Sal’s Aunt Character Analysis in On the Road

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.

Sal’s Aunt Character Timeline in On the Road

The timeline below shows where the character Sal’s Aunt appears in On the Road. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.

Society, Norms, and Counterculture Theme Icon

...from the police, Dean showed up on Sal’s doorstep one night (he lived with his Aunt in New Jersey), asking him to show him how to write. (full context)

Freedom, Travel, and Wandering Theme Icon

...bars. Dean then stole a car and they sped back to Denver. Sal wrote his aunt for more money, so that he could go to San Francisco. He told Carlo that... (full context)

...confusion. Sal’s brother was planning on moving soon, and was sending some furniture to Sal’s aunt’s house in Paterson. Dean offered to drive the furniture up to New Jersey. (full context)

...York and then drove back down to Virginia to get more furniture and bring Sal’s aunt back to Paterson. Dean told Sal that he was certain God exists and then said,... (full context)

...the first days of his mysticism.” On the way back to New Jersey, with Sal’s aunt in the car, they got a speeding ticket. Dean had no money, so Sal’s aunt... (full context)

Sal went back to his aunt’s house to rest. His aunt told him he was wasting his time with Dean, but... (full context)

...and knew “it was time to go.” Before leaving, he collected his things from his aunt’s house and called Old Bull Lee in New Orleans, who was fed up with Galatea... (full context)