the country. A sense of soul searching by the authors is shown. Both looking for what they want to do and see. Both while traveling move closer and closer to their past. Kind of like they are searching for their roots or their beginnings.
ReplyDeleteBoth Cross Country by Robert Sullivan and On the Road by Jack Kerouac both are obviously road trips to different places. They are also both not alone while they travel. Cross Country has a family going with him. The On the Road character, even it’s essentially on person, actually meets a bunch of people along the way and helps them get to where they need. These stories really put a lot of detail about their surroundings. On the Road might describe the people more, but they focus a lot on what people miss out in their own country. They also get really nostalgic and passionate about it, suggesting that people should also go out and explore the land they live on. Gradually, their stories talk about how much better it is the more one travels like they are about to reach a treasure of some sort.
ReplyDeleteNicole Alfonso
In both Robert Sullivan’s Cross Country and Jack Kerouac’s On the Road you have people who are travelling across America. In Cross Country we follow the story of a family who crams into a car with all their luggage excited about the journey that's ahead of them. Excited to travel thousands of miles and see and learn new things and new people. In Kerouac’s On the Road, a man tells his story how he dragged himself across America. This man’s story is more real and tough. It explains how he has to travel on bus with crying babies and he has to hitchhike with random truckers. Even though the two are really different perspectives, they both explain what real America is. In On the Road the family explains how taking the back roads on the countryside meeting new and different, unique people is what real America is about. While that family is most optimistic and having the best time on their trip the man in On the Road is living day to day watching how much money he has and relying on help from the people around him. He’s still on a road trip across America just like they are, but he’s doing it by making real connections by hitchhiking and making friends and meeting new people. The point of both these stories is that you can't define America in one sentence or by living in one city. It’s too diverse, you would be leaving out way too much. To define real America you have to meet all the different kinds of people America has to offer. You have to fight traffic in New York, visit a family owned diner in Philadelphia, a coffee shop in San Francisco, all the fields in the mid west. All of this is what these stories define as real america.
ReplyDeleteBoth excerpts talk about travelling in road trips. They both discuss going on a road trip, and although their reasons and observations of their trips are slightly different, in many ways there is similarity in what they get out of the roap trips. What they both get out of the road trips is that they get to view the world around them and the culture of our country and to discover who they are. The various things they see on their trips also give them a sense of what America really is and not just what most people know it as. They both explore an important part of our culture which is travelling and exploring (i.e., road tripping).
ReplyDeleteEven though the two excerpts are base on two completely different backgrounds, they have one thing in common, road trip. In Cross Country, Robert Sullivan wrote about his journey with his family, while Jack Kerouac wrote about his hitchhiking experience to get across the country. The transportation and people might be different, but the feeling for traveling is almost exactly alike. Both of the men believes that there’s no turning back after the car have started. Through the road trip, they both gain better relationship with people; Robert to his family, and Jack towards strangers you thought you would never talk to. During the road trip, Jack forgot who he was for 15 seconds, mostly because through all the area and stops he’s been to, he drifts further away from the person he was before the trip. He’s pretty much starting over since he’s trying to find a future in the West. Robert admitted to losing himself too, but in a positive way. He lose the stress and day -to -day lifestyle he lives for that short period of time on the road. The two men get to see America with a whole new perspective because they get to see the real America. The dusty, one lane road America. They took a break from city lights, advertising bulletin boards, and saw the true beauty of America without it having to be advertise.
ReplyDeleteAfter reading both excerpts, I could see that Sullivan and Kerouac were focused on one thing: a journey. Be it mentally or physically, a road trip, in a way, is a journey to reach a certain place. These stories created many images in my mind, from the dark and lonely roads at midnight to the green and lush prairies and cornfields. While these men came from different time periods, what they saw on the way gave a sense of how diverse and different America is as a country. Also, another point that was quite evident is how a road trip gives one much time to think; it allows them to reflect on their life and who they are as a person. Sullivan and Kerouac both have a sense of nostalgia in their writing, as if they are trying to go back to a place where they belong. In both excerpts, in my opinion, the road trip symbolizes America in a way that it is constantly moving and on the go.
ReplyDeleteBoth writings talk about finding something new in life in my opinion, as in to get away from what your use to everyday and go someplace new , try new things with your friends and just to explore life in a different way or better your life. I find "Cross Country" not as interesting as "On the road" because in "cross country" its not much of a road trip he goes out to find a new place to live.To have a better life, even though had had to travel a lot and experienced many things but , to me that's not much a road trip but more of moving to a new place to live. Where in "On the road" it talk about going to places you enjoy with friends and that to me is a road trip where you go out with friends or family and enjoy new things together , "on the road" reminds me of the movie "eat Pray Love" in a sense because they travel to experience new things and to find themselves in life.
ReplyDeleteCross Country vs. On The Road
ReplyDeleteDean Obsuna
Period 3
The two excerpts have many similarities. After reading through both excerpts, one thing that I found similar were that when both narrators traveled, they experienced a different culture in America. They both were expecting to experience these different cultures. Also, both excerpts thought differently about the new things that they see when traveling through America. They would compare the new place to their own place that they come from, which is a big difference to them. Also, traveling throughout America makes you think of yourself. For example, the character in “Cross Country” makes him/her think of the transcontinentaists and who crossed the country before them. The character in “Off The Road” makes him think of how his life differs from the others that he meets during his trip.
The common things that both Sullivan and Jack have are that they talk about their experiences during the trips they would take. They would describe what they saw and create an imagery for the audience as if they were with them. They explain that taking a road trip is not just about going out to see other things, but to realize what real America looks like and taking a glimpse of how different cultures, and traditions all played out through different states.
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In the excerpt Cross Country, Sullivan talks about how a man’s view of America while on his road trip with this family. He explains how he isn’t the first to go on road trips and then talks about Lewis and Clark. Sullivan mainly talks about how the United States has grown from travelers. In On The Road, Kerouac writes about a male character who is traveling alone from one state to another. This character is meeting new people by hitchhiking and learns about their life. Both men are trying to find out who they really are while on this trip. At one point, both men refer about pie. Sullivan talks about how pie makes the phrase “Real America” pop into his head, while Kerouac is eating pie when he stops in a state. I think that this is referring to how both men are trying to learn more about America. In Cross Country, the character seems eager to go on this road trip and experiencing the idea of traveling. The character explains the history of America and who traveled among the roads. The tone in Cross Country is similar to On The Road because the male character seems like he is interested and curious about American. Both male characters are seeking to find their own individuality by creating new experiences.
ReplyDeleteDeanne Juson
Period 3
In excerpts from both "Cross Country" and "On The Road", it is obvious that both narrators enjoy traveling and going on road trips. They both display similarities about traveling on the road such as not wanting to stop, why they are traveling, and just enjoying what America has to offer. In "Cross Country", the narrator says that stopping is one of those things to avoid when you are on the road, but it is a “have to”. In "On The Road", the narrator, while traveling with a person, makes a stop on the way to a destination, but he does not want to do it because it makes him feel like a “tourist”, which is not what he is there to do. In both stories, the narrators think about why they are traveling; the main reason is to see what America really is. The narrators focus on the idea of just wanting to see “the real America”; they both travel all over to just feel what it is to be a true American.
ReplyDeleteBrianne Dela Cruz
Period 3
In both of the texts, Sullivan and Kerouac both talked about their lives on the road, how they get to discovered new places and see the beauty of America. As Sullivan travels, he was with family and even though Kerouac was alone, he met quite lots of people throughout his journey. These two texts maybe somewhat different but they did shared lots of similarities; how both get to see a whole different side of the world and discovered who they really are. Sullivan believed that the road is America and that America is not made up of how big it is, or the famous places but the people and the nature of it. "On the Road" and "Cross Country" are similar because the two male characters get to experience new things and find their-selves.
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ReplyDeleteBoth Sullivan and Kerouac traveled across the country because they wanted to see America, and what it holds. They both saw things that were not wanted, and those were the effects of a mainstream culture. In “Off the Road”, Sullivan drove past some cities that had an absence of the mainstream cultures-McDonalds, 7-11, etc.; in “On the Road”, Kerouac has found help from drivers that he has never saw before. They both describe people who are followers, they express their own opinions about it. It is also clear that they both enjoy on what they have discovered on their journey through America (they did enjoy that pie). The title to both excerpts are not accurate on what they want to express (semantics won’t really help at this time) they wanted to find a sense of adventure of what the real, raw America was before it was affected to what we call modern American culture today.
ReplyDeleteJerome Manera
Period 3
In both stories Cross Country and On The Road, there are many similarities. They were both travelers and there is a sense of adventure and finding oneself. On On The Road, a group of people travel around the country to see what it’s like to live a different lifestyle. It is kind of pointing out to finding oneself and traveling to explore America. On both stories there is a sense of searching inside oneself. Also, when they traveled to different parts of the country, they realize how nice and beautiful it really was. Both characters get to see what it’s like outside where they are from and see what it is like to travel to different places around America. When traveling, both characters feel what its like traveling around the United States and seeing different cultures. Both characters actually got to see the “Real America” by traveling on a road trip.
ReplyDeleteThe excerpts Cross Country and On the Road Share many similarities of what a road trip is and what its influence did in their lives. In both of the excerpts the narrator is taking a trip to a place away from their normal lives. Also their trips are being taken as a way to see new things from the perspective of other places. The men in each of the excerpts are traveling with other people on a road trip that is taking them to new places. Both excerpts the narrator is traveling to reach a goal of some kind such as traveling across Across America or getting to a place to find a part of himself. Both stories also use pie as a way to block out the rest of the world and keep that feeling of America. Lastly both of the men from the two excerpts are traveling as an adventure to experience what other place have to offer.
ReplyDeleteFrom the excerpts of Jack Kerouacs, ON THE ROAD, Jack talks about his experiences of going cross country. He includes descriptions just like Robert Sullivans, CROSS COUNTRY, however puts them in a more interactive point of view. He speaks about his experiences when on the other hand, CROSS COUNTRY deeply explains the fact of going across the country from a present point of view. I believe that in a way Jack wanted his viewers to know how doing so may work out, which is why he made his excerpts first person. On the other hand i believe that Robert wanted his viewers to get a deeper understanding of exploring, and how people don’t really know america as much as they think. If you think about it both excerpts actually correspond to each other since Roberts convinces you in a sense, and Jacks lets you experience it through his excerpts yet all together you can tell that they are trying to convince viewers to discover this, “new” america.
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ReplyDeleteBoth Jack Kerouac in “On the Road” and Robert Sullivan in “We’re Off” travel America without a map. They have no destination, but they have a goal; the goal is travel more. They travel to see America when America is already in front of them. They both speak of Americans during their trip and how they have a bit of “America” in them. The people we, not just who Jack Kerouac and Robert Sullivan, meet can impact our lives. Kerouac even talks about a man he traveled with because it reminded him of his college writing friend. It gave him a homey feeling which made him more comfortable. That’s what America is; it’s home. Pie is represented as America in both excerpts because it symbolizes something hearty. Both writers talk about pie in the story; one just sees and the other is constantly eating it. When one thinks of pie they think of a sweet apple pie sitting on the counter in the window of a house and that in a sense is home drawing you back. American is home, no matter where in America one is.
ReplyDeleteMarcos Hernandez
Period 3
Sullivan and Kerouac both have very similar writing styles. These two writers wrote in a very positive tone in their novels. Whether their characters in the story were in a sticky situation or not, it seems like these two authors find a way to keep their readers in a joyful mood. Also, both authors wrote with some type of suspense. The authors used a common subject which was traveling, and traveling can be very unexpected especially when they’re traveling very far. One last similarity they had was the thought of pie. Sullivan and Kerouac both used pie to represent their home in America, or their origins.
ReplyDeleteBoth stories are about road trips. While travelling through the country, both authors describe the changes they see throughout the trip. Both also mention eating pie on the trip. The pies demonstrate that American culture never changes. The changes during the trip represent the diversity of one country. The trip also reminds the authors of their pasts thus helping them discover who they are.
ReplyDeleteJack Kerouacs and Robert Sullivan both deliberately explain their perspectives of America and its beauty. Considering both authors are from different time periods, the diversity of America is a feature that will never change.
Dan To
Period 3
Robert Sullivan and Jack Kerouac’s stories both revolve around road trips and America. In Sullivan’s “Cross Country,” he describes how he left his home spontaneously, “driving and we’re not turning around, even though we usually do, even though we probably forgotten something” (3). Going across the country gives him time to think while he travels the open road. He feels weary and given the free time, he thinks to himself; in some sort finds himself through his trip. In Kerouac’s “On the Road,” the main character is by himself, catching a ride from unfamiliars as he journeys his way to Iowa. As he travels from city to city, state by state, he tells stories of him hitchhiking and his experience dealing with the variety of the people he has associated with. For a short time, he looked at himself and stated that he was a stranger, someone he did not know. He was halfway across America and he felt as if he was just a lost soul. Both stories have a defining point, where both characters give some time to analyze who they are. It is very American to travel from place to place, experience different things, and meet stranger to find themselves. Another similarity is that both authors incorporate pie in their stories. Pie is a very traditional dessert. It is typically homemade, and it’s interesting that travelers eat pie throughout their journey. Perhaps it makes the travelers feel closer to home, indicating that they know where home is but do try something different and exciting.
ReplyDeleteKelly Bufete
DeletePeriod 3
Robert Sullivan’s Cross Country and Jack Kerouac’s On The Road share the similarity that both authors visualize their destination as having a connection with their future, and where they’re leaving as having a connection with their past. Although Sullivan is traveling with his family, and they have a planned destination, he feels that “when [he] [heads] east” he feels “as if [he] [runs] into memories, and then history itself”. Kerouac is hitchhiking ito Des Moines, and feels that when he reaches “halfway across America” he has come to “the dividing line between the East of [his] youth and the West of [his] future”. Both authors, although traveling across the country by different means and in order to reach different destinations, share the feeling that when you go somewhere new, you’re taking steps into your future and reaching a point in your life you’ve never reached before, and when leaving somewhere and returning home or to somewhere you’ve been before, you step back into your past.
ReplyDeleteCourtney H
Per, 4
CROSS COUNTRY by Robert Sullivan and ON THE ROAD by Jack Kerouac are both stories of their road trip. Both have similar themes, such as finding the unknown, freedom, and finding oneself. They enjoy traveling and don't want to stop. In both trips, they get to see the world and meet different people. Sullivan gets to see the world with his family, while Kerouac travels alone but meet many people that gives him rides. They are both taken outside their comfort zone and they see the world from a different perspective. They both discover America's "beauty" on the trip.
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ReplyDeleteBoth CROSS COUNTRY and OFF THE ROAD have many things in common. The main character in an excerpt from both novels are about them traveling throughout America using automobiles. They do not know where they are heading to, but want to travel regardless. The main characters from both excerpts think about their lives, what they want to do, or why they are doing what they are currently doing. It seems that both main characters in the excerpts have a “bag of mixed feelings” They want to explore, meet new people, have new adventures, etc. Yet they also have thoughts such as where to go next, how to cope to new environments, and so on. Both the main characters eat pie throughout the excerpt. This symbolizes the “traditional” part of America, being that pie is considered a traditional food to eat in America. Both main characters feel like exploring “new worlds” but they also want to stay connected to their “old world”, thus they eat pie to gain that sort of connection with home. Both main characters overall want to find out who they really are as a person. They want to go road tripping and see and experience new things to determine how to ultimately live their lives.
ReplyDeleteJack and Robert both traveled across America in order to get from one side of the country to the other. Both these writers take the path that is not necessarily the most used or the most popular one. They travel through the muddy trails of America trying to examine the Nation and what it has to offer. Even though they both travel from where they grew up from to somewhere else, both writers learn to analyze themselves for they do not actually know who they really are. They are able to analyze themselves during their road trip because it takes hours to get from the East Coast to the West Coast or vice versa. Their experience on the road helps them figure out who they are. Both writers write with an adventurous tone. Both are not afraid to travel to someplace new and not familiar. They are not afraid to travel to such far places, meeting new people, or seeing new scenery. At the end of both excerpts, the two writers find what they were searching and longing for from their road trip which is simply to experience and learn new things and helping themselves understand themselves. These two writers see traveling from one side of the nation to another is either revisiting their past or seeing their new future.
ReplyDeleteRochella Gutierrez
Period 4
ReplyDeleteCross Country by Robert Sullivan and On the Road by Jack Kerouac, both tell the story of a man traveling across the country alone. The two stories have plenty of similarities and differences. I found Robert Sullivan’s work to be less darker than Jack Kerouac’s story. But I find that Jack Kerouac is being more honest about the cross country trek in his text. The two men in the texts both travel across the country for the excitement. When you pass through the entire United States, you get to see a variety of new things and gain some brand new experiences. The foreign nature of the journey makes their journeys better. On the trip each of the characters get to spend a lot of time alone to themselves. So they get to reflect on who they are, where they’re from and where they’re going.
In both the excerpts Cross Country and On the Road, the authors illustrate their passion for traveling across the country to unexpected destinations. The only difference between the two men traveling is that one is alone and the other is with his family, but they both experience similar things. At one point they have trouble figuring out who they really are, but end up finding themselves towards their final destination. Both of the characters look at the road trip as a way of getting away from their normal life and learning new things. While on the road these men get time analyze and think about many things, including who they are. Both of the characters are not afraid to meet new people and experience new cultures.
ReplyDeleteMariela Alvarez
Period 4
The excerpt from Robert Sullivan's CROSS COUNTRY and the one from Jack Kerouac's ON THE ROAD are both about traveling across America. In both of the excerpts, there is some mentions of truckers. In CROSS COUNTRY, the author mentions the truckers as angry, while in ON THE ROAD, the author writes how the main character meets truckers that are rowdy, loud, and friendly. Both of the travelers are in a sense, trying to find who they are as they are traveling their own ways across miles and miles of the “Promise Land”. In CROSS COUNTRY and ON THE ROAD, pie is talked about by both the authors. While one sees pies, the other one is always eating pies. Pie is seen as something “American”. When we see a pie, we think about Apple pie and how pies are sweet and give a feeling of comfort when eaten by people. It makes the people eating the pie think about home and that's basically what America is. America is home.
ReplyDeleteDiana Xu Period 4
In both excerpts from these stories we follow characters on a journey. In Robert Sullivan’s CROSS COUNTRY, we follow a man and his family on their cross country journey. In Jack Kerouac’s ON THE ROAD we follow a man on his road trip through america. Both stories tell a journey of people going across America in search of a new perspective. The Authors often refer to the “old country” or “back country”. These stories explain men and their journey to connect with the past of America and get back to the “roots” of what it truly means to be an American. While ON THE ROAD is a journey of a loan man it seems to be the most relatable because he describes things in a harsher or more real perspective that is easily relatable.
ReplyDeleteSamantha Harn
Period 4
Sullivan and Kerouac both have similarities in their books based on their personal experience about the “road trip.” Sullivan and Kerouac have completely different situations because Sullivan travels with his family to escape their struggles and go to the promise land, but Kerouac travels by himself only relying on how much money he has left to take the bus, eat, and hitchhike to be able to reach his destination, the West. Even though they’re in completely different scenarios, they essentially begin their journey to find a sense of freedom. The whole structure of their books are similar in writing because both Sullivan and Kerouac used a lot of imagery. They both successfully paint pictures in their reader’s mind about what’s happening because of very specific details. As they both travel and see more of America, they both gradually begin to see what America really is not only from one perspective but multiple point of views. They both begin to see how diverse and different each place is. Sullivan and Kerouac both realize that to be able to define what America really is, it is best to explore it and see what else America has to offer.
ReplyDeleteYeda Marie Donato
Period 4
Both authors in each of the excerpts talk about their journey, and taking a road trip in which each character is distancing himself from all things familiar. These stories are similar because each author describes an anticipated trip, a long journey and memories. In Robert Sullivan’s story, it is described that everyone is excited for the trip but know that it will be wearisome. Jack Kerouac’s character talks about looking “forward to [everyone] with joy and anticipation” and also mentions being tired because of the travel (3). Both characters know that the trip to their desired destination will take awhile. Sullivan’s character sees America as a continual expedition and believes that the country itself is the road while the man from On the Road feels as though closing in on Iowa is like getting closer to paradise. In Cross Country, the boy feels that heading East is like heading into the past and running into memories from that time. Simultaneously, Kerouac talks about the East representing his character’s youth while the West signifies his future.
ReplyDeleteThe similarities between the two excerpts are that they go deep into the culture of America, and that means they cover all the aspects of traveling. When people travel some go for the experience of the actual road trip others may travel just because they need to get from A to B. What is very similar in in the two passages is how both of the writers go over the fact that traveling is much more than leaving one place to arrive at another, both of the writers show how they absorbed all the different kind of cultures and values that America had to offer. For example, in Robert Sullivan’s On The Road he displays a man who is hitchhiking his way across the country, and on that trip he meets all kinds of new people who are from different places and are going to different places. But in Jack Kerouac’s passage of Cross Country he explains that the real America is all the highways and intersections that transformed from just land we received from other countries to what it is now-a-days and that is a modern road that connects all of America.
ReplyDeleteBoth Jack Kerouac’s “On the Road” and Robert Sullivan’s “Cross Country” touch on many similar points throughout both excerpts. One obvious point is that both of them are based on travelling across America whether by car, foot, or hitchhiking. Another point that both excerpts touch on is that during one point or another, both men lose their sense of identity because they have been on the road for so long. Jack Kerouac’s character forgets who he was in a cheap hotel room far away from his home while Robert Sullivan’s character questions why he is on the road in the first place. Both men want to keep travelling as they feel as American wants them to explore the beautiful country. They feel as though the roads themselves represent the country of America. Another similarity of the excerpts is the how the authors integrate pie into them. Jack Kerouac’s character is always eating pie and talking about how the pie gets better as he gets closer to the destination. Robert Sullivan’s character imagines a pie on a counter and how that connects to the phrase “real America”. Both excerpts connect on multiple points about road trips and the experience of travelling.
ReplyDeleteChris Vu
Period 4
Cassie Garza While reading both of these excerpts, both of these stories talk about traveling the world and exploring the different ways of people and their cultures. They talk about having road trips and traveling from the East coast to the west. When traveling they experienced new cultures and compared them to how they live, which is very new to them. While comparing different places to where they live it gives them a time to think about themselves and how they live and what could be different, or be glad they live where they live.
ReplyDeleteIn both stories, the main characters experience the emotions and adrenaline rush of going on a road trip. In the story CROSS COUNTRY, he describes how spontaneous his family was on the road trip. He mentions how although they might have forgotten something, they did not go back to get it. In a sense, this road trip is an opportunity for him to get away from his busy life. While on the road trip, it gives him time to self reflect and think. Since Americans are constantly so busy and caught up in their lives to just sit down and relax, road trips are valued for this factor. In the excerpt ON THE ROAD, the character is also spontaneous by hitching rides from people he doesn’t know and going wherever his heart desires. Along the way, he realizes that he doesn’t know who he is. By going on this road trip, it allows both characters to reflect and think to themselves. They are able to experience the diversity of America and the new surroundings instead of being sheltered in an environment that they lived in their whole lives. They are able to rediscover who they are and find themselves again.
ReplyDeleteIn both excerpts, Sullivan and Kerouac describe the real America with different experiences, but similar perspectives. Both describe how large America, specifically about the roads, like the highways, country roads, and city streets all connected to each other. On these roads, Sullivan and Kerouac write about the excitement on their adventure such as exploring new places and the different cultures from these new places. On their road trip experiences both authors feel weary. In the excerpt “Off” of CROSS COUNTRY, Sullivan says that he is weary because of the fact that other people have traveled or gone on these road trips before him and for traveling for about three to five days on the road. In ON THE ROAD, the character is always exhausted due to constantly hitchhiking and receiving any rest. In both excerpts, both include the perspective of continuous moving until finally reaching to the place you want to be in.
ReplyDeleteJeffrey Dumag
Period 4
The excerpt from "Cross Country" by Robert Sullivan and "On The Road" by Jack Kerouac, both take place traveling on the road. Both excerpts are traveling across America to see what the country has to offer. The main characters in "Cross Country" and "On The Road" both talk about their experiences they have while traveling. In "Cross Country", the main character talks about how exciting it is to travel the country because of the freedom it gives us. This is similar to "On The Road" because the main character actually goes through an exciting experience hitchhiking from car to car, traveling plenty of miles. Robert Sullivan mentions that the “real America” is the landscape and “heart” of America. He mentions that is it not the advertising signs and motels, but the things that use to exist in America long ago. In the excerpt by Jack Kerouac, he experiences the “real America” by seeing the beautiful Mississippi river and more. Other similarities between the two excerpts include traveling on Route 66 and around Santa Fe. Both excerpts also mention eating pie in America. Overall, "Cross Country" and "On The Road" talk about the joy of road tripping and how it expands your experiences.
ReplyDeleteAfter analyzing Robert Sullivan’s Cross Country and Jack Kerouac’s On the Road, I found several similarities on both the two texts. First all of long, both of the texts are pretty explanatory; it’s simple, Sullivan and Kerouac both wrote about being on the road and having an adventure. Furthermore, Sullivan focuses on how going across America, being able to just drive off and not looking back. He also states that Lewis and Clark might not even be the first ones to explore America, there were pioneers back then who might have explored it first. Then he starts talking about the modern times like right now where we have cars, and back then the pioneers gathered up all their equipments and brought their station wagons along. Sullivan also wrote about his whole adventure crossing America with his whole family. He writes about their whole experience as a family, and also his whole experience as an individual traveler. Throughout Sullivan’s text, he kept writing about Lewis and Clark and how they crossed the country just like him and his family did. Robert Sullivan mentioned about seeing “the real America” where it’s also known as “back-roads America”, “the heart of America”, or “America’s heartland”. He writes down all the examples of typical Americans; from a lobsterman from Maine, a logger from Oregon, a rancher from Texas, and even a farmer from Missouri. He basically tells us that those types of Americans still exist, which means the real America still exists even though our society now is having its difficult times. As for Jack Kerouac’s On the Road excerpt, it is quite similar to Sullivan’s because Kerouac also wrote about his experience travelling with his friends exploring America. However, instead of driving by car, Kerouac and his friends took the bus and headed to as many different cities as they can possibly can. In my opinion, Kerouac's excerpt was earlier than Sullivan’s because Kerouac wrote his excerpt around the year 1947. He talks about all the different places he has been to in every detail, and also the struggles of actually getting to those places. Both of these passages are very similar, not only because it is travelling around America, but their experiences are also very similar to each other. Another reason why these excerpts are very similar because they had to adapt to all the different things that they see and the events that they experience.
ReplyDeleteAlyssa Inanoria
Period 4
Between Robert Sullivan's "Cross Country" and Jack Kerouac's "On The Road", both authors are very descriptive and go into great detail about their travels. They both feel that the further they travel, the closer to their future they get. Jack Kerouac says “...at the dividing line between the East of my youth and the West of my future”. By this he means that the closer to his desired destination he is, the closer to his future and the further from his past he is. Both authors believe that while traveling, they are free. Free from home, free from responsibilities and free from life. They can be who they want to be and do what they want to do while experiencing new things and meeting new people. These two authors and texts are very different in many ways. For example; Robert Sullivan is a family man while Jack Kerouac is a carefree person. Despite their differences, both authors have the same views on how traveling brings you closer to you future, and closer to your freedom.
ReplyDeleteAsia Cruz
Period 4
CROSS COUNTRY by Robert Sullivan and ON THE ROAD by Jack Kerouac both demonstrate the importance of an American road trip. In Sullivan’s excerpt, he describes the importance of discovering and viewing the “real America,” or individuals who represent American ideals. He emphasizes that real America is in every area of the world, and although many tend to ignore their surroundings, it is always “right there.” Sullivan’s personal road trip makes him realize the necessity of thinking, and the significance of his opinion on America. To keep moving forward, to move on to a brighter and better future, and to keep pushing towards a better life is America’s desire of him; in his trip, he notices that while heading east, he feels as though he is “heading to the past” and “runs into memories.” He constantly thinks about his life’s purpose and value. The road is his place of escape, his place to think. Similarly, in Kerouac’s excerpt, he describes his life and experiences on the road. While constantly switching rides to head to the west, he enjoys himself and discovers his own self as a missing soul. Kerouac and Sullivan both show their journey through the west, and realizes their individual purpose of a road trip. They constantly think about their life while traveling, and discover the comforting feeling of heading toward their destination.
ReplyDeleteBrian Lien, Period 4
Robert Sullivan and Jack Kerouac both write about their experiences of being on the road. The excerpts CROSS COUNTRY and ON THE ROAD both talk about Route 66, and how they drove on it. They both talk about how road trips are fun because you have a chance to really think. Additionally, they talk about the good and bad parts of being on the road. Robert Sullivan’s CROSS COUNTRY is about a man and his family and how they run out of money while on their road trip and Jack Kerouac’s ON THE ROAD about a man’s struggles of having to hitchhike to travel all across America. Both authors write about how the characters want to be on the road to experience different cultures and environments. The characters in both stories also want to find who they truly are. In ON THE ROAD, Jack Kerouac writes “I didn’t know who i was--I was far away from home.” Being away from home changed their perception on how they viewed the world and themselves. While being on a road trip might've been very difficult for the characters in both texts, they all still continued their journey to find themselves and experience other places. Both stories also mention pie. Pie is a symbol of home, but the characters in both texts ironically are not home.
ReplyDeleteBoth ON THE ROAD by Jack Kerouac and CROSS COUNTRY by Robert Sullivan are no doubt about road trips but to different places. They both described the feeling of being free in their journey [road trip.] Both of them didn't go through the journey alone. Kerouac got to his destination by hitchhiking, while Sullivan got to the his destination with his family. In both excerpts, it shows that a road trip can better and build a relationship between one and another person. For example, Kerouac met and talked to strangers and got to know them better to kill time. In Sullivan’s point of view, him and his family bond got stronger. I think both went through that stage because when one is stuck in a vehicle with a person or people for a large amount of time, and it gives them no choice but to communicate with each other. Also, going on road trips made them a sense of finding out who they really are as an individual. Both excerpts mention pie because it reminds them of home, but they are not home.
ReplyDelete
ReplyDeleteThe similarities that these two authors have are they like to cross country. They both talk about typical american lives. Robert divides the american into four categories, truckers, pioneers, and underground cross country racers. They have a lot of passion for apple pie. In america pie can be a symbol for home and warmness. Jack loves to eat pie with ice cream in a sense it’s almost like he misses home. Both of them travel and like to talk to observe the surrounding. They look at the people around themselves and wonder why people cross country. Both of them see as if they are trying to find sanswer at any place they stop or look at. Jack meets a lot of peoople and he says thehardest thing to do is it get along with them or not make them reject giving him a riade. Robert always is caring of what people look at him of what the real american is.America is the road.
In the excerpt from Robert Sullivan’s story, CROSS COUNTRY, he writes this story from memory as him and his friends travel from the East coast to the West. In this story, the group of people that he traveled with on the road trip have their own vehicle and supplies. In this story, he also mentions a number of historical events on why traveling across the country is related to America as one thing.
ReplyDeleteIn the second excerpt from Jack Kerouac’s, ON THE ROAD, the main character is fictional as he goes on a bus trip from town to town. The main character describes everything around him, the setting, the objects, the people, even his own opinions in a way that makes you feel as if you are the same person, experiencing traveling to those same locations. There was a slight bit of personal humor in the excerpt as well, which made the story entertaining as well as interesting.
Robert Sullivan’s Cross Country and Jack Kerouac’s On the Road are similar in a way that both of them are seeking a better understanding of America. Throughout their adventures, they begin to experience a new kind of excitement. Both of them see many landscapes which helped them open up their minds. At the same time, they talk about pie which makes them feel like home since its a American tradition dessert. While traveling, Robert Sullivan and Jack Kerouac seem to feel more free and also it made them think about who they truly are. Overall, it gave them a new perspective of America
ReplyDeleteRobert Sullivan and Jack Kerouac both have novels that are about traveling across America. In Sullivan’s CROSS COUNTRY, a man and his family have a road trip across America in their luggage-filled car. The family is very relaxed and having a good time during their road trip. Kerouac’s ON THE ROAD is about a man who is trying to find his identity by traveling around the country. He finds people to hitchhike with and travels in buses in order to make his way to different cities in America. In the excerpt from CROSS COUNTRY, the man and his family seem in a really good mood. The trip is a vacation for them. On the other hand, the man in ON THE ROAD is having a more difficult time in his trip. He constantly watches how much money he has left and also has to find his means of transport. Besides these differences, there are many similarities between the two excerpts as well. First of all, the main topic is traveling across America in both of the novels. Both of the excerpts mention diners and gas stations. This shows the importance of small businesses in America. Being your own boss and owning your own business has always been a popular tradition in America, many would even say it to be the American dream. In CROSS COUNTRY, it talks about the “real America.” These small businesses that are given importance throughout America and are shown to be all over the country in the two novels. America is also a very diverse country. There are very industrial areas, urban areas, and the farm lands as well. Both of the novels mention different types of areas within America and the different landmarks that make the country what it is. Pies are mentioned in both of the novels as well. A pie can represent people’s homes and comfort. The main characters in the two different novels eat pie during their road trip and it shows that they are still linked to the comfort of their home by eating pies. A major value of road trips is the freedom and sense of exploration that comes along with it. Both of the characters experience a sense of free spirit during their trip.
ReplyDeleteHarpreet Mahi
Period 04
Kerouac and Sullivan both use the idea of a road trip to describe the true essence of America. Sullivan states that the “real America” is a country that is about freedom. People have the freedom to travel and do as they please. Sullivan travels across country with his family and is crossing what he calls “the American heartland”. Kerouac is hitchhiking across country. He is traveling with ordinary people and gets the chance to meet and converse with them. Through this, he is able to see the real America. Sullivan says that this is the real America but it is overlooked by most people because it is not the host of a famous landmark or destination. Sullivan and Kerouac both appreciate this aspect of America. They both feel that the true America is about ordinary towns and ordinary people.
ReplyDeleteHarpreet Singh
Period 4
Excerpts from Robert Sullivan’s Cross Country and Jack Kerouac’s On the Road, both illustrate the life on the road and explain their experiences while traveling. Sullivan writes about his personal experiences with a more reflective tone, and writes about how his travels have made him realize what America truly is. Kerouac’s On the Road is more descriptive of the environment itself, and the specific events that the character goes through while traveling. Both of these excerpts define the purpose of traveling and shows what kind of mindset that these people had while going on these road trips. Kerouac and Sullivan express their sense of freedom with this road trip, and explain that the destination and the experience is the essence of it all.
ReplyDeleteMercedez Lam
Period 4
“The real America is also sometimes known as ‘back-roads America’ or ‘the heart of America’”(Cross country) and in this way Robert Sullivan, author of CROSS COUNTRY, defines what America is while Jack Kerouac, author of ON THE ROAD, writes on a character that brings Sullivan's definition to life. Kerouac’s main character hitchhikes his way across the US by getting rides on buses, cars, and trucks which happens to be part of Sullivan’s definition of getting across the country where he writes “(truckers, of course, are the subset of cross-country drivers who cross the country all the time, everyday)”(Cross Country). Kerouac’s story lives through Sullivan's definition mentioned in CROSS COUNTRY. This is one of the main similarities in both pieces of writing. Another similarity is the fact that both writers are trying to accomplish one goal and this is to get across the country.
ReplyDeleteIn the excerpt of Robert Sullivan’s Cross the Country and Jack Kerouac’s On the Road , both authors talk about road trips . In both stories they travel across the country to get away and find themselves. Kerouac writes about a man who travels on his own and Sullivan travels with his family, both want to get away from their busy lives and explore America’s beauty . Sullivan and Kerouac both describe what America is to them and how it has evolved. Kerouac and Sullivan explain how the roads and ordinary towns is what the real America is.
ReplyDeletePeriod 3
Both authors explain the complexity of America in every spot in the U.S they moved to different places. They seem finding about the truth of America in what makes up this country, all they would do is keep driving threw the vast roads of west. They state there are things that represents us. Like Kerouc interprets Jazz music representing the people of America in how life is. Second that America has many things to find out according to Sullivan, and would never stop because the U.S keeps on moving and changing that's way one say’s America is a continual expedition of a never ending race to the last frontier.
ReplyDeleteDylan Sanchez
period:3
1/10/13
Jack Kerouac’s On the Road and Robert Sullivan’s Cross Country both share the similarity that both authors imagine their destination has some kind of connection with their future, and for their leaving a connection with their past. In the story Cross Country, the author Sullivan, describes his journey with his family as a planed destination. He feels that when he heads east, he feels “as if he runs into memories and then history itself”. Kerouac’s On the Road, is hitchhiking to Des Moines, and imagines that when he reaches half across America, he is in the dividing line between the east of his childhood and the west of his future. These both authors share a similarity of some experience from the past and their future.
ReplyDeleteMiguel Sanchez
Period 4
1-10-13
Sullivan and Kerouac's excerpts are about the experiences of male individuals participating a road trip across the country. In the Sullivan's Cross Country he partakes an adventure with his family as they explore the West, whereas the text of Kerouac writes about a man hitchhiking. On their journeys the two characters become more compassionate about their surroundings. Both of these excerpts demonstrates individuals trying to understand themselves and find new meaning in life. The narrators of the Cross Country and On the Road describes their trip to the opposite coast. In Sullivan's text, he sees and enjoys the historical aesthetics of America instead of the commercial, famous trademarks he is used behind the window of a moving car. As for Kerouac's excerpt, the protagonist explores the country one place at a time. He visits new cities in different states and notices the differences of the surroundings. Sullivan sees what he ignores and thus he understands what is " the Real America." Pie is feature in both texts. The characters eat slices on their journey. Pie reflects the symbolism of home.
ReplyDelete