So, this is the sadness of the novel.It's this unrequited love; Dean is never capable of loving Sal in the same way that Sal loves Dean.

所以这也是这本小说的悲伤，是这个无回报的爱情;,迪安从没能真正像萨尔爱他一样爱过萨尔。

耶鲁公开课 - 1945年后的美国小说课程节选

So, he finally realizes that Sal actually has a specific love for him, not caring about him somehow in principle, which is the way of course that Dean cares.

所以最后他了解到萨尔对自己有真正爱的付出，原则上是不能在乎的，但迪安当然很在乎。

耶鲁公开课 - 1945年后的美国小说课程节选