I have a couple questions about Jack Kerouac?

First of all, I just finished On the Road last night, and started reading The Dharma Bums. I enjoy the books, but I also don't. Maybe some things need clarifying.

1. When did Jack suddenly start claiming that he was a Buddhist? There was no talk of this in On the Road, and now in the Dharma bums, he's all into it.

2. I'm guessing that he was a closet homosexual. His endless search for Neal Cassady, and the way he describes him in On the Road. There were a couple times throughout the book where Neal has a girl, and he doesn't, and he seems to be more jealous of the girl than anything.

3. Were Neal and Jack ever romantically involved?

4. This isn't really a question, but I don't like how he rambles. There are some sentences in both books that are like half of a page long. Am I missing something? I know he was always drunk and loved Benny tubes, but I'm still confused.

5. What significance did his writing really have? There are certain passages in On the Road that put me in awe, but I don't really get it. The beats were the first hippies or something?

I know I'm being really critical, I'm just rather confused. I guess it's hard for a 20 year old kid to grasp the beats. Some clarification would be awesome. Thank you!