Salvage the Bones: Analysis of Major Characters
"Salvage the Bones" is a poignant novel set in the coastal town of Bois Sauvage, Mississippi, focusing on the lives of the Batiste family as they navigate the challenges of poverty, loss, and the impending threat of Hurricane Katrina. The major characters include Esch, a 15-year-old girl who grapples with her pregnancy and maternal instincts while drawing parallels to Greek mythology; Skeetah, her older brother, who is deeply devoted to his fighting dog, China, and struggles to protect his beloved pet amidst chaos; and Randall, the eldest brother, who dreams of basketball stardom but faces setbacks due to family conflicts and accidents. Junior, the youngest sibling, represents innocence amidst tragedy, having been born under traumatic circumstances. The family's father, Claude, battles depression and alcoholism, further complicating their survival. The narrative explores themes of familial bonds, resilience, and the harsh realities faced by those in marginalized communities. Each character's journey reflects the broader impact of socioeconomic challenges and natural disasters on personal lives, making the novel a powerful commentary on resilience and hope in the face of adversity.
Salvage the Bones: Analysis of Major Characters
Author: Jesmyn Ward
First published: 2011
Genre: Novel
Locale: Mississippi
Plot: Drama
Time: 2005
Esch Batiste, is a 15-year old African-American girl living in the coastal area of Bois Sauvage, Mississippi, with her father and three brothers. Her mother died after giving birth to the youngest child called Junior. She and her family are very poor. She is very intelligent and makes comparisons between her life and that of Jason, Medea, and other characters from Greek mythology. Despite that she is skinny and boyish, Esch has had several sexual encounters with a local teen named Manny, who is her oldest brother Randall's friend, and is pregnant with Manny's baby. Although she is only 15, Esch feels maternal instincts toward her fetus and Junior. When Esch informs Manny, who she is in love with, that he has impregnated her, he denies paternity of the baby and accuses the girl of having sex with multiple partners. Esch is hurt by Manny's accusations and physically attacks him and draws blood. Esch is a loving and dutiful sister and helps both Randall and another brother called Skeetah to steal supplies from a nearby house owned by white residents. When Hurricane Katrina strikes, Esch's maternal instincts prompt her to carry a litter of newborn puppies birthed by Skeetah's fighting dog, China, in a bucket despite the imminent danger of the storm.
Skeetah, is Esch's older brother and the second child. His name is Jason Aldan Batiste, but everyone refers to him as Skeetah or Skeet. Skeetah strongly resembles his father although the two don't get along—both are stubborn. Skeetah's main concern is his fighting dog, China, who gives birth to her first litter of puppies. He is dutiful and loving to the dog, treating it like his child. After China gives birth, Skeetah is afraid the dogs might catch parvo, so he builds the animals a pen and cleans it regularly, even burning his clothes to prevent the dogs from contacting the disease. When it seems his efforts have failed, Skeetah breaks into a house owned by a white farmer and steals medicine while Esch stands guard. He cuts himself on broken glass escaping through a window when the farmer returns suddenly. The farmer's dog chases the two back to their house, but China attacks the dog and scares it off. Skeetah starts a fight at a basketball game, causing the coach to kick Randall, his older brother, out of the game, dashing Randall's hopes of the school paying for him to attend basketball camp where college scouts might see him. When the house is flooding in Hurricane Katrina, Skeetah makes a sling out of his pants to keep China attached to him, but the dog is swept away. Once the family is safe, Skeetah goes into the floodwaters searching for the dog, but doesn't find her. After the flood recedes, Skeetah builds big fires in the yard in hopes that China will see the light and come home.
Randall, is the first-born son. He is 17 years old and hopes to attend college on a basketball scholarship. His chances of his high school sending him to basketball camp where he would be exposed to college scouts are dashed after his brother Skeetah starts a fight at the high school game, which gets Randall ejected from the gym, along with Skeetah and the others involved in the fighting. The school selects another boy named Bodean to attend basketball camp. While helping his father prepare the house as Hurricane Katrina approaches, Randall accidentally puts the tractor in gear, resulting in three fingers on his father's hand being sheared off. After the accident, Randall cares for his father and prepares the house for the storm by boarding up windows and stockpiling supplies. When the rising floodwaters traps the family in their attic, Randall cuts a hole in the roof with a chainsaw and saves them.
Junior, is the seven-year-old brother and youngest of the Batiste children. He was born purple and blue and was rushed to the hospital with his mother, who later died as a result of the difficult birth. Esch acquires important experience in raising children by caring for Junior after their mother's death.
China, is Skeetah's fighting dog. China is impregnated by Kilo, a fighting dog owned by a man named Rico. China is treated like a child by Skeetah, who shows more concern for the animal than his family. China is both loving and brutal; it kills one of its healthy puppies for seemingly no reason. Despite Skeetah's efforts to protect the dog when Katrina's fury hits their house, China disappears in the floodwaters.
Big Henry, is a friend of Randall and Skeetah who often is at the Batistes' property. Big Henry ferries Randall, Skeetah, and the others around in his old Chevy Caprice. He has a big heart and is concerned for others—when he comes across the scene of a car accident he aids the victims until an ambulance arrives. After Katrina destroys the Batiste home, Big Henry gives the family shelter in his house. When Esch reveals her pregnancy, he offers his support, telling her, “Don't forget you always got me,” even though he is not the father.
Claude Batiste, is the father. He drinks constantly and shows little concern for his family's well being following his wife's death, which—along with the burden of raising four children alone— may have resulted in severe depression. He never physically touches his children after his wife's demise. However, when Hurricane Katrina is rapidly approaching, he begins securing the house but is hospitalized after losing three fingers in an accident involving his tractor. He remains ill after his accident, but shows concern for his children by leaving the hospital to help them as the storm approaches.
Rico, is Manny's cousin and owner of the fighting dog Kilo, who impregnates China. He is a part-time mechanic but makes money fighting Kilo. He asserts rights to at least one of China's puppies since his dog sired them, but Skeetah disagrees, causing a brawl at Randall's high school basketball game resulting in all of them—including Randall—being ejected from the gym. Skeetah and Rico try to settle the matter of the puppies by fighting China and Kilo.