Esch vs. Medea Period D

Erin Bowen

8/31/16

Period D

“Manny kneels next to Rico, whispers.  I know that whatever Manny is saying is showing the meanness in him, that he is Jason betraying Medea and asking for the hand of the daughter of the king of Corinth in marriage after Medea has killed her brother for him, betrayed her father”  (172).  In this passage from the novel, Ward explicitly makes a connection between the characters of Salvage the Bones and “The Quest of the Golden Fleece” through the perspective of Esch.  She invests many of her emotions into the relationship with Manny, although it’s mainly one-sided and not reciprocated.  This is a pivotal point of the plot in which Esch has not yet told Manny of her pregnancy, though has been admiring him from afar without expressing her feelings.  A lot regarding Manny is revealed to the reader about the side of his personality that is harsh and aggressive.  Tension is at its peak between Manny and Esch’s brother, Skeetah, as both characters oppose the other in a dog fighting match.  The concept of Esch’s brother not having a positive relationship with Manny is similar to how Medea’s brother interferes with her intense love for Jason.  Currently in the book, Manny has chosen a relationship with Shaliyah and Esch alludes to how Jason picks the daughter of the king of Corinth.  This situation illustrates a main conflict in the book in which Esch struggles between her family and the boy she loves.  Since a large portion of the novel is the preparation for the hurricane, this allusion highlights the overwhelming amount of emotions Esch experiences, much like Medea does.  Often being consumed by thoughts of Manny serves as a distraction for the young protagonist to potentially greater problems.  

This is an image of artwork that dates back to 330 BC- 340 BC.  The artist is unknown though the piece is currently preserved in the Louvre in Paris, France.  The scene is on a calyx krater, which was a large vase used in Ancient Greece to mix wine and water.  It depicts Jason bringing Pelias the Golden Fleece as he is about to be crowned with a wreath.  

The character Esch can be symbolized by bamboo in a storm.  While this plant may sway in the wind, it will bend to far extents but not break due to its deep roots and great flexibility.  It grows tall and strong as an adaptation that allows it to reach for the sun.  Esch is much like bamboo because she has learned to grow up fast in order to have a strong role in the family and be somewhat of a mother figure for her younger brother Junior.  There’s a lot of misfortunes and hardships that she deals with, though by the end of the novel, she has become a strong woman who is heading for a positive direction in her life.  Like bamboo, Esch may seem vulnerable, but she cannot be broken, and motherhood has even made her stronger than ever.  She stands tall without the overwhelming need to lean on others.