On the Road Characters

A friend of Sal in New York. Dean originally comes to New York to ask Chad to teach him how to write and be an intellectual, and Chad sends him to Sal to learn how to write.

Dean’s first wife. Marylou loves Dean but realizes that he will leave her. When he abandons her in San Francisco for Camille, she starts seeing other men. While living with Camille, Dean remains obsessed with Marylou, but the two drift apart as Dean becomes preoccupied with Camille and Inez.

One of the hitchhikers in the back of the truck that Sal joins during his first trip on the road, who goes out drinking with Sal in Cheyenne before they part ways.

Another hitchhiker in the back of the truck that Sal joins on his first trip west, during the best ride Sal says he ever had.

A writer and one of Sal’s friends in Denver. Roland dislikes Dean and his manic, eccentric behavior, as he prefers to spend his time leisurely writing. When he runs into Sal in San Francisco, they get uproariously drunk at the dinner with Remi and Dr. Boncoeur, embarrassing Remi.

Sal and Dean’s friend in Denver, who they hang out and part with there.

Ray’s sister, who Sal hangs around with in Denver.

One of Sal’s friends who lives in Denver. When Sal first goes to Denver, he stays with Roland Major in an apartment belonging to Tim.

A girl in Denver whom Dean fixes Sal up with. Sal sleeps with her before he leaves Denver for San Francisco.

Remi’s girlfriend in San Francisco. Sal is highly critical of Lee Ann, and thinks that she only went to San Francisco with Remi because she thought he was wealthy. She becomes frustrated with Remi and kicks him out of their little shack in San Francisco.

Teresa’s brother, who tells Sal that he can help him make money by selling manure to farmers. However, Rickey ends up just drinking most days, telling Sal that they will make money mañana, tomorrow.

Rickey’s friend, who Sal thinks is romantically interested in Teresa. Sal hangs around with Ponzo and Rickey while living with Teresa.

An eccentric, drug-addicted old friend of Sal, who lives in New Orleans. Sal stays with him for a while in Part Two. Bull has traveled the world, getting caught up in various international drug trades. He lives with his wife Jane and their two children.

Old Bull Lee’s wife, who is also a heavy drug user.

One of Sal’s friends, who hosts a big party on New Year’s Eve in New York.

A woman in New York whom Sal thinks he loves and wants to marry, but ultimately decides to leave behind in Part Two.

Sal’s friend who lives on Long Island with his aunt. Sal goes to a party hosted by Rollo around New Year’s in Part Two, before he goes west again with Dean.

A Jewish vagrant picked up by Dean as he, Sal, Marylou, and Ed drive south toward New Orleans.

A writer and a friend of Sal. He moves to Tucson to have time to focus on his writing but then ends up bored there, missing New York. He lends Sal some money so that Sal, Dean, and Marylou can make it to San Francisco.

A jazz musician Dean and Sal see perform in San Francisco. As he says of several jazz performers, Dean calls Slim God.

Sal and Dean drive around with Roy in San Francisco before they leave in Part Three. When Dean comes to Denver in Part Four, he arrives with Roy.

A girl who Dean goes out with in San Francisco before he and Sal leave to go east in Part Three.

A black man in San Francisco who Sal and Dean drink with before they leave to go east in Part Three. They go get drinks at Walter’s house and are both impressed when Walter’s wife doesn’t seem to mind Walter’s drinking and going out.

A woman Sal knows in Denver. Sal and Dean stay with her in Part Three. Dean is irritated with Frankie, but infatuated with her thirteen year-old daughter Janet.

The thirteen year-old daughter of Frankie. Dean is attracted to Janet, but Sal keeps him away.

A friend of Dean, who owns a ranch with his wife. Sal and Dean stop by their ranch on the way from Denver to Chicago in Part Three.

An ex-convict whom Sal meets on a bus in Part Four and accompanies to Denver.

Sal hangs out with Stan in Denver, in Part Four, and Stan goes to Mexico with Sal and Dean. As Sal sees when Stan leaves Denver and his grandfather begs him to stay, Stan is attempting to flee his grandfather for some unexplained reason.

A man who lives upstairs at Babe Rawlins’ house in Part Four and is hopelessly in love with her.

Sal, Stan, and Dean run into Victor at a gas station in Gregoria, Mexico. Victor takes them to his house where he sells them marijuana and brings them to a brothel.

At the end of the novel, Dean meets Laura, falls in love, and seems to settle down in New York with her.

The wife of Tim Gray.