The message of On the Road In Jack Kerouac's novel On the Road, the author tries to make the public understand that everyone is naturally dishonest and morally deceptive. . Morality is defined by religion, the laws of the land, or a combination of both. A person's identity captures and embodies the morals of the individual. My morals follow Christian beliefs, the laws of the State of Texas, and the laws of the United States. Although a person's morals may change, basic acts such as theft and murder are wrongful and illegal under federal law. Many characters have performed numerous acts proving this point, such as Montana Slim, who says that to make money you have to follow a man into an alley and rob him, or Dean, who never feels remorse for having beaten Marylou after a fight. They, along with other characters, display such actions, which show that everyone is morally deceptive. In Part 1, Chapter 4, Sal tells Montana Slim that he only has enough money to buy whiskey. Slim said to Sal, “I know where you can find some.” " " Or ? » “Anywhere.” You can still fool a man in an alley, right? I need some dough." (27) At this early point in the novel, Sal is still discovering who he is and what life on the road is like. He seems like a naive young schoolboy who gets bullied by an older, wiser kid Slim knows what he's talking about because he's been on the road for a while now He's probably robbed quite a few people in his experience on the road. by law, wrong and dishonest In Part Two, Chapter 6, while Dean, Marylou, Ed Dunkel and Sal stop at a gas station on the way to New Orleans, Dunkel casually steals three packs of. cigarettes the way the narrator says it is that he stole them without even trying. He then justifies it by saying that they were fresh out (139) The language used is so "nonchalant", as if. stealing was no big deal Stealing, like stealing, is illegal and morally wrong. What is most disturbing is that Dunkel believes that stealing cigarettes is acceptable, that it is necessary for survival, at the same time. as food or water. Stealing food or water to survive may be justified, but not cigarettes. Cigarettes are not a necessary part of a diet. Although Dean does many things throughout the novel that are dishonest or morally wrong, beating Marylou in a fight comes to mind the most. The way Dean used and abused the many women who came in and out of his life is disgusting. Most parents teach their children that it is not acceptable for boys to hit girls. However, Dean's mother was never there to teach him this very obvious fundamental life lesson. The men in this novel speak and treat women so poorly. It's not illegal per se to do some of these things, but it is morally wrong to hit a woman, especially to the point of turning her black and blue. The relationship between Sal and Terry was good and honest. Sal didn't want Terry to work because he wanted to be the sole "breadwinner". They truly cared for each other and enjoyed each other's company. Sal thought she was the most beautiful woman he had ever seen. Initially, however, he probably wanted to meet Terry for selfish and sexual reasons. Many times before, Sal (and other male characters) would use women for one night in order to be sexually satisfied. Why would this woman be different from the others? Sal doesn't.