On the Road Lesson Plan

Character Transformations

Kind of Activity:

Individual Writing

Objective:

Students will write about one of the main character's development arcs thus far.

Structure:

Though we are fairly early in our study of On the Road, Kerouac has already included a good amount of character development, particularly in the case of Sal and Dean. Both seem conflicted with the desire for a stable home life and the endless opportunity that the open road provides. As a result, we watch both characters bounce back and forth between these two lifestyles.

Students will choose one of these characters and analyze their development thus far in the novel. This activity will begin by having...