Salvage The Bones Analysis

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Pages: 3

The novel Salvage the Bones is one that brings many different uncomfortable subjects to light in a variety of ways. As a reader, it is important to notice that these uncomfortable parts of the text convey meanings that can only be told in an unfamiliar way. Jesmyn Ward, the author of this text, took advantage the opportunity to use situations that make the reader uncomfortable to teach many underlying lessons.

One example of when this book made me uncomfortable was when it spoke of the reality of the dad not really being much of a “dad” figure in the lives of the children. Throughout the novel, the “Daddy” is more concerned with holding his can of beer than getting to know his own children. The text even refers to him saying that at one time that, “for a moment he looked not-drunk” (Ward 6). Even when sober, the dad didn’t always give his children the best possible. After telling Esch about the category five hurricane coming right towards them, he “lays back on his side, facing the door” (Ward 213). From this, I noticed that he wasn’t motivated to do anything urgent for his family. Another example of his incompetence as a
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Esch is very outspoken about her sexual life and even says, “the only thing that’s ever been easy for me to do, like swimming through water, was sex when I started having it. I was twelve” (Ward 22). The hard truth that Esch had sex at a very young age is something that she is not ashamed of telling. It makes the reader realize the raw truth that she depends on guys to give her attention because he father doesn’t give her any. She also describes in detail her sexual interactions with Manny by saying, “He will bury his face in my hair. He will growl when he comes” (Ward 16). This is an image that I don’t particularly want to read, but it just shows her infatuation for feeling like she’s being deeply cared