I.S.P BLOG #1

WHAT HAPPENED LATER by Ray Robertson

The first chapter of this novel is efficiently opens the story. Within pages two buddy characters Jack and Stanley are revealed, within paragraphs we know their favorite pub, and within sentences we see that Jack is a comical drunk. Despite the happy-go-lucky alcoholism and a moocher friend antics, Kerouac is more than just a buffoon. We learn more through the omniscient narrative than the direct speech; I do not frown upon Robertson telling us what he could show us because being a protagonist being dragged off the road after a drunken adventure still sauced as a pan, is not where I would expect to hear:
"Say Jack?"
"Yes Stanley?"
"How is life as French-Catholic-Writer going?"
"Not too bad at all my studio apartment friend!"
Since there isn't going to be any dialogue worth keeping in the story, it is appropriate we learn the facts above through the author's storytelling which enchants with his style.

Immediately establishing the skeleton's of the characters, the drive that resonates is that we are left to fill in the blanks of his/her personality; we are comfortable with him being a drunk yet we want to know Jack as a person.


The direct speech uses no quotation marks, it is italicized; the author credits the reader with knowledge by expecting him to understand also, this is a small technique used to keep the flow of the reading steady allowing a reader to watch the story in his mind. There are well chosen words that stick out and emphasize the other words that they're tied to. Jack is a "soggy drunk" and will eventually get the "crippling hangover" that he is used to.
"Well, there is Jack Kerouac, back on the road again." It feels like I am overhearing this story at "Gunther's Fisherman's bar" with the mates exchanging light hearted stories about themselves. The tone of the narrative sounds from the perspective of Stanley the reliable friend ("Stanley tried everything: reasoning, pleading, even threatening.") or Jack the writer ("how much money what's-his-name's agent got for him for his last paperback reprint deal.")