ESCH'S WORLD

Medea

Throughout Jesmyn Ward's Salvage the Bones, Esch references and identifies with the character of Medea, whom she is reading about in Edith Hamilton's Mythology for school.

The Greek tale of Medea is technically a smaller portion of the tale of Jason and the Argonauts. Medea does not come in until later in the story after Aphrodite has her son Cupid shoot her with an arrow, causing her to fall madly in love with Jason. Aphrodite does this so that Medea will use her magic to help Jason on his quest for the Golden fleece, but the goddess's meddling has severe consequences.

Jason is the heir to a King in Greece, but his father's throne was stolen by Jason's cousin Pelias. When Jason reaches adulthood he returns from hiding to the kingdom so he can reclaim his throne. Pelias gives him the task of retrieving the Golden Fleece in exchange for the throne, which sets up Jason's quest. He and several other heroic men including Hercules, Pollux, Castor, and many others set sail on the Argo to go find this magical item.

They overcome many obstacles with help from the gods, but once Cupid shot Medea with one of his arrows it was Medea and her command over the dark arts that allowed Jason and his men to accomplish their quest. She helped them flee from her father, kept him off their trail, killed her own brother, and ultimately charmed the beast guarding the Golden Fleece so that they could obtain it. Even though Jason promised to marry Medea in exchange for her invaluable assistance, he betrays her (after they have two children) and marries another woman. Medea, plagued with grief and rage, kills Jason's wife-to-be and their two children before riding off in a chariot led by dragons.

To purchase Edith Hamilton's Mythology, go here.

This section compiled by Sam Miller.

Teen Pregnancy

Early on in the novel, Esch finds out that she is pregnant and tries to think through her options. As an impoverished girl in rural Mississippi she had very few options to begin with despite the fact that being pregnant at fifteen is not an unheard of phenomenon in that area. Throughout the country, dependent on the economic status in the area, sexually active girls of this age may be able to afford birth control, adoptions, or safe abortions. Mississippi has the second highest teen pregnancy rate in the nation and the fourth highest birth rate from a teenage mother. From these statistics, it is clear that many of the pregnant teenagers in Mississippi do not carry to full term. The research from 2005 varies slightly, however the current statistics still exemplify the way teen pregnancy is dealt with in the area. Esch mentions in the novel that she heard of ways that girls she knew were able to abort their pregnancies for less money, but Esch was unsure and unable to follow through with those ways.

The abortion rate in Mississippi for fifteen year old girls dropped from 13.4 percent in 1991 to 4.9 percent in 2005. According to these statistics, it was hardly an option to get a safe abortion at this time for Esch. With that in mind, it might become clearer to the reader why she decides against an abortion and takes on the role of mother throughout the novel. In addition, it is more common for people in Mississippi of Esch's age to have had sex in the same manner that she has: young and with multiple partners. Esch's situation is very common within the area, specifically for her economic status and race. She meets many of these statistics with the exception that she plans to go through with her pregnancy and raise the child herself. For further information, check out Guttmacher Institute's State Center.

This section compiled by Madeline Delano.

Poverty in Mississippi

In 2005, 21% of the population in Mississippi was considered to be at poverty level. Additionally, 41% of African American children in Mississippi live in a poor family. Esch and her brothers fall into this category. More children are living in poverty in Mississippi than there are people living in Reno, Nevada. The families in Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama that were at or below poverty level were the ones who were left behind during Hurricane Katrina, they were trapped physically and by poverty. These families didn't have the same resources as other families. They lacked cash, cars, assets, and bank accounts. Before Hurricane Katrina, these families faced many hardships. After Katrina, the conditions they face are far worse. Reading the novel, one of the main questions readers have is, "why didn't Esch's family leave?" It is because of their lack of assets and resources that they had to stay. It was impossible for Esch's family to leave, they wouldn't have had a vehicle that would've fit the entire family. They barely have money to eat. If they left, they would literally have nothing. For more information on the effects of poverty in Mississippi, check out the NCCP website.

This section compiled by Bryce Cherry.

Dogfighting

History:

The popularity of dogfighting came to the Americas along with the colonists and exploded professionally around the time of the Civil War in the 1860s. It has since fallen out of popularity and has become illegal in many states over the years. But, like everything there are illegal dogfights still going on today.

They come in different intensities, the first are "street" fighter who will have one dog in a back alley with no rules or regard for the animals. The "hobbyist" is more organized and is more attentive to the breeding and care of the animals, attempting to make an income through their dogs. Then there are the of course the "professionals" who earn money by breeding specific lines of champion dogs usually having as many as 50 or more dogs to sell at once. Professionals are more focused on the income rather than the actual fighting of the animal.

Where does Dogfighting Happen?:

Dogfighting isn't an isolated problem either. It is found in rural, suburban, and urban settings where the anti-fighting laws and penalties are not strictly enforced. It knows no social bounds either with poverty and wealth alike coming for the excitement that the "sport" apparently brings to the competition.

In March of 2013 in Kansas where the story Salvage the Bones takes place, two men were arrested and charged with a felony for dogfighting. The ASPCA removed nearly 100 dogs that the suspects were breeding and fighting. The suspects faced a maximum penalty of five years in jail and up to $250,000 in fines.

Like stated before, this "sport" is not isolated to one part of the country. It can be found in any town in the country, all you have to do is walk into your nearest shelter and see the amount of pit bulls that are yet to be adopted. Here in Decatur IL there is a fairly large dogfighting ring that is kept very far away from the public eye. The police get to the scene of the crime minutes too late, finding evidence to a fight but no suspect to link it to.

"Training":

The most common breed of dog that is used for fighting is the American Pitbull. For cultivation of fighting dogs they are not socialized and kept on short heavy chains for the majority of their lives while they are trained, sometimes cruelly, for fights. Because of dogfighting the breed has been given terrible reputation that they do not deserve. When they are not bred for fighting pit bulls are gentle, loyal and very friendly, but unfortunately due to the stigma pit bulls are often looked over in the rescue process.

How Can You Help?:

One way that the public can help is to report any suspicious behavior, however small. Donate to your local shelter so that the money goes back into the community rather than the country as a whole. Below are links that help further explain the history of dogfighting and what organizations are doing to try and combat it.

This section compiled by Emily Nielsen.