Sal lives with his aunt in Paterson, New Jersey. He keeps returning there after his wild journeys west, because his aunt offers a stable household (with food) where he can settle down for a short period of time before hitting the road again. Sal’s aunt represents to some degree the stable, traditional America life that Sal, Dean, and their friends reject. She is also an aspect of Sal’s privilege, which allows him to journey around freely: whenever he is in trouble, he can write to her for more money, and whenever he is sick of the road, he can stay at her house for as long as he wants.