Blog 2: The Power of Love

In the first two chapters of novel, “Salvage the Bones”, by Jesmyn Ward, Esch provides the details of life in the Pit with her family. Esch talks in great detail of the landscape that they are in as well as provide detail on the characteristics of her family and friends.  As such, she is able to provide subtle details that provide profound meaning around the power of love. One example of case is the relationship between Skeeta and China. A man who cares for his dog and provides love that one would share with a woman. In this scenario Skeeta is supporting china by curlying his body around hers while she gives birth. From this example, love is a bond that can be shared beyond human interaction. This love that all living creatures hold provides many types of impacts towards a being. In another example, when Esch broke the glass bottle in her hand, she chose to prevent herself from screaming in order to feel strong, rather than to be a crybaby in front of Manny. As such, her love towards Manny in this situation influenced her to make her choice. So therefore in this situation, love has the power to make her choose away from the norm, where as a girl would have instinctively yell from the pain or sight of blood. My last example of the power of love is its ability to invoke past memories. After Esch endured the urge to yell, Randall, her oldest brother aided her in cleaning up the cut. From this moment she unconsciously remembered a similar moment where her mother would do the exact same way to treating a scratch or cut. Because of Randall’s “motherly” role towards helping her sister, she realized the love that she had before her mother passed away giving birth to Junior. The Power of Love is a double-edged sword. On one hand it can provide happiness such as having a perfect bond with people you care for, while on the other it could produce hatred, sadness, and chaos, such as a person cheating on another.