On the Road: Part 1, Chapter 8 Summary & Analysis

Sal says that everyone began planning a trip to the mountains. Sal got a call from Eddie, who happened to be in town and was looking for work. Dean took Sal and Eddie to “the markets,” where the two found jobs—Sal didn’t show up to work the next morning, though. Sal describes a huge party that he went to at Ray Rawlins’ house.

After the party, Sal went to Carlo Marx’s house, where Carlo read him some of his poetry, in which he called the Rockies “papier-mâché,” and “the whole universe was crazy and cock-eyed and extremely strange.” Dean then arrived and announced that he was all set to divorce Marylou and marry Camille.

Dean and Carlo sat down cross-legged on Carlo’s bed, stared at each other, and talked: “they began with an abstract thought, discussed it; reminded each other of another abstract point forgotten in the rush of events.” Sal sat all night and listened to the two talk back and forth, until Dean decided to “stop the machine,” (i.e. stop talking) even though Carlo didn’t want to stop. Sal went back to his apartment.